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Running
head: STRESS MANAGEMENT
Stress Management
Peter Lobo
XYZ University of Sciences
Stress Management
Its Sources And Strategies
Stress
is derived from the French word ‘destresse’
meaning placed under narrowness or oppression.
Stress has been called “the invisible
disease” It may affect you, your organization
and any of the people in it. So you cannot
afford to ignore it.
Stress in an individual is also defined
as any interference that disturbs a person’s
healthy mental and physical well-being.
It occurs when the body is required to perform
beyond its normal range of capabilities/capacities.
Stress is a:
“Funny” emotion!!
Or
Like a fire (enjoy its glow or fan them
into huge fire).
Most of us handle routine stress readily.
We can resolve our feelings and dissipate
the tension. What is stressful for one person,
however, may not be for another. Therefore
it may be counter productive to tell someone
not to worry about a situation, if we don’t
consider the same situation as stressful.
We all react to situations differently;
it is just being human.
Sources
Of Stress
Every person has a personality that makes
him/her different from others. The factors
causing stress vary from person to person.
Common sources of stress include Family
matters, Financial issues, Living conditions,
Corporate culture, Role ambiguity, Role
conflict, Job overload, Working conditions,
Managerial work.
Any changes in the routines of our lives
– even welcome ones can be stressful.
Following is the list of a few events (derived
from the above mentioned sources) that can
cause stress. Again the impact may vary
from person to person.
Death of a spouse Divorce
Marital separation Personal injury or illness
Marriage Dismissal from work
Marital reconciliation Retirement
Change in health of a family member Pregnancy
Sex difficulties Gain of a new family member
Business readjustment Change in financial
state
Death of a close friend Change to different
line of work
Change in no. of argument with spouse Major
mortgage
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan Change in
responsibilities at work
Son or daughter leaving home Trouble with
in-laws
Outstanding personal achievement Partner
begins or stops work
Begin or end school Change in living conditions
Revision of personal habits Trouble with
boss
Change in work hours or conditions Change
in residence
Change
in Schools Change in recreation
Change in Social activities Change in sleeping
habits
Changes in number of family get together
Change in eating habits
Minor violation of the law
The above events show the wide range of
stressors in our lives.
Effects
The effects of stress may accrue in three
dimensions namely:
1. Physiological (Body and on physical health
and well being)
The indications of physiological stress
include Back pain, Constipation, Diahorrea,
Dizziness, Excess perspiration, Exhaustion,
Fainting, Headaches, and Insomnia.
2. Psychological
The apparent signs of stress in terms of
psychological effects include:
Anger, Anxiety, Apathy, Boredom, Depression,
Fatigue, Fear of Death, Frustration, Guilt,
Hopelessness, Hostility, Impatience, Inability
to concentrate, Irritability, Restlessness,
Rejection.
3. Behavior
Human behavior depicts different Levels
of stress and the apparent symptoms include:
Biting lips, Foot tapping, Grinding teeth,
Impulsive action, Moving in tense, Jerky
ways, Nervous ticks, Over-reacting, Stuttering,
Touching hair, ears or nose, Swearing, Trembling
hands.
Strategies For Managing Stress
Basically the stress management strategies
are grouped in four avenues.
1. Change Our Internal Attitudes
· Develop social support that reduces
our sense of aloneness.
· Discuss troubles with spouse, parents
and friends.
· Develop a sense of humor about
the situation.
· Balance work and play.
· Seek solace in prayers.
· Seek professional help, if necessary.
2. Change Our Interaction With The Environment
· Improve our time management/ conflict
management skills.
· Work smarter, not harder.
· Be assertive.
· Identify areas for possible changes
in functioning.
· Slow down.
3. Change Our Physical Ability To Cope
· Get adequate and proper nutrition.
· Engage in regular sports and exercise.
· Develop some recreational activities.
· Get enough sleep and rest.
· Cut down on intake stressors (i.e.
caffeine, nicotine etc).
· Avoid taking drugs.
4. Change Our Environment
· Introduce change/variety in work
activities.
· Take regular vacations or time
off.
· Change job/vocation/residence.
Dr.
Wesley E. Sime (1997), presenting the core
concepts of Stress Management, suggested
the coping mechanisms as follows
Distinguish between defense mechanisms and
coping mechanisms
Usual Defense Coping Strategy
Repression (blocking out) Letting go of
the past
Denial (refusal to accept) Maintain hope
for the better
Displacement (take it out on others) Take
it out on a punching bag
Projection (blaming others) Help others
get over it
Rationalization (excuses) Re-structure the
incident
Conclusion
Too much stress can have a negative personal
impact, although an appropriate amount of
stress is an important part of being an
effective person. Without some stress, many
of us would not even bother to get out of
bed in the morning. A certain amount of
stress helps us stay on our toes and motivates
us to achieve a standard of excellence that
is powerful step in promoting self-esteem.
Finding the balance between too much and
too little stress is the goal.
References
Sime, Wesley E. (1997). Stress Management:
A Review of Principles. Retrieved from the
World Wide Web:
http://www.unl.edu/stress/mgmt/
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