The document discusses stress and its effects on working women. It defines stress as the body's physical and emotional response to change. The endocrine system controls stress responses through hormone secretion. Prolonged stress can lead to illnesses and symptoms like increased heart rate. Women face additional stressors in the workplace like stereotypes, discrimination, and balancing work and family responsibilities. Managing stress involves recognizing stressors, maintaining balance and control, and using techniques like organization, time management, social support, humor, and lifestyle changes like exercise and relaxation.

1. STRESS AND
WORKING WOMEN
DR. YASHASREE POUDWAL
CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST
K.J. SOMAIYA HOSPITAL

2. STRESS IS A PERSON’S
PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL
RESPONSE TO CHANGE
Stress is the reaction people have to
excessive pressures or other types of
demand placed upon them
Stress is the “wear and tear” our
minds and bodies experience as we
attempt to cope with our continually
changing environment

3. TYPES OF STRESS
 Positive effect, spurring motivation and
awareness, providing the stimulation to cope
with challenging situations. urgency and
alertness needed for survival when
confronting threatening situations.
 Negative effect Excessive, prolonged and
unrelieved stress can have a harmful effect
on mental, physical and spiritual health.

4. Stress response controlled by
the Endocrine System.
Demands on the physical or
mental systems of the body
result in hormone secretion
(Adrenaline, testosterone

5. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM RESPONSES
Increased pupil dilatation
Perspiration
Increased heart rate and blood
pressure
Rapid breathing
Muscle tenseness
Increased mental alertness

6. GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME
Alarm response
Adaptation
Exhaustion

7. SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
Physical symptoms
Mental symptoms
Behavioural symptoms
Emotional symptoms

8. STRESS RELATED ILLNESSES
 Cardiovascular disease
 Immune system disease
 Asthma
 Diabetes
 Digestive disorders
 Ulcers
 Skin complaints - psoriasis
 Headaches and migraines
 Pre-menstrual syndrome
 Depression

9. CAUSES
MAJOR LIFE EVENTS
DAILY HASSLES
HORMONAL CAUSES
INTERNAL STRESSORS

10.  LIFESTYLE CHOICES
 Caffeine
 Lack of sleep
 Overloaded schedule
 NEGATIVE SELF – TALK
 Pessimistic thinking
 Self criticism
 Over analysing
 MIND TRAPS
 Unrealistic expectations
 Taking things personally
 All or nothing thinking
 Exaggeration
 Rigid thinking

11. Factors that Affect Women in
Workplace
 Stereotypes
 token employees
 queen bees
 Access Discrimination
 Evaluation & Promotion Bias
 Job Leaves
 Sexual Harassment
 Occupational Segregation
 Salary Differentials

12.  Women at home perceived to be in leisurely role
 men associated home with rest, relaxation, place of
seclusion from stress
 because men didn’t associate home with work, they also
failed to associate women with work
 Children at home much stress, guilt, mommy wars
 time off can be costly for many years
 People working in the health professions need to take
many life and death decisions instantly and experience
appalling things, this leads to feelings of emotional
exhaustion

13.  Role strain could lead to poor health, but some studies
show that employed women are healthier
 WHY?
 Many find work mentally stimulating, encourages social
interaction, meet/work with people with similar interests,
increases self-esteem

14. STRESS MANAGEMENT

15. RECOGNISE THE PROBLEM
The most important point is to recognise
the source of the negative stress.
This is not an admission of weakness or
inability to cope! It is a way to identify the
problem and plan measures to overcome
it.

16. ABC STRATEGY
A = AWARENESS
B = BALANCE
C = CONTROL

17. Stress Management
Techniques
Change your thinking
Change your behaviour
Change your lifestyle

18. Get Organised
Poor organisation is one of the most
common causes of stress
Prioritising objectives, duties and
activities makes them manageable
and achievable
Organisation will help avoid personal
and professional chaos
Don’t overload your mind

19. Time Management
 Make a list
What MUST be done
What SHOULD be done
What would you LIKE to do
 Cut out time wasting
 Learn to drop unimportant activities
 Say no or delegate

20. Plan your day
Set achievable goals
Don’t waste time making excuses
for not doing something

21. Ventilation
 Develop a support network
Writing a diary or notes may
help release feelings but do
not re-read what has been
written.

22. Humour
 Good stress - reducer
 Applies at home and work
 Relieves muscular tension
 Improves breathing
 Pumps endorphins into the bloodstream -
the body’s natural painkillers

23. Diversion and Distraction
Take time out
Get away from things that bother you
Doesn’t solve the problem
Reduce stress level
Calm down
Think logically

24. Change Your Lifestyle
Diet
Smoking & Alcohol
Exercise
Sleep
Leisure
Relaxation