STRESS MANAGEMENT

1. Dr. G T Govindappa Professor of commerce and Director Kuvempu University P G Centre DAVANGERE KARNATAKA STATE STRESS MANAGEMENT

2. MEANING OF STRESS A person’s adaptive response to a stimulus that places excessive psychological or physical demands on him or her”( Moorehead & Griffin P.454). “Stress is a condition of strain on one’s emotions, thought processes, and physical condition.” “Pressures people feel in life” (Keith Davis P.438)

3. DISTRESS AND EUSTRESS Stress can be positive/negative • Eustress/positive stress. “Pleasurable stress that accompanies positive events” E.g.:-Salary jump and arrears - Getting promotion - Getting married - Getting recognition • Distress/negative stress “ Unpleasant stress that accompanies negative events” E.g.:-Excessive pressure - Bad news -Transfer - Loss in the family.

4. CAUSES OF STRESS [STRESSORS] ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS *Changes in business cycles create economic uncertainties. E.g.:- Suicides during great depression of 1930s. * Political uncertainties. * Technological uncertainties.

5. CAUSES OF STRESS[STRESSORS] • ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS • TASK DEMANDS~ Related to person’s job • - Occupation ~ Some are more stressful than others. • E.g.:-Surgeon’s & Physician’s • - Job Security • - Work load • PHYSICAL DEMANDS • - Temperature • - Office design

6. CAUSES OF STRESS[STRESSORS] ROLE DEMANDS - Ambiguity - Conflict INTERPERSONAL DEMANDS - Group pressures - Leadership style - Personalities

7. CAUSES OF STRESS[STRESSORS] INDIVIDUAL FACTORS • Family Problems - MaritalProblems - Troubles with children - Blood relatives • Economic Problems Living beyond their needs • Life Change Change in personal or work situation.

8. CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS • Physical - Immune system problems, lessened ability to fight off illness & infection. - Heart disease, High blood pressure, Stroke. - Headaches, backaches. - Stomach Ulcers, Diarrhea & Constipation. - Skin problems such as acne & hives.

9. CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS • Psychological - Tension - Anxiety - Irritability - Boredom - Depression - Sleep disturbances

10. CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS 3. Behavioral - Under eating or overeating - Increased Smoking & drinking - Drug abuse - Absenteeism - Accidents

11. STRESS MANAGMENT STRATEGIES ORGANISATIONAL APPROACHES: Selection and placement. Goal setting. Job redesign. Participative decision making. Organizational communication. Wellness programs. contd.

12. STRATEGIES –contd. INDIVIDUAL APPROACHES. • Time management. • Making daily lists of activities to be accomplished. • Prioritizing activities by improving and urgency. • Scheduling activities according to priorities set. • Handling the most demanding parts of the job when one is most adert and productive.

13. STRATEGIES –contd. • Physical exercises. • Non-competitive physical exercises. ~ aerobics, race walking, jogging, swimming, riding a bicycle – recommended by physicians.

14. STRATEGIES –contd. INDIVIDUAL APPROACHES (contd.) • Relaxation training. Deep relaxation ~ where one feels physically relaxed. One can practice “shavasana” for half an hour, two times a day. Result: Significant changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and other physiological factors result from achieving the deep relaxation condition.

15. STRATEGIES –contd. MEDITATION TYPES OF MEDITATION Those having an external object for meditation. - A word, a mantra, image, shape, form, god, Goddess, Saintly person, (Concentration meditations) SSY, TM. Those having internal object for meditation. -Ones own respiration, body and mind. Vipassana meditation.

16. WHAT IS VIPASSANA? “Observe the reality, truth as it is.” “To see things as they really are.” Observing oneself, by oneself, within oneself.

17. RULES FOR PRACTISING VIPASSANA To learn vipassana it is necessary to take a ten-day residential course under the guidance of qualified teacher. For the duration of the retreat, students remain within the course site, having no contact with the outside world. They refrain from reading and writing, and suspend any religious practices or other disciplines. They follow a demanding daily schedule which includes about ten hours of sitting meditation. They also observe silence, not communicating with fellow students. However , they are free to discuss meditation questions with the teacher and material problems with the management.

18. VIPASSANA TRAINING There are three steps to training, • The students practice five moral precepts ~ Abstention from killing. ~ Abstention from stealing. ~ Abstention from lying. ~ Abstention from sexual misconduct. ~ Abstention from use of intoxicants. • For the first three and a half days, students practice Anapana meditation, focusing attention on the breath. This practice helps to develop control over the unruly mind. • For the last six-and-a-half days, is the practise of vipassana which purifies the mind of underlying negativities.

19. VIPASSANA –Contd. The retreat closes with the practise of metta-bhavana (loving-kindness or goodwill towards all) in which the purity developed during the course is shared with all beings. COURSE FEE. There is NO fee charged. The courses are financed totally by donations from students who have completed a prior course and wish to share the benefits they themselves received by giving donation for the students who come after them. Neither the teacher nor the assistant teacher receive remuneration

20. VIPASSANA -Contd. For the worldwide schedule of courses, visit www.dhamma.org For schedule of courses including one-day courses and group sittings in India, visit www.vri.dhamma.org

21. MAY ALL OF YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND PRACTISE VIPASSANA MEDITATION.

22. THANK YOU