Peter Lobo
Prof. Erica
Management 809
June 24, 2001
Stress Management
Its Sources And Strategies
Stress is derived from the French
word ‘destresse’ meaning placed
under narrowness or oppression.
Stress has been called “the invisible
disease” It may affect you, your organization
and any of the people in it. So you cannot afford
to ignore it.
Stress in an individual is also defined as any
interference that disturbs a person’s
healthy mental and physical well-being. It occurs
when the body is required to perform beyond
its normal range of capabilities/capacities.
Stress is a:
“Funny” emotion!!
Or
Like a fire (enjoy its glow or fan them into
huge fire).
Most of us handle routine stress readily. We
can resolve our feelings and dissipate the tension.
What is stressful for one person, however, may
not be for another. Therefore it may be counter
productive to tell someone not to worry about
a situation, if we don’t consider the
same situation as stressful. We all react to
situations differently; it is just being human.
Sources Of Stress
Every person has a personality that makes him/her
different from others. The factors causing stress
vary from person to person. Common sources of
stress include Family matters, Financial issues,
Living conditions, Corporate culture, Role ambiguity,
Role conflict, Job overload, Working conditions,
Managerial work.
Any changes in the routines of our lives –
even welcome ones can be stressful. Following
is the list of a few events (derived from the
above mentioned sources) that can cause stress.
Again the impact may vary from person to person.
Death of a spouse Divorce
Marital separation Personal injury or illness
Marriage Dismissal from work
Marital reconciliation Retirement
Change in health of a family member Pregnancy
Sex difficulties Gain of a new family member
Business readjustment Change in financial state
Death of a close friend Change to different
line of work
Change in no. of argument with spouse Major
mortgage
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan Change in responsibilities
at work
Son or daughter leaving home Trouble with in-laws
Outstanding personal achievement Partner begins
or stops work
Begin or end school Change in living conditions
Revision of personal habits Trouble with boss
Change in work hours or conditions Change in
residence
Change in Schools Change in recreation
Change in Social activities Change in sleeping
habits
Changes in number of family get together Change
in eating habits
Minor violation of the law
The above events show the wide range of stressors
in our lives.
Effects
The effects of stress may accrue in three dimensions
namely:
1. Physiological (Body and on physical health
and well being)
The indications of physiological stress include
Back pain, Constipation, Diahorrea, Dizziness,
Excess perspiration, Exhaustion, Fainting, Headaches,
and Insomnia.
2. Psychological
The apparent signs of stress in terms of psychological
effects include:
Anger, Anxiety, Apathy, Boredom, Depression,
Fatigue, Fear of Death, Frustration, Guilt,
Hopelessness, Hostility, Impatience, Inability
to concentrate, Irritability, Restlessness,
Rejection.
3. Behavior
Human behavior depicts different Levels of stress
and the apparent symptoms include:
Biting lips, Foot tapping, Grinding teeth, Impulsive
action, Moving in tense, Jerky ways, Nervous
ticks, Over-reacting, Stuttering, Touching hair,
ears or nose, Swearing, Trembling hands.
Strategies For Managing Stress
Basically the stress management strategies are
grouped in four avenues.
1. Change Our Internal Attitudes
· Develop social support that reduces
our sense of aloneness.
· Discuss troubles with spouse, parents
and friends.
· Develop a sense of humor about the
situation.
· Balance work and play.
· Seek solace in prayers.
· Seek professional help, if necessary.
2. Change Our Interaction With The Environment
· Improve our time management/ conflict
management skills.
· Work smarter, not harder.
· Be assertive.
· Identify areas for possible changes
in functioning.
· Slow down.
3. Change Our Physical Ability To Cope
· Get adequate and proper nutrition.
· Engage in regular sports and exercise.
· Develop some recreational activities.
· Get enough sleep and rest.
· Cut down on intake stressors (i.e.
caffeine, nicotine etc).
· Avoid taking drugs.
4. Change Our Environment
· Introduce change/variety in work activities.
· Take regular vacations or time off.
· Change job/vocation/residence.
Dr. Wesley E. Sime (1997), presenting the core
concepts of Stress Management, suggested the
coping mechanisms as follows
Distinguish between defense mechanisms and coping
mechanisms
Usual Defense Coping Strategy
Repression (blocking out) Letting go of the
past
Denial (refusal to accept) Maintain hope for
the better
Displacement (take it out on others) Take it
out on a punching bag
Projection (blaming others) Help others get
over it
Rationalization (excuses) Re-structure the incident
Conclusion
Too much stress can have a negative personal
impact, although an appropriate amount of stress
is an important part of being an effective person.
Without some stress, many of us would not even
bother to get out of bed in the morning. A certain
amount of stress helps us stay on our toes and
motivates us to achieve a standard of excellence
that is powerful step in promoting self-esteem.
Finding the balance between too much and too
little stress is the goal.
Works Cited
Sime, Wesley E. Stress Management: A Review
of Principles. 1997. Retrieved from the World
Wide Web:
http://www.unl.edu/stress/mgmt/
