STRESS

MANAGEMENT

Training Presentation

by

Marrium Ishaq

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this training, participants will be able

to:

Define stress, including its positive & negative

aspects

Identify different sources of stress in lives

Identify at least 3 techniques to improve stress

management

TRAINING SCHEDULEI. Introduction ……………………………………………………5 minutes

a) Welcome, introduction, review of objectives & agenda

II. What is stress?..........................................................................................8

minutes

a) Definition of Stress

b) Explain positive and negative aspects of stress

III. Exploring our sources of stress………………………………...10 minutes

a) Individual self-assessment activity & feedback

IV. Stress management strategies…………………………………..10 minutes

a) Introduction to stress management

b) Basic stress management techniques

c) Video

V. Wrap up……………………………………………… ……2 minutes

Definition of Stress

In a medical or biological context stress is a

physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes

biological or mental tension.

In other words, stress is something we

experience when we face a situation and our

ability to cope is challenged. We feel we’ve lost

control of events.

Life stress can either be positive or negative for you.

TYPES OF STRESS

• Distress

• Eustress

Distress

“Distress” a negative stress is potentially

overwhelming and perhaps out of control.

Experiencing distress for a lengthy period of time is

called chronic stress and can result in serious

physical disorders, such as heart disease, diabetes

and obesity.

Negative sources can include:

The loss of a job

medical illness

mental unrest, such as depression

grieving the loss of a family member

Eustress

Eustress is the “positive” stress that keeps us

excited about life. This positive stress gives us a

feeling of fulfillment and vitality in our everyday

lives. Without it, our lives would start to feel

meaningless and we may start to feel

depressed.

Here are few real life examples of positive stress:

Planning a wedding

Buying your first home

Purchasing your dream car

Getting promoted at work

Finding your true love

Getting in touch with an old friend or lost relative

Going on vacation

Landing your dream job

Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms

Cognitive Symptoms

• Memory Problems

• Inability to concentrate

• Poor Judgment

• Seeing only the negative

• Anxious or racing thoughts

• Constant worrying

Emotional Symptoms

• Moodiness

• Agitation or inability to relax

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Sense of loneliness & isolation

• Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms

• Aches & pains

• Food Digestion problems

• Nausea &/or dizziness

• Chest pain &/or palpitation

• Frequent colds

• Eating more or less

• Sleeping too much or less

• Using cigarettes or drugs to relax

• Nervous habits(e.g. nail biting)

What's stressful for you may be quite different from what's

stressful to someone else.

For example:

• Sabeera is terrified of getting up in front of people to

perform or speak, while her best friend Samar, lives for the

spotlight.

• Nayyar thrives under pressure and performs best when he

has a tight deadline, while his co-worker, Touseef, shuts

down when work demands escalate.

Things that influence your stress tolerance level

• Your support network

A strong network of supportive friends and family

members can be an enormous buffer against life’s

stressors. On the flip side, the more lonely and isolated

you are, the greater your vulnerability to stress.

• Your sense of control

It may be easier to take stress in your stride if you

have confidence in yourself and your ability to

influence events and persevere through challenges. If

you feel like things are out of your control, you’re

likely to have less tolerance for stress.

• Your attitude and outlook

Optimistic people are often more stress-hardy. They

tend to embrace challenges, have a strong sense of

humor, and accept that change is a part of life.

• Your ability to deal with your emotions

You’re extremely vulnerable to stress if you don’t know

how to calm and soothe yourself when you’re feeling

sad, angry, or overwhelmed by a situation. The ability

to bring your emotions into balance helps you bounce

back from adversity and is a skill that can be learned

at any age.

• Your knowledge and preparation

The more you know about a stressful situation,

including how long it will last and what to expect, the

easier it is to cope. For example, if you go into surgery

with a realistic picture of what to expect post-op, a

painful recovery will be less traumatic than if you

were expecting to bounce back immediately.

Activity: Individual Self Assessment

In the last month how often have you

Never ( 0 )

Almost never ( 1 )

Sometimes ( 2 )

Fairly Often ( 3 )

Very Often ( 4 )

1. Been upset because of

something that happened unexpectedly?

2. Felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?

3. Felt nervous and “stressed”?

4. Felt unsure about your ability to handle your personal problems?

5. Felt that things weren’t going your way?

6. Found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do?

7. Been unable to control irritations in your life?

8. Felt that you weren’t on top of things?

9. Been angered because of things that were outside of your control?

10. Felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?

TOTAL SCORE

Score Your stress level

0 to 10

Below average

Congratulations, you seem to be handling life’s stressors well at the moment.

11 to 14

Average

Your life is far from stress-free so now is the time to learn how to reduce your stress to healthier levels.

15 to 18

Medium-High

You may not realize how much stress is already affecting your mood, productivity, and relationships.

19 + High

You’re experiencing high levels of stress. The higher your score, the more damage stress is doing to your mind, body, and behavior.

Stress management

Stress management refers to the wide spectrum of

techniques and psychotherapies aimed at controlling

a person's levels of stress, especially chronic stress,

usually for the purpose of improving everyday

functioning.

Stress Management Techniques

• Organize Yourself

• Love Yourself by giving yourself positive feedback.

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

• Reward Yourself by planning leisure

activities into your life

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

• Exercise Your Body since your health

and productivity depend upon your

body's ability to bring oxygen and food to its cells

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

• Procrastination is stressful

Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today;

whatever you want to do today, do it now.

• Relax Yourself by taking your mind off

your stress and concentrating on breathing and positive thoughts

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

• Take rest as regularly as possible.

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

• Be Aware of YOU.

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

• Feed Yourself / Do Not Poison Your Body

Stress Management Techniques(Cont.……)

Forgive everyone & Be Optimistic

Set your Priorities