This document discusses managing stress productively. It defines stress as the physical or emotional response to internal or external changes. It notes there are three levels to manage stress - psychological, physical, and behavioral. Examples of managing stress at each level are given such as meditation, exercise, and responding with calmness. It also discusses the signs of stress both physically and mentally. Stress can impact people mentally, behaviorally, and have physical health effects if severe. Both external factors like fast-paced environments and internal factors like fear can cause stress. The relationship between stress and productivity is shown to follow an inverted U-shape, where moderate stress increases productivity but high stress decreases it. Individuals and organizations can manage stress through better time management

1. Managing Stress
Productively
Prerna Sharma

2. What’s stress
•
Stress is physical or emotional reaction/response to any kind of change –
external or internal
•
Stress is a form of pain that comes to tell there is something I need to
change
•
Pain is a messenger that comes to tell me there is something I need to learn
•
An adaptive response to an internal & external situation that results in
physical, psychological and behavioral deviations.

3. MANAGE AT ALL THE THREE LEVEL
– PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL: MEDITATION, REASSESSING
OUR THOUGHTS & FEELINGS
– PHYSICAL LEVEL: EXERCISES, YOGA, PHYSICAL
ACTIVITIES
– BEHAVIOURAL LEVEL: RESPONDING WITH EQUANIMITY
AND CALMNESS.
IF the distress crosses the threshold level medical problems like
Depression, Anxiety disorders, Hypertension etc. sets in. seek
medical help from a qualified medical practitioner

4. Types Of Stress
There are two types of stress:
• Eustress
• Distress

5. Types Of Stress
Eustress:
Stress that is healthy, or gives one a feeling of
fulfillment or other positive feelings. Eustress
is a process of exploring potential gains.

6. Types of Stress
Distress:
• Severe strain resulting from exhaustion or an
accident

7. The Physical Signs of Stress
…increased heart rate,
stomach & digestive
disturbances, diarrhea,
sweating, heart attack, ulcers,
head aches, chest pains,
insomnia, accident prone,
alcoholism,
high blood pressure

8. The Mental Signs of Stress
…tension, tightness,
resistance, friction, anger,
guilt, critical, anxiety, evasion, reactive,
discontentment, worry, impatience,
apprehension

9. Effects of Stress
MENTAL
Irritability increases, forgetfulness, concentration
decreases, less judgment power weakens.
BEHAVIOURAL
Smoking / alcohol addiction, nail/biting,
not mixing, reckless driving, eating
more or less, sleep more or less,
work-alcoholism or absenteeism

10. External & Internal causes of Stress
External
Fast changing world, hurry, consumerism,
media, government policies,
population explosions, pollution
Internal
change of attitude, fear, jealousy,
hatred, aspirations, approach

11. STRESS RELATED DISORDERS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sleep disturbance
Easy fatigability
Loss of appetite
Nervousness, tension, irritability, restlessness
Depression
Abdominal disturbances
Migraine headache
And many such conditions

12. Productivity
The inverted U relationship
between stress and
productivity is illustrated by
Figure.
From the figure it can be
observed that as the stress
increases the productivity
declines.
Here, the productivity refers
to the work efficiency of
individual , or the employee
in the organization.
Stress
From the organization’s stand point, management may not be concerned when employee
experience low to moderate level of stress. Such levels may lead to higher employee
performance. But high levels of stress or even low levels sustained over a long period of
time, can lead to reduced employee performance and thus require action by management.
From the individuals standpoint even low levels of stress are likely to be perceived as
undesirable.

13. MANAGING STRESS

14. Individuals and organizations have attempted to deal with stress in
various ways. Individuals, for example, may try to reduce stress
through better management of their time, nutritious food, exercises,
career planning, change in jobs, promotion of psychological health,
relaxation, meditation and prayer.
Time can be managed effectively by,
• Making daily list of activities to be accomplished
• Prioritizing activities by importance and urgency
• Scheduling activities according to the priority set
• Knowing the daily cycle and handling the most demanding parts of
job during the high part.
Organization may provide counseling or recreation facilities or may
improve the job design by matching the person with the job. A proper
fit between individual needs and the demands of the task will benefit
both the individual and the organization.

17. Conclusion
Undoubtedly in every organization, a small group of
the working population suffers from stress. If the
management consider stress as an individual
problem and not as a management problem, then
they have to meet out with the loss due to
absenteeism, turn over, total cost of work-related
accidents and work that is not up to the standards.
The organization should handle stress positively to
increase the productivity