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Stress is an inevitable part of life, manifesting due to various pressures like work demands, personal issues, and societal changes. Recognizing symptoms of stress—such as fatigue, anxiety, and physical discomfort—is crucial for effective management. Understanding the physiological responses of stress and its impacts on both individuals and organizations helps highlight the importance of healthy coping strategies. This guide covers causes of stress, its effects on health and productivity, and practical tips for managing and reducing stress effectively.
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Stress Management • Often there's more to be accomplished and seems humanly possible • Programs are often under-funded and understaffed • Working conditions for some jobs can be unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous • After all that the public still might not appreciate us
Every Day Stressors • Traffic, noise, family issues, health problems, time pressures, and everyday stresses and strains of living can take their toll. • Two income families, changing role expectations, divorce rate, new ideas about families • You can experience stress anytime you're put in the position having to adapt or change
Stress • Stress arises whenever we are asked to adapt or change • Thought of this way, it is difficult to imagine a meaningful existence that does not include some level of stress • Stress does not kill people rather it is the capacity of people to adapt to the demands of life that enables them to live • It is stress that is too intense too frequent or poorly managed that can be personally and organizationally destructive
Organizational Stress • It is important to recognize from the outset that we cannot completely isolate work-related pressures from stresses arising from factors outside of the organization • We cannot rope off workplace stresses that we experience from other aspects of our lives • If we have a sick relative or are going through difficult divorce, and we probably will not be able to entirely checked his feelings at the workplace door
Are You Stressed? • The truth is we always experience stress at some level • It is important to know when we might be exhibiting symptoms of stress that maybe too frequent or too intense
Are You Stressed? • dry mouth • fast heartbeat • restless and fidgeting • backaches/tense muscles • watery eyes • hurried or shallow breathing • perspiring heavily or feeling too warm • headache • stomach upset • loss of appetite • fatigue and exhaustion • anxiety and tension • cold and sweaty hands • lump in throat
What is Stress? • Stress is not just in our minds as some people suggest • Stress is a nonspecific response to the body to any demand made upon it • It is necessary to understand its physiological basis • Stresses derived from the latin word strictus which means tighten or narrow • Subjectively it can feel like being constricted
Stress and Your Body • The stress trigger in the core of the brain is the hypothalamus • The hypothalamus plays a regulatory function related to eating, drinking, sex hormones, and coordination of activities among our organs • When a person is stressed the hypothalamus sets off the type of alarm to the nervous and endocrine systems this is often called flight or fight response
The General Adaptation Syndrome • When in the alarm stage the body changes to enhance our capacity to fight or flee • Continued stress causes defenses to fail • Under stress our body can compromise its own immune system • Nonspecific response reactions for anything that places a demand on us • Our body does not distinguish between a crisis at work, a car accident, being physically assaulted, being verbally attacked, running from wild animal, or trying to meet an impossible deadline
Impacts of Stress • More than 10 million american workers suffer from stress related problems • Would you rather work someone who's constantly stressed or on the edge or with someone who manages their stress successfully? • It can make us hurry through tasks and make us more apt to make mistakes • It can increase our reaction times it can distort the cognitive process • In extreme cases stress can lead to workplace violence
Impacts of Stress • Your extreme stress compromises your immune system making us vulnerable to illness and disease • It disrupts her sleep patterns • Heart attacks, strokes, cancer, hypertension, headaches, back troubles, muscle tension, and arthritis all have been linked to stress
Impacts of Stress • Stress can affect you psychologically: depression, low self-esteem, anger, and anxiety • On the job, stress can lead to: job burnout, exhaustion, cynicism, and disengagement
The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Stress • We cannot avoid stress • We have to learn to manage stress • Stress can be positive or eustressful • Eustress is healthy stress that is experienced positively to constructive outcomes • People feel challenged and motivated from stress • Stress can bring energy, innovation, and drive
Sources of Stress on the Job • Interpersonal relationships • Role ambiguity and conflict • Workload • Intrinsic nature of work • Working conditions • Organizational environment/poor communication • Home to work and back
Coping and Managing Stress • Lifestyle adjustments • Attitude adjustment • Social support • Taking control of your time • Job redesign
Coping and Managing Stress • other organizational factors • Recruiting • Hiring • Socialization • Mutual respect support and courtesy • Health promotion programs • Employee assistance programs
Ways of Acting • Take charge • Take care of yourself • Reach out to others • Find a balance • Be prepared • Build your confidence • Get creative • Adjust you attitude