Thriving Under Pressure

 Know the meaning of stress.
 Be able to identify individual dispositions of
stress.
 Learn the effects of stress.
 Know some strategies for managing stress

1.. Can you say ‘no’ to friends and colleagues?
2. Are you organized?
3. Can you priorities?
4. Do you enjoy a healthy balanced diet?
5. Can you seek help when you need it?
6.Do you have a low caffeine and alcohol /tea
consumption?
7. Can you manage your time well?
uncertainties?

8. Are you able to be definite in your thinking and
avoid uncertainties?
9.Do you smoke?
10.Do you exercise regularly?
11. Are you doing the most suitable job?
12. Do you smile and laugh regularly?

13. Are you aware of what stress is all about and
what causes stress?
14. Are you a positive thinker?
15. Can you recognize the signs and symptoms of
stress?
16. Are you able to relax your mind and body
regularly?
17. Are you able to talk to people freely about your
feelings?

18. Are you in a good state of health?
19. Do you feel secure and value yourself?

 Stress is a general term that includes all the ,
 physical,
 behavioral,
 emotional, and
 cognitive responses we make to a disruptive
internal or external event. -

 Stress is a part of being alive.
 Stress becomes a problem for us when we have
too much stress and not enough resources to
cope with it.

 Our goal is not to eliminate stress but,
 to learn how to manage it and how to use it to help
us
 What we need to do is find the optimal level of
stress which will individually motivate but not
overpower each of us

Psychologists have argued that there are four major
kinds of effects associated with the stressed
state,
Emotional effects
 Feelings of anxiety and depression
 Increased physical tension
 Increased psychological tension

2. Physiological effects
 Release of adrenaline and noradrenalin
 shut-down of digestive system
 Expansion of air passages In lungs
 Increased heart rate
 Constriction of blood vessels

3. Cognitive effects
 Poor concentration
 Increased distractibility
 Reduced short term memory capacity
4. Behavioral effects
 Increased absenteeism
 Disrupted sleep patterns
 Reduced work performance

 Stress is uniquely personal.
 Our response to stress is a unique combination
of bodily reactions, thoughts feelings and
behaviors.
Factors Affecting our personal stress level
Internal factors
 Physical health
 Genetic vulnerabilities

External factors
 Medical care
 Finances
 Skills and training
 Support systems
 Counseling
 Frequency of stressors occurrence
 Intensity of stress's occurrence

 Mental health
 Self-esteem
 Temperament
 Self confidence
 Cultural expectations

 According to engineering model ,stress is
something that happens to us when we are
exposed to a stressor.
 Transactional model says stress occurs when,
 the perceived demands of a situation exceed
the individuals perceived ability to handle those
demands.

There are various psychological processes or
coping strategies which can be used to reduce
stress.
Task oriented strategies ,involves obtaining
information about the stressful situation and about
alternative course of action and their probable
outcomes.

Emotion oriented strategies
,involves efforts to maintain hope and to control
emotions.
Avoidance oriented strategies, involves
denying or minimizing the seriousness of
situation .

 Stressful life events
 Noise
 Heat
 Technological threats
 Architecture
 Uneven distribution of life facilities

1. Become aware of your
stressors and your emotional
and physical reactions.
 Notice your distress. Don't ignore it.
 Don't cover or hide your problems.
 Determine what events distress you. What are you
telling yourself about meaning of these events?

 Determine how your body responds to the stress.
Do you become nervous or physically upset? If so,
in what specific ways?

 Can you change your stressors by avoiding or
eliminating them completely?
 Can you reduce their intensity (manage them over
a period of time instead of on a daily or weekly
basis)?

 Can you shorten your exposure to stress (take a
break, leave the physical premises)?
 Can you devote the time and energy necessary
to making a change (goal setting, time
management techniques, and delayed
gratification strategies may be helpful here)?

 The stress reaction is triggered by your
perception of danger...physical danger and/or
emotional danger.
 Are you viewing your stressors in exaggerated
terms and/or taking a difficult situation and
making it a disaster?
 Are you expecting to please everyone?

 Are you overreacting and viewing things as
absolutely critical and urgent? Do you feel you
must always prevail in every situation?
 Work at adopting more moderate views; try to
see the stress as something you can cope with
rather than something that overpowers you.
 Try to temper your excess emotions. Put the
situation in perspective. Do not labor on the
negative aspects and the "what if's."

 Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate and
respiration back to normal.

 Exercise for cardiovascular fitness three to four
times a week (moderate, prolonged rhythmic
exercise is best, such as walking, swimming,
cycling, or jogging).
 Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals.
 Maintain your ideal weight.

 Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, and other
stimulants.
 Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get away
when you can.
 Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with your
sleep schedule as possible.

 Develop some mutually supportive
friendships/relationships.
 Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful to
you, rather than goals others have for you that you
do not share.

 Expect some frustrations, failures, and sorrows.
 Always be kind and gentle with yourself -- be a
friend to yourself.

‘’YOU CAN MAKE STRESS
YOUR BEST ALLY IN
ACHIEVING PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL
EXCELLENCE’’.