Module 4

What Is Stress?

A widely accepted definition of stress, attributed to psychologist and professor Richard Lazarus,
is, "a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal
and social resources the individual is able to mobilize."

This means that we experience stress if we believe that we don't have the time, resources, or
knowledge to handle a situation. In short, we experience stress when we feel "out of control."

This also means that different people handle stress differently, in different situations: you'll
handle stress better if you're confident in your abilities, if you can change the situation to take
control, and if you feel that you have the help and support needed to do a good job.

Lessons learned in Stress Management:-

Ways to manage Stress:

1.Managing Your Time

Your workload can cause stress, if you don't manage your time well. This can be a key source of
stress for very many people.

Take our time management quiz  to identify where you can improve, and make sure that you use
time management tools such as To-Do Lists , Action Programs ,and Eisenhower's
Urgent/Important Principle  to manage your priorities.
Then use Job Analysis  to think about what's most important in your role, so that you can
prioritize your work more effectively. This helps you reduce stress, because you get the greatest
return from your efforts, and you minimize the time you spend on low-value activities.
Also, avoid multitasking , only check email  at certain times, and don't use electronic devices for
a while before going to bed, so that you use this time to "switch off" fully.

2. Emotion-Oriented Approaches

Emotion-oriented approaches are useful when the stress you're experiencing comes from the way
that you perceive a situation. (It can be annoying for people to say this, but a lot of stress comes
from overly-negative thinking.)
To change how you think about stressful situations:

 Use Cognitive Restructuring , the ABC Technique , and Thought Awareness, Rational

Thinking, and Positive Thinking  to change the way that you perceive stressful events.
 Take our positive thinking quiz  to learn how to think more positively.
 Use Affirmations  and Imagery  to overcome short-term negative thinking, so that you
feel more positive about stressful situations.

3. Exercise
Working out regularly is one of the best ways to relax your body and mind. Plus, exercise will
improve your mood. But you have to do it often for it to pay off.

So how much should you exercise every week?

Work up to 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise like brisk walks or 75 minutes
of a more vigorous exercise like swimming laps, jogging or other sports.

4. Relax Your Muscles

When you’re stressed, your muscles get tense. You can help loosen them up on your own and
refresh your body by:

 Stretching
 Enjoying a massage
  Taking a hot bath or shower
 Getting a good night’s sleep

5. Deep Breathing
Stopping and taking a few deep breaths can take the pressure off you right away. You’ll be
surprised how much better you feel once you get good at it. Just follow these 5 steps:

1. Sit in a comfortable position with your hands in your lap and your feet on the floor. Or
you can lie down.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Imagine yourself in a relaxing place. It can be on the beach, in a beautiful field of grass,
or anywhere that gives you a peaceful feeling.
4. Slowly take deep breaths in and out.
5. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

6. Eat Well
Eating a regular, well-balanced diet will help you feel better in general. It may also help control
your moods. Your meals should be full of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean protein for
energy. And don’t skip any. It’s not good for you and can put you in a bad mood, which can
actually increase your stress.