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Managing Stress for Success. What is Stress?. Stress… ... is an internal alarm system that prepares your body for action in response to any real or perceived threat or fear. In moderation, stress is natural, normal and necessary. Presenting Circumstances.
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What is Stress? Stress… ... is an internal alarm system that prepares your body for action in response to any real or perceived threat or fear. In moderation, stress is natural, normal and necessary.
Presenting Circumstances • We all have stress in our lives each day • Many of us view stress as negative—something to be avoided, debilitating • Stress can be helpful and productive—creativity, challenge, motivation • Key is having stress at an optimum level—and being able to manage and cope with stress effectively
Physical Reactions • Difficulty breathing • Excessive sweating • Heart pounding • Muscle aches/headaches • Fatigue • Nervous habits
Emotional Reactions • Being forgetful and distracted • Feeling fragile, crying • Fear and anxiety • Getting angry easily • Feeling tired • Difficulty concentrating
Behavioral Reactions • Feeling irritable • Lashing out • Avoiding friends, family • Easily agitated • Turning to smoking, alcohol, drugs
Stress Response Situation (Circumstances or Persons) Response (Actions or Feelings) Thoughts (Beliefs, Expectations)
Possible Responses to Stress • Change the situation • Change your thinking • Change your response
Change the SituationStrategy: Time Management • Sharpen your awareness of time—Value your time. • Know what it is you want more time for. • Decide what is important and drop off those low payoff activities.
Acknowledge Share Problem Solve Solutions Change the SituationStrategy: Communication Skills Stress and anxiety can result when there is conflict, or communication is not clear
Change the Situation Strategy: Communication Skills (Continued) In conflict, determine who owns the problem and use appropriate communication skills: Skills: • Active listening • “I” messages • Problem solving/ Negotiation Who Owns: • They own • I own • We both own
Change Your ThoughtsStrategy: Rewrite Self-talk You can reduce stress by changing your outlook on the situation: “It’s overwhelming” “Here we go again” “This won’t work” “I should help out in my child’s classroom” • “I’ll take it step by step.” • “This time things can be different.” • “I’ll give it another try.” • “It’s okay to say ‘no’ sometimes.”
Change Your Thoughts Strategy: Rewrite Self-talk (Continued) Revise unspoken rules and regulations: I can’t stand... I have to be... People should be... It’s always or never...
Change Your Response • Learn to moderate physical reactions • Build up your stress buffers; become stress hardy • Maintain your physical reserves
Benefits of Using Stress Management Skills • Determine what is really important for you to do • Take things in stride • Enhance relationships at home and at work • Control distractions that waste time and break the flow • Increase effectiveness at work; focus on tasks at hand
Keys to Managing Stress Assume Control • Adopt attitude of responsibility • Do something specific • Seek information; ask for help “Life is 10 percent what you make it, and 90 percent how you take it.”—Irving Berlin