an individual’s adaptive response to an environmental demand that is perceived as threatening

1. STRESS an individual’s adaptive response to an environmental demand that is perceived as threatening

2. * the physical, psychological and/or emotional response often places excessive ware and tear on the body • * degree of stress depends upon: • the importance of the demand • the strength of the perceived threat • outcome predictability • * stress can be either constructive or destructive

3. Stress and Performance Too little stress Optimal Too much stress Low performance Stress/Performance Low performance Stress Boredom High motivation Panic Apathy High energy Collapse Lethargy Alertness Indecisiveness Performance

4. General Model of Stress Individual differences that serve as moderators Potential Stressors (Just about anything can cause stress) Stress Experienced Consequences Stress Management

5. Are You Experiencing Symptoms of Stress? • Symptoms are also considered consequences • Scores – survey p. 126

6. Common Personal Stressors • Family • Financial • Health • Inter role Conflict • Life Changes • Survey – page 129 • Type A Personality • Survey – page 130

7. Type A Behavioral Tendencies • Competitiveness • Life imbalance • Hostility, anger • Impatience, urgency

8. Type A’s • move and eat rapidly • feel impatient with the rate at which most events take place • strive to think or do two or more things simultaneously • have difficulty “hanging out” • can be obsessed with numbers; measuring their success in terms of how much they acquire or how quickly they accomplished something

9. Type B’s • tend not to suffer from a sense to time urgency, with its accompanying impatience • feel little need to display or discuss their achievements unless such exposure is demanded by the situation • play for fun and relaxation, rather that to exhibit their superiority • can relax without guilt

10. Type A’s when compared with Type B’s • underestimate the length of a time interval • tend to work long hours • engage in negative self evaluation • report higher levels of stress in similar situations • tend to excessively worry about their work quality and responsibilities

11. Type A Personality and Health • Type A’s with high cholesterol excreted higher levels of stress hormones than do type B’s • Genetics, blood pressure, chronic inflammation and cholesterol levels are better predictors of heart disease than Type A personality alone

12. More on Type A • Hostile people die at a greater rate and earlier age than non-hostile • Hostility, quickness to anger, negative outlook and cynical mistrust are deadly when mixed with a Type A personality

13. Classic 13-year study • equal number of Type A and Type B men died suddenly of a first heart attack • Type A men only 58% as likely to die from a second heart attack • The Type A’s - compulsive about lifestyle change to prevent further problems

14. Potential Stressors - Organizational Factors • Interpersonal relations • Organizational performance & social norms • Role overload, under load, conflict and ambiguity • Stress inherent in occupation

15. Four Categories of Occupations and Their Potential Stress Level 1. Active Jobs - High control - high stress • Heavy pressure to perform • Leeway for problem solving • Hours tend to be long but at the worker’s discretion Examples: Doctors, engineers, farmers, executives, and other professionals

16. 2. Low-Strain JobsHigh control - Low stress Low demands High degree of decision-making latitude Examples: Tenured professors, carpenters repair people, successful artists

17. 3. Passive JobsLow control - Low stress Low demands on skills and mental processing Little opportunity for learning Little leeway for decision making No latitude for innovation Examples: Billing clerks, night watchmen, janitors, dispatchers, data entry clerks

18. 4. High Strain JobsLow control - High stress Heavy pressure to perform Little leeway in decision making Long hours Require following rigid procedures Little time for taking breaks or time off for personal needs Examples: Assembly-line workers, waiters and waitresses, nurse’s aides, telephone operators

19. Potential Stressors – Unpredictable Environmental Factors • Technological • Economic uncertainty • erratic Dow Jones, changes in monetary policy, employment prospects • Political uncertainty

20. Individual Moderators • Self confidence / self esteem • Social support system • Past experience in a similar situation, • Locus of control • Hardiness • Introversion / Extraversion

21. Consequences of Stress • Psychological • Being a pain in the neck • Earning a major trip to the cardiac unit of the local hospital • Eating so much that the “all you can eat” place goes out of business • Throwing your computer out the window

22. More Consequences • Emotional • Depression • Too much or too little sleep • Absolutely zero patience • Decrease in job satisfaction

23. Consequences (con’t) • Behavioral • Taking too many “mental health” days off from work • Lowered quality or quantity of work • Alcohol and drug abuse • Close encounters with physical violence

24. Stress Management Do you have stress under control? Survey – page 121

25. Stress Management – Individual Strategies • Mental Imaging - sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes, concentrate on a specific muscle group, visualize and feel each group relax. Repeat for each muscle group (forehead/scalp, eyes, jaws, neck, etc.) twice a day for 5 - 10 minutes • Progressive Muscle Relaxation - same as above but first tighten each muscle group for 15 to 20 seconds then relax

26. Stress Management (cont.) • Deep Breathing - find a comfortable position, breathe in slowly and deeply, pushing your stomach out as you breathe in, exhale slowly letting your stomach come in. Repeat 10 times without interruption about 5 time a day

27. More Stress Management • Prevention - The physical component • Control Cholesterol - order an undressed salad rather than that double-cheese burger • Don’t smoke anything including straws - on average, smokers die a miserable death 5-8 years earlier than non-smokers • Try eating a healthy diet - calorie cutting slows aging and leads to a long life (in laboratory rats and monkeys)

28. Minimize Negative Consequences Move your major muscles - both aerobic (swimming, walking, punching a bag with your boss’ picture on it) and anaerobic (weight lifting - note: beer steins don’t count) exercise can help moderate the effects of stress

29. The Ultimate Stress Buster • Solve the problem that is causing the stress!! (Easier said than done)

30. Organizational Strategies • Solving problems • E.G. ambiguous job assignment – get training, request a transfer, seek a mentor, etc. • Get assistance in coping with the emotional components of stress • mentor, better communication, organized wellness programs or counseling, time management training

31. TEAM EXERCISE READ THE CASE ON PAGE 142 FORMULATE TEAM RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS SELECT A SPOKESPERSON TO PRESENT THE RESPONSES TO THE CLASS

32. TEAM EXERCISE 2 Focus on one or two people in your team who have experiences or are experiencing stress at work. Ascertain and record: symptoms/consequences of stress (how do you know you are stressed?) source of stress (be specific) Recommend coping strategies Recommend stress management – how can the stress and problem be solved?

33. Team Exercise #3 – Applying the Time Management Principles to Your Team Project Record to turn in to me at end of class: Major goals / objective Prioritization of objectives Strategies / activities Prioritization of activities Proposed schedule