STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILLS

ABSTRACT

Many professionals and students are facing higher stress levels due to the rising aspirations and expectations. The cut throat competition at the corporate world is also forcing the people to perform more resulting into stress. The research paper explains about various types of stress, causes and signs, symptoms and signals arising out of stress. It has come out with creative and novel methods of tackling stress. At the end it called for striking a fine balance amongst personal, professional and social life thereby making the life pleasant, peaceful, pleasurable and memorable.
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INTRODUCTION


“The word stress is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy”.


Stress arises as a result of the gap between the expectations and realities. It also arises due to the unforeseen or unfavorable events arising out of external forces and factors. It also occurs because of the inability of an individual to cope up with the sudden shock, failures and frustrations. Overall stress can be defined as the physical, physiological and psychologically related events and aspects that cause inconvenience to an individual.


TYPES:


Although there are many types of stress, basically there are three kinds of stress that can be classified as physical stress, emotional stress and psychological stress. In the case of physical stress the people get back aches, body pains, muscle aches, high blood pressure, excessive sweating etc., The stress is felt and seen physically. In the case of emotional stress one gets angry and anxiety. There is an element of depression seen in this scenario. It happens usually where one hears the death of loved ones and they are faced with sudden failures or met with illness. Thirdly in the case of psychological stress, there is a possibility for developing phobias, developing eating disorders, going away from the main stream of the society etc.,

There is another school of thought that talks about distress and eustress. If there is negative effect arising out of a stress then it is said to be distress and if there is positive outcome arising out of a stress then it is called eustress. Now days there is a technical term known as E-stress or techno stress which arises out of growing technological changes and pressures. People are comfortable in usage of mobile phones, laptops, game stations, play stations etc., and excessive usage is leading to higher stress levels which is known as techno stress. Stress is the initial stage and when it goes unchecked it turns out to be a burn out. While the stress can be easily averted and overcome the ultimate stage of burn out is very difficult to overcome. It requires lot of care, attention and medication to bring back from the brink of burn out.


CAUSES OF STRESS:


Improper time management leads to accumulation of the tasks resulting into backlogs. When work gets piled up it becomes very difficult to manage the same resulting into stress levels. Due to the cut throat competition there is a strong need to deliver the best. The clients and customers expect the best from the companies. If the companies fail to satisfy their clients they stand to lose their business to their competitors. As a result, the corporate world is getting highly competitive and thereby passing on the pressure to the employees. Employees too find it very difficult to cope up with the growing demands of their employers.

When the employees are underpaid they get dejected and frustrated. The work is more and the salary is less. They do not get the mood to perform as they are not satisfied monetarily. At times people set unrealistic and unachievable targets and goals.

Procrastination is the thief of the time. People tend to postpone their routine tasks for the other day and over a period of time the work gets piled up resulting into high stress levels. Due to organizational politics when there is no recognition towards their contribution, people do not get motivated to work thus resulting into stress. Lack of clarity of mind or approach on the part of the individual makes the things confused and complicated. Often people get confronted with too may commitments and appointments thereby not knowing what to do.

SIGNS, SIGNALS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS:


Stress has both positive and negative effects and the signs, signals and symptoms can be found in various ways. First let us look at the negative symptoms of stress.

Three things are essential for a healthy body and mind. They are sound sleep, free motion and good appetite. Sound sleep is an ideal indication of effective internal nervous system. Free motion and good appetite is the indication of healthy internal body system. If these three elements function efficiently and effectively then we can say that the overall health of an individual is excellent. Unfortunately the stress is visible by way of cardiac problems, ulcers, head aches, fatigue etc., Increased stress may often lead to nervous break down. The affected and inflicted people are prone to anger and anxiety. There will be abnormal behavioral patterns. They keep worried continuously about the problems and they lose focus and concentration. They tend to make more mistakes due to lack of concentration.

It is a case of flight or fight scenario. People who have mental stamina will fight the stress tooth and nail and become excellent performers and those who can not fight but develop the attitude to flight will succumb to depression which is worse than the fight position.

The distressed people develop irritation, and absentmindedness. They develop indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, cancer, diabetes etc., Such people lose interest in sex as they are mentally preoccupied with worries and tensions. In extreme cases people develop suicidal tendencies and commit suicide.

At the corporate world there is growing attrition rate and stress is the major cause for the same. If all these are the grey areas of stress there is a silver lining too to stress that is positive result of stress which is known as eustress.

Life would be dull without some stress. Stress streamlines our thinking activity and it removes the clutter and cobwebs from our mind. It energizes the people to perform better. It forces, enforces and encourages us to touch our upper limits. It unlocks our hidden potential. It triggers passion and uncorks the hidden dormant talents. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE laid stress on stretch goals where people perform much better when they are forced to stretch beyond their capabilities. Setting stretch goals sparks the hidden potential. Analysts and experts have commented that moderate stress is essential for survival, growth and success.

TIPS TO TACKLE STRESS:


“Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances”, Thomas Jefferson.

• The first and foremost thing to note that the inflicted individual should realize that he has stress. After realizing the same then he should identify the reasons behind it.

• Don’t take too many tasks at a time. Multitasking is the buzzword in the business world but it should not result into tensions and health hazards.

• When tasks are assigned you should know what is priority and posteriority. The tasks that are urgent and important are to be classified under priority and the tasks that are insignificant and not of urgency can be categorized as posteriority. Prioritization depends on the importance and significance of the given task. If there is an effective time management of tasks, the tensions can be lowered to a great extent.

• Going for regular exercises energizes the entire body and relieves the stress. Exercises equip you with fresh energy and enthusiasm. Mind also gets refreshed with positive thoughts and there will be a strong feeling of staying on the top of the world.

• You can also go for regular walking, jogging or cycling. Swimming is the best exercise as the entire body gets worked out as the body floats in the water. All parts of the body are subject to physical activity and there is all-round exercise for the body.

• You can employ laughter therapy as laughing decreases the tensions. Now days in many urban areas people gather in a place and keep laughing to beat the stress.

• Doing meditation and yoga brings fresh energies and powers to your mind and body. During meditation you stop your entire thinking and stay calm mentally from other thoughts. When you give rest to your mind for sometime by meditation and yoga, you tend to draw more powers coupled with fresh energies.

• Don’t try to execute entire tasks by yourself. Try to delegate the routine and less important tasks to your subordinates for execution.

• Never do any activity at a stretch. Break the activity into small activities so as to sustain enthusiasm towards it as well as minimizing the stress levels.

• If you have worked continuously for long hours, give a break and relax yourself. Whenever you achieved something reward yourself so as to motivate yourself. Sleep well as you provide rest to your mind and body. When you wake up, you can start the day with fresh energy.

• Never try to change the things which are beyond your control. Learn to live with your limitations. Attempting to change over what can not be changed invites lot of stress and fatigue. Dr.Rosch aptly suggested, “Change what you can and stop fretting over what you can’t”.

• Go for regular sex as it decreases the tensions and recharges your body with refilled energy and enthusiasm.

• Pursue your forgotten or neglected hobby as it diverts your attention from your routine tasks and engages in your beloved creative pursuits.

• Never look back with regret as past can’t be altered and don’t be overly worried about the future as future can’t be predicted. What you have now is only the present and learn to lead the present life pleasantly.

• Don’t have negative approach towards the people who troubled you in the past. Cultivate the attitude to forgive and forget the unpleasant events in life. Create a positive and healthy friend circle that in turn helps you to keep you on the right track whenever you go awry. Ventilate your grievances, emotions and feelings to your trusted friends as it decreases the hidden tensions.

• Don’t accept too much of work load and learn to say ‘No’ to excessive work.

• Take meals regularly at a specified time and break the meal to more number of times for better digestion. Drink lot of water whenever you get tense.

• Go for deep breathing. Inhale and exhale by holding the breath for a few seconds more as it sends fresh oxygen to your mind.

• Maintain proper work life balance. Let your professional life not encroach your personal life and vice versa.

• Avoid smoking, drinking and overeating. Excessive stress leads to overeating and it leads to obesity.

• Don’t commit too much. Commit less but perform more but not vice versa.

• Go for regular body massages as it soothes the body. Maria Hernandez – Reif recommends simply massaging the palm of one hand by making a circular motion with the thumb of the other.

• Put it on a piece of paper what actually stresses you. If you diagnose properly then the appropriate solution can be found out.

• Don’t be oversensitive to stress. Cancel your flight and call for a fight against stress.

• Daily sit quietly for 10 to 15 minutes in a peaceful place.

• Take hot water bath if you feel stressed out.

• Say no to junk foods and say yes to fruits and vegetables.

• Spend sometime with small children and play with kids for sometime.

• Go for a weekend holiday as it breaks the routine chain of activities.

• Listen to soft and soothing music.

• Make a silent prayer for a few minutes every day.

• Execute the tasks timely.

• Allow pleasant and peaceful thoughts into your mind.

• Some companies are conducting meditation and yoga classes during the working hours as stress is taking its toll. Such activities have paid rich dividends to the companies.

• Recall your past achievement as it will trigger positive vibrations.


CONCLUSION:


“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”, goes the old saying.

Realize that stress is a menace. Try to avoid the same by taking various measures. If found inevitable due to the demand from the work place tackle the same by taking the remedial action immediately before the stress becomes a burn out.

Life is very short and live the life in a pleasant and pleasurable way. Do not get into the competitive rat race and damage your health. Try to balance clearly amongst your personal, professional and social life. Allocate your precious time, money and energy in such a way that you can attain optimum results in all areas of your life.

T H E E N D