INTRODUCTION

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your

to-do list seems endless, deadlines are fast approaching
and you find yourself saying ‘Eek! I feel stressed!’? But
what is stress really, and how do we manage stress
particularly in the workplace?

I would like to start my presentation with this quotation

from Epictetus, and I quote “People are disturbed not by
a thing, but by their perception of a thing.”

Stress is ubiquitous and follows us everywhere. We have

very different ideas with respect to our definition of
stress. Probably most common is physical, mental, or
emotional strain or tension. Many of us believe that
stress is bad for us, which is not true. Stress keeps us
accountable for our actions.

According to Hans Selye (founder of the stress theory),

it is not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.

How we experience that stress depends on how we

choose to think about the stress, feel the stress, and
respond to the stress.
SLIDE 8 – WHAT IS STRESS

We often say we are stressed out when we feel

frustrated, angry, conflicted, overwhelmed, or fatigued.
We often use the term loosely in describing a variety of
unpleasant feeling states. Despite the widespread use of
the term, stress is a fairly vague concept that is difficult
to define with precision.

The term stress as it relates to the human condition

first emerged in scientific literature in the 1930s, but it
did not enter the popular vernacular until the 1970s
(Lyon, 2012).

Researchers have had a difficult time agreeing on an

acceptable definition of stress. Such conceptualizations
are known as stimulus-based definitions because they
characterize stress as a stimulus that causes certain
reactions. Some have conceptualized stress as a
demanding or threatening event or situation (e.g., a high-
stress job, overcrowding, and long commutes to work).
Stimulus-based definitions of stress are problematic,
however, because they fail to recognize that people
differ in how they view and react to challenging life
events and situations. For example, a conscientious
student who has studied diligently all semester would
likely experience less stress during final exams week
than would a less responsible, unprepared student.
Others have conceptualized stress in ways that
emphasize the physiological responses that occur when
faced with demanding or threatening situations (e.g.,
increased arousal). These conceptualizations are
referred to as response-based definitions because they
describe stress as a response to environmental
conditions.

A useful way to conceptualize stress is to view it as a

process whereby an individual perceives and responds to
events that he appraises as overwhelming or threatening
to his well-being (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). A critical
element of this definition is that it emphasizes the
importance of how we appraise—that is, judge—
demanding or threatening events (often referred to as
stressors); these appraisals, in turn, influence our
reactions to such events.

In physics, stress refers to the interaction between a

force and the resistance to counter that force.
Therefore, stress can initiate the “fight or flight”
response.
Fight Response. When your body goes into a state of
stress, we may feel agitated and aggressive towards
others; this can be due to our bodies’ natural reaction
being “fight”. This can be a helpful reaction to ward off
predators, but in unnecessary situations, it can negatively
affect relationships and ruin reputations.

Flight Response. Some of us avoid our stressors,

removing ourselves from the situation instead of tackling
it. This can be a sign of the “flight” survival instinct; a
function that can save our lives if we find ourselves in
dangerous surroundings. However, in everyday life, this
natural instinct can lead to a stressful situation
escalating, and increase our stress levels when we realise
that the stressor isn’t going away and we need to face it.

SLIDE 12 – TYPES OF STRESSORS

I mentioned earlier that stress is not always a bad thing.

Stress is simply the body’s response to changes that
create taxing demands.

Eustress or positive stress

-motivate, focuses energy
-is short-termed
-is perceived as within our coping abilities
-feels exciting
-improves performance

In contrast, Distress or negative stress

-causes anxiety or concern
-can be sort or long term
-is perceived as outside of our coping abilities
-feels unpleasant
-decreases performance
-can lead mental and physical problems

It is somewhat hard to categorize stressors into

objective list of those that cause eustress and those
that cause distress, because different people will have
different reactions to particular situations. However, by
generalizing, we can compile a list of stressors that are
typically experienced as positive or negative to most
people, most of the time.

SLIDE 13 – STRESS AT THE WORKPLACE

Stress in the workplace can have many origins or come
from one single event. It is generally believed that some
stress is okay (referred to as challenge or positive
stress) but when stress occurs in amounts you cannot
handle both mental and physical changes may occur.

In general, the combination of high demands in a job and

a low amount of control over the situation can lead to
stress.

“Demands exceed the personal and social resources the

individual is able to mobilise.”

SLIDE 14 – HOW TO MANAGE STRESS AT WORK

•Track your stressors. Keep a journal for a week or two

to identify which situations create the most stress and
how you respond to them. Record your thoughts, feelings
and information about the environment, including the
people and circumstances involved, the physical setting
and how you reacted. Did you raise your voice? Get a
snack from the vending machine? Go for a walk? Taking
notes can help you find patterns among your stressors
and your reactions to them.
•Develop healthy responses. Instead of attempting to
fight stress with fast food or alcohol, do your best to
make healthy choices when you feel the tension rise.
Exercise is a great stress-buster. Yoga can be an
excellent choice, but any form of physical activity is
beneficial. Also make time for hobbies and favorite
activities. Whether it's reading a novel, going to concerts
or playing games with your family, make sure to set aside
time for the things that bring you pleasure. Getting
enough good-quality sleep is also important for effective
stress management. Build healthy sleep habits by limiting
your caffeine intake late in the day and minimizing
stimulating activities, such as computer and television
use, at night.
•Establish boundaries. In today's digital world, it's easy
to feel pressure to be available 24 hours a day. Establish
some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean
making a rule not to check email from home in the
evening, or not answering the phone during dinner.
Although people have different preferences when it
comes to how much they blend their work and home life,
creating some clear boundaries between these realms can
reduce the potential for work-life conflict and the stress
that goes with it.
•Take time to recharge. To avoid the negative effects
of chronic stress and burnout, we need time to replenish
and return to our pre-stress level of functioning. This
recovery process requires “switching off” from work by
having periods of time when you are neither engaging in
work-related activities, nor thinking about work. That's
why it's critical that you disconnect from time to time, in
a way that fits your needs and preferences. Don't let
your vacation days go to waste. When possible, take time
off to relax and unwind, so you come back to work feeling
reinvigorated and ready to perform at your best. When
you're not able to take time off, get a quick boost by
turning off your smartphone and focusing your attention
on non-work activities for a while.
•Learn how to relax. Techniques such as meditation,
deep breathing exercises and mindfulness (a state in
which you actively observe present experiences and
thoughts without judging them) can help melt away
stress. Start by taking a few minutes each day to focus
on a simple activity like breathing, walking or enjoying a
meal. The skill of being able to focus purposefully on a
single activity without distraction will get stronger with
practice and you'll find that you can apply it to many
different aspects of your life.
•Talk to your supervisor. Employee health has been
linked to productivity at work, so your boss has an
incentive to create a work environment that promotes
employee well-being. Start by having an open conversation
with your supervisor. The purpose of this isn't to lay out
a list of complaints, but rather to come up with an
effective plan for managing the stressors you've
identified, so you can perform at your best on the job.
While some parts of the plan may be designed to help you
improve your skills in areas such as time management,
other elements might include identifying employer-
sponsored wellness resources you can tap into, clarifying
what's expected of you, getting necessary resources or
support from colleagues, enriching your job to include
more challenging or meaningful tasks, or making changes
to your physical workspace to make it more comfortable
and reduce strain.
•Get some support. Accepting help from trusted friends
and family members can improve your ability to manage
stress. Your employer may also have stress management
resources available through an employee assistance
program (EAP), including online information, available
counseling and referral to mental health professionals, if
needed. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by work
stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can
help you better manage stress and change unhealthy
behavior.
•Act rather than react. We experience stress when we
feel that situations are out of our control. We need to
identify the aspects of the situation we can control and
aspects we cannot. Be impeccable for you 50% and try to
let go of the rest.

Our 2019 Teacher Wellbeing Index revealed that 72% of

education professionals describe themselves as stressed.
Check out these practical techniques for teachers and
education staff on how to handle stress.

1. Work out priorities

Keep a list – make the tasks possible. Prioritise the tasks
in order of importance and tick them off when done.
Include the important people in your life as priorities and
attend to these relationships first.

2. Identify your stress situations

Make a list of events that leave you emotionally drained,
with one or two ways to reduce the stress for each.
When they occur, use them as an opportunity to practise
your stress-reduction techniques and keep notes on what
works for next time.
3. Don’t react to imagined insults
It is a waste of time and energy to be oversensitive to
imagined insults, innuendo or sarcasm. Give people the
benefit of the doubt; talk over the situation with
someone you trust. They may have another spin on what
was said.

4. Think before you commit

People can often perform tasks merely to feel accepted
or liked by other people. Practice saying no to requests
that are unreasonable or more than you can handle at the
time, rather than suffer subsequent regrets and stress.

5. Move on: Don’t dwell on past mistakes

Feelings of guilt, remorse and regret cannot change the
past, and they make the present difficult by sapping your
energy. Make a conscious effort to do something to
change the mood (e.g. employ mindfulness techniques or
do something active that you enjoy) when you feel
yourself drifting into regrets about past actions. Learn
from it and have strategies in place for next time. Learn
to forgive yourself for past mistakes.

6. Don’t bottle up anger & frustrations

Express and discuss your feelings to the person
responsible for your agitation. If it is impossible to talk
it out, plan for some physical activity at the end of the
working day to relieve tensions. Let go of grudges – they
affect you and your state of mind more than the other
person.

7. Set aside time each day for recreation and exercise

Gentle repetitive exercise, such as walking, swimming or
cycling are good to relieve stress. Meditation, yoga,
pilates and dance are also excellent. The trick is to find
what suits you best. Hobbies that focus attention are
also good stress relievers. Take up a new activity
unrelated to your current occupation; one that gives you a
sense of achievement and satisfaction. Establish new
friends in your newly found interest.

8. Take your time

Frenzied activities lead to errors, regrets and stress.
Request time to orient yourself to the situation. At work,
if rushed, ask people to wait until you have finished
working or thinking something out. Plan ahead to arrive at
appointments early, composed and having made allowances
for unexpected hold-ups. Practice approaching situations
‘mindfully’.
9. Don’t be an aggressive on the road
Develop an ‘I will not be ruffled’ attitude. Drive
defensively and give way to bullies. Near misses cause
stress and strain, so does the fear of being caught for
speeding. If possible, avoid peak hour traffic. If caught
in it, relax by concentrating on deep (stomach) breathing
or ‘mindful driving’. Advanced driving lessons can also be
useful.

10. Help children & young people to cope with stress

Children need the experience of being confronted with
problems to try out, and improve their ability to cope. By
being overprotective or by intervening too soon, parents
and teachers may prevent young people from developing
valuable tolerance levels for problems, or from acquiring
problem-solving skills.

11. Think positively

Smile whenever possible – it’s an inexpensive and
effective way of improving how you feel. Try and find
something positive to say about a situation, particularly if
you are going to find fault. You can visualise situations
you have handled well, and hold those memories in your
mind when going into stressful situations.
12. Cut down on drinking, smoking, sedatives & stimulants
These vices only offer temporary relief and don’t solve
the wider problem. Indeed, they can create more
problems in terms of physical and mental health. They
can create more problems in terms of physical and mental
health. Consider the affects you are looking for (sedation
or stimulation) and how else you can achieve them.