Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
MANAGEMENT
MODULE
January 2003
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
EXERCISES
Performance Quiz
Stress Test
I Am Grateful
Short Relaxation
Body Scanning
Stress Prescription
HANDOUTS OR EXAMPLES
Stress Diary
Coping Strategies
Performance Quiz
2 H 7 Q 9 R Z 8 A 15
X 3 B 10 P 1 5 G 12 N
The above is a key. If the presenter calls out “2”, you put the letter “X”
in the box, if he or she calls out “H” you put the number 3 in the box.
The quiz is timed.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
STRESS TEST
5. Do you have less energy than you seem to need or would like to have?
6. Do you have too many things to do and not enough time to do them?
9. Are you very concerned about being either well liked or successful?
11. Do you get satisfaction from the small joys or simple pleasures of life?
Scoring: Give yourself one point for each question 1 – 9 with a yes response
and one point for each question 10 – 12 with a no response.
If your score is four or more, then you may be under significant stress. You
may want to find out more about managing stress.
From The University of Texas Learning Center. Making the grade 101. Austin: The
University of Texas. www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/makinggrade/ Accessed 13
November 2001.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
5. A time when I would have liked to perform better under stress was . . .
Instructions: Here are 24 cards (presenter will have to print and cut) which
have a stressful situation, a symptom of or reaction to stress, and a way of
helping a person to cope with the stress printed on them. You have to sort
these cards into three bundles, according to the categories mentioned above.
Stressful Situations
Symptoms or Reactions
Ways of Coping
4. Let it go, slowly with a leisurely sigh of relief out your mouth.
6. Repeat 4 times.
This exercise forces your shoulders down and it relaxes the abdomen – both
areas where tension gathers. It also gives you a short break to think some
positive thoughts and get back in control.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
Short Relaxation
This exercise is very useful when you don’t have much time available or are
somewhere you cannot lie down (e.g. library, waiting for an interview, etc.).
Make sure you are sitting comfortably. It works better if you close your
eyes.
Sit upright and rest your hands on your thighs. Let your feet rest on the
floor.
Gently breathe out. Slowly breathe in, and gently breathe out again. Do
this slowly several times, starting to let the tension ease. Continue
gentle breathing.
Now focus on your body parts. First your feet – tense all the muscles in
your feet, curling your toes. Now let your toes, feet and ankles relax.
Feel the tension draining away into the floor.
Next your legs – tense all the muscles in your legs, pressing your legs
against the chair. Then relax, letting your legs loose, allowing the
tension to drain down your legs, through your feet and into the floor.
Now your back and your spine. Tense your shoulders and back muscles.
Press into the chair. Relax, letting the tension drain slowly down your
spine, down your legs, into your feet and into the floor.
Focus on your hands and arms. Tense all the muscles, curling your
hands and fingers in your lap. Now slowly let the tension drain down
your arms, through your hands into your thighs, down your legs, down
your feet and into the floor.
Finally the neck and head. Tighten your facial muscles; locate the
tension in your neck. Relax now and allow the tension to drain down
your back, down your legs, into your feet and into the floor.
Check to see if your muscles are relaxed. Your breathing is still gentle
and even. Enjoy the feeling of relaxation for a few moments.
When ready, gently shake your body and open your eyes.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
Body Scanning
Starting with your toes and moving up your body, ask yourself, “Where am I
tense?” Whenever you discover a tense area, exaggerate it slightly so you
can become aware of it.
Be aware of the muscles in your body that are tense. Then, for example, say
to yourself, “I am tensing my neck muscles . . . I am creating tension in my
body.”
Note that all muscular tension is self-produced. At this point, be aware of any
life situation that may be causing the tension in your body and what you could
do to change it.
From Davis, M., Eshelman, E.R. & McKay, M. (1995). The relaxation and
stress reduction workbook, 4th edition. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
Creating Affirmations
An affirmation is simply a statement of what you want. They are most
effective if they are personal, positive and in the present tense. Also they
need to be practiced, so try saying them several times a day, out loud if
possible.
I am healthy.
I work well with many different kinds of people.
I have friends who love me.
I try hard.
I am a loving son, daughter, etc.
1. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
I Am Grateful
This exercise is particularly helpful as the day is wearing on and your sense of
stress and frustration is rising. It is also an excellent sequence for relaxing
and putting yourself in a pleasant frame of mind before you drift off to sleep.
B. Reflect back over your day so far and select three things for which you
feel grateful. These do not have to be major events. For example, you
may be grateful for the warm shower you took this morning, a
colleague helping you, your child giving you a hug and telling you he
loves you, a lovely sunrise, and so on. Take a moment to relive and
enjoy these experiences.
C. Continue to think back over your day. Recall three things you did that
you feel good about. Remember, these don’t have to be major feats.
For example, you may feel good about saying no to something you
really didn’t want to do, taking time for yourself to exercise or relax,
doing something you had put off, or being supportive to someone you
like. Take a moment to re-experience those positive moments.
Adapted from Davis, M., Eshelman, E.R. & McKay, M. (1995). The relaxation
and stress reduction workbook, 4th edition. Oakland: New Harbinger
Publications, Inc.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
Get comfortable, close your eyes, and begin to notice your breathing. Try to
notice each breath and nothing else. As you inhale, say to yourself “one” and
as you exhale, say to yourself “two”. Keep doing this for several minutes.
When you feel relaxed, turn your attention from your breathing to a situation
you find stressful (such as picturing yourself sitting in the room just before an
exam). Picture yourself arriving at the exam venue. Imagine yourself finding
the seat number. See yourself sitting comfortably. See yourself getting the
exam and reading each question calmly and with confidence. Picture yourself
selecting the questions you’ll do. See yourself writing answers to the
questions in a relaxed and efficient manner. Know that your answers don’t
have to be perfect, and accept that no one is perfect. See yourself finishing
the exam and turning it in, knowing that you have been successful. Sit for a
minute with that feeling of accomplishment and relief. Remind yourself that
you have experienced success in the past, and that you will experience
success again.
Spend a few seconds enjoying the feeling of success, and then focus on your
breathing again. When you feel ready, open your eyes and return to whatever
you were doing.
To make this exercise even more effective, try incorporating more of your
senses the picture. For example, hearing the noise of people writing, smelling
the fragrances, the feel of the pen in your hand, etc. This will make the image
more real.
Adapted from Davis, M., Eshelman, E.R. & McKay, M. (1995). The relaxation and
stress reduction workbook, 4th edition. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
Stress Prescription
Identify stressful situations or demands. These can be academic, personal,
family or job related.
Why do you think it is stressful? What are your thoughts, feelings, and
behaviours?
Behavioural Strategies:
Cognitive Strategies:
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
Now go back and calculate the same items, this time using the number of
hours you would ideally like to spend on each item.
If you think there is an imbalance between what is ideal for a balanced life
style and what you actually do, consider the following questions.
One good way to learn about your optimal level of stress is to keep a stress
diary. It can be a very effective way of learning about what causes you stress,
and what level of stress you prefer.
In this diary, you monitor your stress levels and how you feel throughout the
day. In particular, you should make note of stressful events and what led to
you to perceive them as stressful.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
• Racing heart
• Cold, sweaty hands
• Headaches
• Shallow or erratic breathing
• Nausea or upset tummy
• Constipation
• Shoulder or back pains
• Rushing around
• Working longer hours
• Losing touch with friends
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Weight changes
• Forgetting things
• Finding it hard to concentrate
• Worrying about things
• Difficulty processing information
• Negative self-statements
Everyone has developed his or her own response to stress. The key is to
learn to monitor your own signs and become aware of when they are
indicating the stress level is unmanageable.
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
These refer to ways of dealing with stress using our minds. Cognitive coping
strategies are a good way to combat stress-producing thoughts. As Shakespeare’s
Hamlet said, “. . . for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. . .”
Examples of these strategies are:
• Reframing – focus on the good not the bad; think in terms of ‘wants’ instead
of ‘shoulds’. It’s best if our thinking is related to our goals. For example, “I
want to read and understand this chapter in Chemistry so I do well in my lab
practical” instead of “I have to read this difficult chapter in Chemistry”.
In order to gain control of negative thoughts or worries, you must first become
aware of them. Next, yell “Stop!” to yourself when they occur. Try replacing
with positive affirmations or at least challenge or question any irrationality of
the thoughts.
• Count to ten – this allows you time to gain control and perhaps rethink the
situation or come up with a better coping strategy.
These refer to ways of dealing with stress by doing something or taking action to
reduce the stress experienced. Examples of these strategies are:
• Relaxation – from simple relaxation such as dropping the head forward and
rolling it gently from side to side or simply stretching, to more complex
progressive relaxation exercises. Progressive relaxation involves tensing and
releasing isolated muscle groups until muscles are relaxed. There are also
tapes and books available on this topic.
• Smile and Laugh - gives us energy and helps to lighten the load; relaxes
muscles in the face.
Date: ___________
TO DO LIST
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Trinity College Dublin Generic Skills Integration Project
Stress Management
8.00
9.00
10.00
11.00
12.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Evening
7.00
8.00
9.00
10.00
11.00
Notes