Some basic definitions.

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Stress Management

• Some basic definitions.
• What can cause stress in your life ?
• Signs and symptoms of stress.
• What type of stress are you experiencing?
• Where is your stress coming from?
• How can you reduce the stress in your life?

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Basic Definitions

• Stress a general concept describing a load on
  the system
• Stressor a specific problem, issue, challenge,
  or personal conflict
• Stress Reaction an individual response to a
  given stressor
• Strain the prolonged impact of the stressor on
  the system (overload)

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What can cause stress in your life?

• Your friends
• Co-workers
• Your boss
• Relationships
• Parent decisions
• Poor nutrition
• Lack of sleep
• The environment
• Monetary pressures
• Being alone
• Not having time alone

• College Decisions
• Your physical self-image
• Chemical substances
• Time pressures
• Commuting
• Waiting in lines
• Living arrangements
• Roommates
• Having no close friends or relatives in the
  community
• Living in a high-crime area

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Physical Signs and Symptoms of Stress

• Nail Biting
• Clenching teeth
• Swinging leg
• Tapping foot
• Object in mouth (pen,pencil,etc.)
• Twisting hair
• Stuttering
• Hitting/punching objects or people
• Screaming/yelling
• Chewing lips or inside of mouth

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Emotional Signs and Symptoms of Stress

• Difficulty getting along with other people
• Irritability, over-reaction to some minor
  situation
• Angry outbursts and short tempered
• Jealousy
• Lack of interest, withdrawn
• Difficulty getting up in the morning
• Crying tendencies
• Reduced personal involvement with others
• Depression
• Negative attitude
• Feeling worthless, inadequate, insecure
• Lethargic

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Physiological Signs and Symptoms of Stress

• Increased perspiration
• Back or shoulder pain
• Heart racing or beating erratically
• Cold sweaty hands
• Throbbing rumors
• Dry mouth or throat
• Rapid or shallow breathing
• Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Acne
• Skin Rash
• Decreased appetite

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Behavioral Signs and Symptoms of Stress

• Nagging or excessive arguing
• Efficient worker suddenly becoming careless
• Excessive drinking, smoking, or substance abuse
• Works harder and longer but does less and less
• Accident prone
• Suicide attempts or constant references to death
• Marital or relationship conflicts
• Sleeping at the office frequently
• Excessive daydreaming
• Tendency to work alone when normally a team or
  group person
• Loss of sex drive

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Intellectual Signs and Symptoms of Stress

• Sudden propensity for mistakes
• Forgetfulness, preoccupation
• Decreased fantasy life
• Decreased concentration
• Inattention to detail
• Decreased creativity
• Thinks and reacts slower
• Couldnt care less attitude
• Missing appointments or deadlines
• Confusing or forgetting dates, places, and times

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What type of stress are you experiencing?

• Anticipatory Stress
• Situational Stress
• Chronic Stress
• Residual Stress

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Anticipatory Stress
Anticipatory Stress is caused by concern over the
future. Another word for it is worry. You
concern yourself with endless stressful
possibilities, stewing over something that hasnt
happened - and might not.

• How can you deal with it?
• BE PROACTIVE
• PLAN AHEAD
• If you are concerned about a pending event,
  figure out how you would handle it and stop
  worrying. If it happens, youre ready for it if
  not, even better!

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Situational Stress

• Situational Stress is stress of the moment. Its
  an immediate threat, challenge, or agitation that
  demands your attention right now.
• How do you deal with it?
• BREATHE!!!
• Clear your mind
• Avoid making fists
• Relax your shoulders and your jaw
• Stay as calm as possible

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Chronic Stress
Chronic Stress is stress that persists over time.
It might stem from a tough experience over which
you have no control such as the loss of a loved
one, an illness, an accident, or another trauma.

• What can you do to deal with it?
• Handle it one day at a time with
• Exercise patience
• Focus on personal strength
• Accept support from others
• Develop a daily plan

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Residual Stress
Residual Stress is stress of the past. It
represents our inability or unwillingness to let
go of old hurts or bad memories.

• What can you do to deal with it?
• LET THEM GO!!!
• Understand that you can not change the past or
  rewrite history.

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Simple solutions to Stress Management

• Drink water - dry mouth seems to accompany
  stressful situations. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
• Sit still - think about something pleasurable you
  are going to do that day.
• Twist and shout - take a walk, use the stairs
  instead of the elevator, blow off steam by going
  somewhere that it is okay to scream ( athletic
  event, pep rally, sports bar), or sing.
• Improve your posture - your body systems work
  better and minor stress melts away when you sit
  with full and proper extension.
• Buy a hand gripper - A tennis ball, a
  racquetball, or any type of gripping device is a
  great way to achieve a release when you are
  stressed.
• Buy a joke book - with one good laugh your entire
  temperament can change.

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More simple solutions to Stress Management

• Build slack into your schedule - If you think
  something is going to take two hours, plan on it
  taking three hours and schedule accordingly. If
  you finish in less time, great, if not, thats OK
  too.
• Use visualization - quietly envision how you
  would like your day to be. Include everything
  that is important to you and be very specific.
  Or, imagine something or someplace that conveys
  happiness, warmth, or peaceful feelings.
• Work out - physical exercise is a great mood
  elevator. Going for a run, walk, or hike outside
  in the fresh air is a sure way to clear your mind
  of distractions.
• Take a warm bath - a warm bath will help calm
  your mind and sooth your skin. Try using scented
  oils, bath beads, candles, and soothing music to
  set the tone. Fruit scents are calming while
  jasmine, citrus, and lavender are considered to
  be energy boosters.

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More simple solutions to Stress Management

• Stretch - flexibility makes a dramatic
  difference in how you on a daily basis and
  how much energy you have at the end of the day.
• Meditation - focus on deeper thoughts and
  feelings by turning away from the distractions
  and tensions of everyday living.

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Costly solutions to Stress Management

• Massage Therapy - There are several different
  types of massage-based therapies. Some you may
  consider are deep-tissue massage, swedish
  massage, trigger-point massage, and sport
  massage.
• Guided Visual Imagery - This technique is very
  similar to visualization, but it uses an external
  source to guide you along. This guide can be a
  person, a video, or a CD or cassette.
• Tai Chi - This technique, which is not lonely a
  martial art but a philosophy of life, is designed
  to help people gain a more even temperament and a
  more tranquil mind.
• Yoga - This technique is meant to awaken the
  mind, strengthen the body, and rekindle the
  spirit - creating a union between mind and body.

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More costly solutions to Stress Management

• Supplements and Vitamins - Some nutrients are
  particularly useful in keeping stress in check.
  Vitamins Band C help release stress hormones as
  your body prepares for fight or flight or for the
  long-term but low-level stress so prevalent
  today. Magnesium and calcium are two important
  minerals that help fortify your nervous system.
• Bio Feedback - This technique teaches people to
  become aware of their involuntary bodily
  functions and to employ a conscious mental effort
  to control them. It has been used to help people
  control their blood pressure, body temperature,
  and heart rate.
• Acupuncture - This technique has been practiced
  in Asia for more than 5,000 years. Scientists
  believe that knowledgeable and precise placement
  of acupuncture needles helps engage pain-blocking
  endorphins.

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More costly solutions to Stress Management

• Reflexology - This technique is used on the foot
  which is representative of the whole body in
  miniature. Reflexologists use a detailed diagram
  that shows how the areas of the foot correspond
  to the different areas of the body in order to
  soothe and relieve the body.
• Spa Treatment - Spa programs offer many
  treatments aimed at relieving stress and
  refreshing the body and soul. Some of those
  treatments are aromatherapy, manicure and
  pedicures, hydromassage, a swedish shower,
  mineral baths, an herbal wrap, or a body masque
  or scrub

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One final thought
The primary difference between people who achieve
spectacular career success and those who dont is
that the achievers learn from their failures.
The primary difference between people who are
able to control stress and those who cant is
that people who achieve mastery learn from their
failures.