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What do you think stress is?

Stress is your mind and bodys response or reaction to a real or imagined threat, event or change. The threat, event or change are commonly called stressors. Stressors can be internal (thoughts, beliefs, attitudes or external (loss, tragedy, change).

Stress is a normal reaction by normal people to exceptional pressures or to a build up of everyday pressures. Stress is, most emphatically NOT all in the mind nor is it a sign of weakness
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What is Stress?
When the pressure of life, in what ever form it comes, exceeds your ability to cope, then you are in the whole arena of stress Professor Cary Cooper Peak Performance Efficiency
Stress (Rust-Out) Chronic low energy level Defensive behaviour Emotional distancing from people Stress (Burn-Out) Chronic low energy level Defensive behaviour Emotional distancing from people

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Stimulation

Common Symptoms of Stress

Emotional
Tense Irritable Outbursts Unsettled Feeling low Tearful Resentful of demands Anxiety Depression

Physical
Muscle tension Cant relax Headaches Fatigue Minor illnesses Indigestion Weight loss/gain Skin conditions e.g. eczema Long Term Raised blood pressure Gastric ulcer

Behavioural
Deadline urgency Increased pace Overcommitted Self neglect Inefficiency Withdrawal Sleep disturbance nightmares

Cognitive
Concentration fragmented Easily distracted Inflexible Threat laden thought Perception of hopelessness Feeling of injustice

Relationships
Less able to cope with people needs Problems at home Impatient Intolerant Inclined to row Wanting to be left alone Over controlling towards others Need to lean on others

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Common Symptoms of Stress

Work Regression Withdrawal Aggressive Performance Behaviour
Performance declining Silly mistakes Poor planning Motivation Commitment Indecision Memory lapse Longer hours Fewer holidays taken Crying Arguments Undue: -sensitivity -irritability -moodiness Overreaction to problems Personality clashes Sulking Late for work Leaving early Extended lunches Absenteeism Resigned attitude Reduced social contact Elusiveness or evasiveness Malicious gossip Criticism of others Vandalism Shouting Bullying or harassment Poor employee relations Temper outbursts

Other Physical Behaviours Signs

Out of character behaviour Difficulty in relaxing Increased alcohol consumption Increased smoking Lack of interest in appearance or hygiene Reckless driving Nervous stumbling speech Sweating Tiredness or lethargy Stomach upsets Tension headaches Hand tremor Rapid weight gain/loss Constantly feeling cold 5

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Sources of Stress
Environmental - time pressures, noises, work demands, finance Physiological ageing, illness, life-style, diet, poor sleep, trauma Emotional ambitions, relationships, desires, skills, drives Mental perception, thoughts, wisdom, imagination, reason, talent Behavioural affectionate, hostile, possessive, decisive, independent Transpersonal personality, values, attitudes, ideals, beliefs
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The Impact of Stress

Our Control Centres react in the same way as they cannot differentiate the level of threat.
Thyroid hormone is released to further boost bodily metabolism

thus increasing the rate that energy can be burnt and translated into physical activity. If it goes on too long this racing metabolism leads to exhaustion, weight loss and eventual physical collapse.
Cholesterol is released from the liver further boosting energy

levels and aiding muscle function. Permanently raised levels are responsible for arteriosclerosis, the hardening and thickening of the arterial walls that impairs blood flow and is a major factor in heart attacks
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The Damage that Stress does

Individual Lowers confidence and self-esteem, creates indecision, increases mistakes and has a negative effect on efficiency

Teams Can create disharmony, impacts on unity and may waste opportunities

Organisations Increases absenteeism, increases staff turnover and can lead to ineffective use of human resources
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Why do we need to tackle Stress?

In Scotland at least 337 teachers of all grades - from probationers to head-teachers - are off work due to stress, depression and anxiety, with teaching unions and support groups claiming local "Health activities should not from stress. Sunday concern authorities are not doing enough to protect staffbe driven by aHerald 2007 over Stress costs UK industry an estimated 9.6billion per year (MIND - 100billion = true cost to legislation, but by the understanding that improved wellEconomy )

In the ground breaking case of Walker versus Northumberland County Council (1994), John Usher, a solicitor working for Thompsons, representing UNISON member social worker John Walker, estimated that the cost to the employer of "management failure" was over 400,000. This Elizabeth of 175,000; Programme Director , Workplace included: damages Gyngell,150,000 for the 2-week trial; Sick pay; and pension Each case of stress leads to an average 29 days Connect.lost Health working days 530,000 individuals in Britain believed in 2006/07 that they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making them ill.

being can generate significant benefits to morale and In 200405 a total of 12.8 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety. performance.

There is also the fact that we spend half our waking hours
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Monday to Friday at work- shouldnt this be as positive an experience as possible?

The Stairway to Stress

STRESS Threat Challenge Interest Attention Perceived Event No Stress

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Ineffective Personal Coping Strategies

Increased Drinking

Increased Smoking Working Longer Hours Skipping Lunch Withdrawal Rushing About Sleeping More
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Denial

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Effective Personal Coping Strategies

PHYSIOLOGICAL COGNITIVE/EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOURAL

Controlled Breathing Relaxation Diet and Exercise Sleep Management Environmental Change Challenging Anxious Thinking Controlling Emotions Positive Thinking Self Awareness Time Management Acting Relaxed Assertiveness Working as a team Changing your behaviour

Someone who works at 90% efficiency for 37 hours achieves more than someone who works at 60% efficiency for 50 hours
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Cont..
Relaxation is key
Downtime is important: consider taking a walk, playing a video game, or taking a bath (remember to be realistic about how much time you can afford to spend on these activities)

Stay physically healthy! Good nutrition will improve your ability to deal with stress
Aerobic exercise reduces anxiety by 50% Sleep is necessary for productivity: 8-9 hours is recommended, but a regular sleep schedule is necessary
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Cont
 Mental health Identify your goals Prioritize Time management and scheduling will help you complete your tasks. Work at one task at a time. Do not ignore stress deal with it!

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Managing stress
Organizational Approaches
Improved personnel selection and job placement Training Use of realistic goal setting Redesigning of jobs Increased employee involvement Improved organizational communication Offering employee sabbaticals Establishment of corporate wellness programs
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Change the way you think Change the way you act

Criticism Conflict Confrontation

What we believe (beliefs)

What we think (thoughts)

How we feel (Feelings)

Negative or Positive Words?

How we act (Behaviours)
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Inverted-U Relationship between Stress and Job Performance

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Attitude is Everything Who chooses yours?

We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked throughout the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken away from a man but one thing : the last of the human freedoms to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose ones own way

Viktor Frankl Mans Search for Meaning

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THANK YOU