This document discusses stress, including its causes, types, manifestations, and methods for managing it. It defines stress as occurring when pressures exceed a person's ability to cope. Stressors can be internal, like poor sleep habits or negative thinking, or external, such as life events, daily hassles, or the physical environment. Stress has physical, behavioral, and psychological effects. Managing stress involves developing awareness of triggers, maintaining balance, and taking control through strategies like positive thinking, assertiveness, organization, humor, lifestyle changes involving diet, exercise, sleep, and leisure activities, and relaxation techniques.

1. Stress Management

2. • Define stress and the reasons to stress
• Types of stressors
• Types of stress
• Manifestations of stress
• Methods to manage and cope with stress
• Closing Thought
Objectives

3. • Stress is the reaction people have to excessive pressures or other
types of demand placed upon them. Its arises when they worry that
they can’t cope.
• S = P > R
• Stress occurs when the pressure is greater than the resource.
What is stress?

4. • Worry
• Tension
• Tired
• Frightened
• Depressed
• Anger
Stress Feeling

5. Types of Stressors
• Internal Stressors
• External Stressors

6. Internal Stressors
• Lifestyle choices
a. Lack of sleep
b. Overloaded schedule
• Negative self-talk
a. Self criticism
b. Pessimistic thinking
• Mind Traps
a. Unrealistic expectations
b. Taking things personally
c. Exaggeration
d. Rigid thinking
• Personality Traits
a. Perfectionist
b. Workaholics

7. • Physical Environment
a. Noise
b. Bright Lights
c. Heat
d. Confined Spaces
• Social Interaction
a. Rudeness
b. Aggressiveness by others
c. Bullying
• Organizational
a. Rules
b. Regulations
c. Deadlines
External Stressors

8. • Major Life Events
a. Birth
b. Death
c. Lost job
d. Promotion
e. Marital status change
• Daily Hassles
a. Commuting
b. Misplaced keys
c. Mechanical breakdown
External Stressors (cont.)

9. Types of Stress
• Positive Stress
• Negative Stress

10. Positive Stress
• Stress can also have a positive effect , spurring motivation and
awareness, providing the stimulation to cope with challenging
situations.
• Stress also provides the sense of urgency and alertness needed for
survival when confronting threatening situations.

11. Negative Stress
• It is a contributory factor in minor conditions, such as headaches,
digestive problems, skin complaints, ulcer, etc.
• Excessive, prolonged and unrelieved stress can have a harmful effect
on mental , physical and spiritual health.

12. Manifestation of Stress

13. • Stomach or bowel upset.
• Headaches.
• Backaches.
• Muscle tension.
• Change in eating habits: lost of
appetite or overeating.
• Restlessness/irritability.
• Fatigue.
Physical

14. Behavioral
• Decreased ability to concentrate/memory
problems/forgetfulness
• Making more mistakes
• Clumsiness; being accident prone
• Increased illness
• More frequent use of cigarettes, alcohol, or
drugs
• Withdrawal from usual activities
• Sleep disturbance

15. Psychological
• Increased anger
• Emotional outbursts
• Excessive fear
• Worry
• Confusion
• Increased anxiety
• Decreased self-confidence
• Depression

16. Managing Stress

17. • ABC strategy
• Change your thinking
• Change your behavior
• Change your lifestyle
Stress Control

18. ABC strategy

19. • A = Awareness
What causes you stress?
How do you react?
• B = Balance
There is a thin line between positive / negative stress
How much can you cope with before it becomes negative?
• C = Control
What can you do to help yourself combat the negative effects of stress?
ABC strategy

20. Change your thinking

21. • It is a technique to change the way you look at things in order to
feel better about them.
• Reframing does not change the external reality , but helps you
view things in a different light and less stressfully.
Reframing

22. Positive Thinking
• Focus on your strengths, look for opportunities, seek out the positive
make a change.
• Learn from the stress you are under.

23. Change your behavior

24. Be Assertive
• Express your feelings, opinions, beliefs.
• Say NO when you feel so.
• Be yourself don’t act for the benefit of others.
• Set your own priorities.

25. Get Organized
• Organization will help avoid personal and professional chaos.
• Structured approaches offer security against ‘out of the blue’
problems.

26. • Develop a support network through friends or colleagues to talk
with.
Ventilation

27. • Applies at home and work.
• Works as a good stress reducer.
• Relieves muscle tension.
• Improves breathing.
Humor

28. Diversion and Distraction
• Take time out, reduce stress level, calm down, think logically and get
away from things that bother you.

29. Change your lifestyle

30. Diet
• Healthy eating habits, salt and caffeine (stimulant).

31. Quit smoking and alcohol
• Stop or at least your consumption to bare minimum.

32. Exercise
• Uses up excess energy released by the ‘Fight or Flight’ reaction,
improves blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, improves self
image.
• Increases social contacts.

33. Sleep
• Good stress reducer, plenty of daytime energy, wake refreshed after
night’s sleep.

34. Leisure
• Gives you a break from stress, provides social contact and provides
outlet for relief.

35. Relaxation
• Lowers blood pressure, promotes sleep, reduces pain and eases
muscle tension.

36. Closing Thought