Stress is the mental and physical reaction of our bodies to the changes and challenges in our lives.
Sources of Stress:
- Change
- Daily Hassles
- Unrealistic Expectations
- Time management
- Job pressures
- Money/financial problems
- Death of a loved one
- Breakup of a relationship
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| Building Skills for Stress Reduction: |
| 1. |
Assessing Your Stressors |
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In many cases, we cannot prevent the occurrence of distress; however, we can train ourselves to recognize the events that cause distress and to anticipate the reactions we have to them. |
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| 2. |
Changing Your Responses |
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Stop before reacting to gain the time you need to find the right response. Ask yourself, "What is to be gained from my response?" Have you ever gotten all worked up about something only to find out that your perceptions were totally wrong? We often get upset not by realities but by faulty insight. |
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- Worry constructively. Don't waste time and energy worrying about things you can't change or events that may never happen.
- Look at life as being fluid. If you accept that change is a natural part of living and growing, the shock of changes may become less stressful.
- Do not rush into action. Always think before you act.
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| 3. |
Managing Your Time |
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- Take on only one thing at a time.
- Clean off your desk. Most of us spend many stressful minutes each day looking for things that are lost on our desks or in our homes.
- Prioritize your tasks. Make a daily “to do” list and try to stick to it. Categorize things you must do today, the things that you have to do but not immediately, and the things that it would be nice to do.
- Don’t be afraid to say no. All too often we do things out of fear of what someone may think.
- Avoid interruptions. When you have a project that requires total concentration, schedule uninterrupted time. Unplug the phone or let your answering machine get the call.
- Break overwhelming tasks into smaller pieces, and assign a certain amount of time to each. If you are having trouble with a task, move on and come back to it when you’re refreshed.
- Reward yourself for being efficient. Take some time out of the day for “you.” Go for a walk. Start reading something you’ve been wanting to read, but haven’t had time for.
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Other Helpful Resources:
American Institute of Stress
www.stress.org
Human Management Services, Inc.
www.hmsincorp.com
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health/CDC- Stress at Work
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/stresswk.html |
