1- Negative stress is defined as factors that cause emotional and…

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1- Negative stress is defined as factors that cause emotional and…

1- Negative stress is defined as factors that cause emotional and mental upset in people’s personal and professional lives. Negative stress is also referred to as distress. Acute Stress and Chronic Stress are the major types of negative stress. Negative stress costs both the organization and the individual. According to surveys, negative stress costs organizations  billions in disability claims each year and billions more in industrial accidents. Up to half of job turnover is due to negative stress, and a high percentage of accidents on the job are stress-related. For employees, studies show that employees with chronic stress routinely find that they end the day with work-related neck pain, tired eyes,  hurting hands, and sleeping difficulties. Numerous other physical problems (such as headaches, backaches, muscular problems, high blood pressure, and ulcers) are related to negative stress.

Actually not all stress is negative.  Eustress is positive stress which can be associated with things like:

Meeting or engaging in a challenge.
Getting a promotion at your job.
Love, marriage, and childbirth.

True or False: Acute stress and Chronic stress are two types of Eustress.

True

or

False

 

2- There are several factors that can contribute to stress.

Role ambiguity(not knowing your duties or what is expected)
Job insecurity
Working conditions and relationships
Dual-career families, single parenthood, and extended families
Anger
Time
Money

QUESTION: Which of these factors contribute to the stress in your life?

 

3- Anger works as a message and a shield. Anger tells a person when something is wrong. Anger can also become a shield, helping to hide a person’s true feelings. Therefore, resolving anger involves problem solving and individuals should start by carefully identifying the source of the anger. Once the source is identified anger management strategies can be developed.

True or False: Anger’s purposes are that it serves as a messenger and a sword.

True

or

False

 

4- True or False: A key to resolving anger is problem solving.

True

or

False

5-Time wasters!!!

a. Chatter—talking with coworkers about personal or social events rather than accomplishing the work of the organization. This used to be a “water-cooler” or break room phenomena, but is now dominated by social media at work.

b. Disorganization—clutter on the desk and/or inadequate organization of the day’s events.

c. Ineffective communication—lack of communication or misunderstood communication about work issues that can cause confusion and loss of productivity.

d. Procrastination—trying to avoid a task by putting it aside with the intention of doing it later. Time is a limited resource.

QUESTION: Which of these are problems for you?

 

6- True or False: Chatter and Procrastination are time savers.

True

or

False

 

7- How to Reduce, Prevent, and Cope with Stress

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about stress. The bills won’t stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day, and your career and family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management. Managing stress is all about taking charge: of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, and the way you deal with problems.

Identify the sources of stress in your life!

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands,that leads to deadline stress.To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses: Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather? Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”). Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional? Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

Questions:

Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal ?

How do you think Professionals control stress?

 

 

8-Learning healthier ways to manage stress!

If your methods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and physical health, it’s time to find healthier ones. There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all require change. You can either change the situation or change your reaction.

Stress management strategies

#1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate. Learn how to say “no” -Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. 

Avoid people who stress you out -If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.

Take control of your environment -If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. 

 Avoid hot-button topics -If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.

Pare down your to-do list -Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

#2: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same. Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. 

Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.

 #3: Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.

Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

Adjusting Your Attitude. How you think can have a profound effect on your emotional and physical well-being. Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tension-filled situation. If you see good things about yourself, you are more likely to feel good; the reverse is also true.

Eliminate words such as “always,” “never,” “should,” and “must.” These are telltale marks of self-defeating thoughts.

#4: Accept the things you can’t change.

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control—particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.

Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.

Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

#5: Make time for fun and relaxation.

Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come.

Review the strategies:  Which strategies do you, or would you, use?

 

9- Healthy – Professional  ways to relax and recharge!

Go for a walk.

Spend time in nature.

Call a good friend.

Sweat out tension with a good workout.

Write in your journal.

Take a long bath.

Light scented candles.

Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.

Play with a pet.

Work in your garden.

Curl up with a good book.

Listen to music.

Watch a comedy.

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

Set aside relaxation time.

Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule.

Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries. Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.

Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.

Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.S

Adopt a healthy lifestyle

You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.

Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day. Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary “highs” caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.

Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.

Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

Question…. THE BIG QUESTION!

Are you scheduling healthy- professional ways to relax and recharge?