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STRESS MANAGEMENT for Students and Adults.pptx
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- 3. STRESS Stress can bedefined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to our overall well-being.
- 4. STRESS Stress affects boththe mind and the body. A little bit of stress is good and can help us perform daily activities. Too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems. Learning how to cope with stress can help us feel less overwhelmed and support our mental and physical well-being.
- 5. Signs of Stress •Stress makes it hard for us to relax and can come with a range of emotions, including anxiety and irritability. When stressed, we may find it difficult to concentrate. We may experience headaches or other body pains, an upset stomach or trouble sleeping. We may find we lose our appetite or eat more than usual. Chronic stress can worsen pre- existing health problems and may increase our use of alcohol, tobacco and
- 6. Signs of Stress •Stressful situations can also cause or exacerbate mental health conditions, most commonly anxiety and depression, which require access to health care. When we suffer from a mental health condition, it may be because our symptoms of stress have become persistent and have started affecting our daily functioning, including at work or school.
- 7. STRESS Does everyone respondto stress the same way? No, everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Coping styles and symptoms of stress vary from person to person.
- 8. STRESS Should we bestressed in difficult situations? Yes, it is natural to feel stressed in challenging situations such as job interviews, school exams, unrealistic workloads, an insecure job, or conflict with family, friends or colleagues. For many people stress reduces over time as the situation improves or as they learn to cope emotionally with the situation. Stress tends to be widespread during events such as major economic crises, disease outbreaks, natural disasters,
- 9. STRESS I am feelingstressed, does that mean I cannot work? Most of us manage stress well and continue to function. If we have difficulties coping with stress, we should seek help from a trusted health-care provider or from another trusted person in our community.
- 10. STRESS How can Imanage stress? While it may seem like there’s nothing you can do about stress at work and home, there are steps you can take to destress and regain control.
- 11. Tip 1: Identifythe sources of stress in your life Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. While it’s easy to identify major stressors such as changing jobs, moving, or going through a divorce, pinpointing the sources of chronic stress can be more complicated. It’s all too easy to overlook how your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors contribute to your everyday stress levels. STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 12. Sure, you mayknow that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines, but maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that is causing the stress. To identify what’s really stressing you out, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses: STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 13. Do you explainaway 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? STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 14. Do you definestress 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”)? STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 15. Do you blameyour 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. STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 16. lDo you explainaway 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? lDo 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”)? lDo you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional? STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 17. STRESS MANAGEMENT Start astress journal A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way you deal with them. Each time you feel stressed, make a note of it in your journal or use a stress tracker on your phone. Keeping a daily log will enable you to see patterns and common themes. Write down: • What caused your stress (make a guess if you’re unsure). • How you felt, both physically and emotionally. • How you acted in response. • What you did to make yourself feel better.
- 18. STRESS MANAGEMENT Tip 2:Cut out unhealthy ways of dealing with stress Many of us feel so stressed out, we resort to unhealthy and unproductive ways to cope. A lot of these unhelpful strategies can temporarily reduce stress, but in the long run, they actually cause even more damage: • Bingeing on junk or comfort food. • Zoning out for hours in front of the TV or phone. • Withdrawing from friends, family, and social activities. • Sleeping too much. • Filling up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems. • Procrastinating. • Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts,
- 19. STRESS MANAGEMENT If yourmethods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and physical health, it’s time to find healthier ones that leave you feeling calm and in control.
- 20. STRESS MANAGEMENT Tip 3:Practice the 4 A’s of stress management While stress is an automatic response from your nervous system, some stressors arise at predictable times: your commute to work, a meeting with your boss, or family gatherings, for example. When handling such predictable stressors, you can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose in any given scenario, it’s helpful to think of the four A’s: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.
- 21. REMEMBE R Avoid unnecessary stress It’snot healthy to avoid a stressful situation that needs to be addressed, but you may be surprised 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, taking on more than you can handle is ......................... .... Avoid people who stress you out. If someone consistently causes stress in your life, limit the amount of time you spend with that person, or end the relationship. Take control of your environment. If the evening news makes you anxious, turn off the TV. If traffic makes you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an
- 22. REMEMBE R 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. ......................... ....
- 23. REMEMBE R Alter the situation Ifyou can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. 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 ......................... .... Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground. 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
- 24. REMEMBE R Find balance. Allwork and no play is a recipe for burnout. ......................... .... Try to find a balance between work and family life, social activities and solitary pursuits, daily responsibilities and downtime.
- 25. REMEMBE R Adapt to thestressor 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 ......................... .... 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.
- 26. REMEMBE R 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.” ......................... .... Practice gratitude. 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.
- 27. REMEMBE R Accept the thingsyou 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 ......................... .... 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.
- 28. REMEMBE R Look for theupside. 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. ......................... .... 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.
- 29. REMEMBE R Share your feelings.Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation. ......................... .... Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist.