Stress Management

Stress has different definitions such as:

a) A dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint, or demand related to what he or she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important.

b) "It seems wise to use "stress" as a generic term for the whole area of problems that includes the stimuli producing stress reactions, the reactions themselves and the various intervening processes. It defines a large, complex, amorphous, interdisciplinary area of interest and study." (Lazarus, 1966)

The concept of "stress" is a wonderful overarching rubric for the domain concerned with how individuals and organizations adjust to their environments; achieve high levels of performance and health; and become distressed in various physiological, medical, behavioral,or psychological ways.

The specific terms to be defined are stressor, or demand; the stress response; eustress; and distress, or strain.

Demand is another term for stressor. There are differences of opinion with regard to whether stressors and demands may be universally defined or whether they must be specifically defined in the context of a particular individual's experience.

The phases of stress

1) Alert phase

2) Resistance phase

3) Exhaustion phase

The second term that is important to define in the domain of stress is the stress response.

The stress response is the generalized, patterned, unconscious mobilization of the body's natural energy resources when confronted with a demand, or stressor.

The stress response is (alert phase) most often manifested in an elevated heart rate (even tachycardia), increased respiration and perspiration, and a bracing response characterized by the tightening of the large muscle groups throughout the body. Although these manifest signs of the stress response are the most visible, it is the four less visible psychophysiological changes that may be more important to understand.

First, there is a redirection, or shunting, of the blood to the brain and large muscle groups and away from the extremities, skin, and vegetative organs. This aspect of the stress response repositions the body's resources where they are needed for a legitimate emergency. Second, there is an enabling of the reticular activating system in the ancient brain stem,

which leads to a heightened sense of alertness. This activation sharpens

vision, hearing, and the other sensory processes and attunes an individual

to the environment more fully. Third, there is a release of glucose and fatty acids, which are the fuels that sustain an individual during this period of emergency. Fourth, there is a shutting down of the immune system and the body's emergent and restorative processes, such as digestion.

In resistance phase,the body prepares the person to fight or to flee, hence the description of the stress response as the fight-or-flight response. In addition, there are some individuals who appear to freeze rather thanengage in a fight or a flight posture in response to a stressor.It's good that if you are in a position to survive but not in a telephone call,may fray your body.

In Exhaustion phase,after the danger absents,the body will heal itself with stop excreting adrenaline and come to the normal conditions.You feel you are exhausted.

A Model of Stressors, Stress, and Outcomes

Work Stressors: Individual Level

Work Stressors: Group and Organizational Levels

With companies downsizing workers, those who remain find their jobs are demanding increasing amounts of time and energy. A national sample of U.S. employees finds that they:

Feel overworked 54%

Are overwhelmed by workload 55%

Lack time for reflection 59%

Don't have time to complete tasks 56%

Must multi-task too much 45%

Is stres always a bad thing?

Stress is perceived as effects life in the negative way.But it can effect life in positive way also.

Positive stress

In case there is not any stress,you could not manage to go forward in your career.

a) Positive stress leads to achive your targets,goals.

b) Sufficient tension,leads to make efficient decisions and procedures efficient solutions.

c) It has a power to increase your performance and creativity.

Performance-Stress Level Diagram

At the beginning stres level slopes upward,performance tend to incline also.But at a point,stres level gets its highest level,so the performance tends to decline.Its good not to forget the employees point,that his/her highest level of performance.Hence,it'll be known when the positive stress changes to the negative.

The effects of positive stress to the professional life

* Make an atrractive presentation

* Accomplishing the Project till the terminated time

* Acquiring new skills

* Producing effective solutions to the problems coming across fo the first time,

* Contributing to the team work

* Starting to a new proejct

* Dealing with a problem in an unforeseen event.

Negative Stress

After coming across with a danger,you need enough time to recover and gain the energy you lost.If the normal phases of stres are not accomplished,and tou have to come across with the other ones,level