MODULE 5

MANAGING STRESS
 Learning outcomes

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

❑ identify the causes, symptoms and consequences of stress
❑ cope better with and manage stress
❑ increase your effectiveness and reduce stress

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 What is stress?

Stress levels occur on a continuum from not having enough to do,

through normal healthy levels of activity, to trying to do too much in too
short a time. Some students do experience levels of stress that are too
high, but others might be helped by increasing their level of stress by
taking on more challenging work.

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Learning outcomes
Optimum
the stress
level

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 Consequences of stress

Stress is an essential part of life and can be either positive or

negative. It provides excitement, impetus and motivation as well as
distress and anxiety. The human stress response occurs not only to
threatening demands and situations but also to pleasant and joyous
experiences. The body reacts to both extremes of stress. It is important
to understand that there is a distinction between distress, which is the
destructive form, and eustress (Selye 1956), which occurs when
feelings of elation, exhilaration and delight are experienced.

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 Consequences of stress

Eustress promotes alertness and helps you to meet everyday

challenges and solve problems.
Distress response: beyond certain level stress performance and
output may be resulted in a deterioration in achievements.

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A systematic approach to information gathering

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 Causes of stress (pages 252-255)

From within the individual

Personal and family relationships
Organisational factors
Cultural factors

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 Management stress

Coping mechanism
❑ Avoidance
❑ Procrastination
❑ Clarify your personal beliefs
❑ Keep fit and healthy: exercise, diet, rest,
❑ Use relaxation techniques
❑ Take breaks to restore your energy
❑ Use positive thinking to reduce stress
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 Specific stress associated with being a student: Examination anxiety
To reduce examination stress
❑ Arrive at the examination room early with a watch and everything
necessary to complete the examination.
❑ Maintain a positive attitude.
❑ Decide to do your best.
❑ Do not blame yourself for what you' do not know.
❑ Do not worry about your knowledge or ability, the behaviour of other
students, the number of questions, or even short memory lapses. These can
be self-limiting belief

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 Specific stress associated with being a student: Examination anxiety
To reduce examination stress
❑ Concentrate on the examination.
❑ For the first few minutes, read the instructions carefully and-concentrate on
getting an overview of the examination. This will calm your nerves.
❑ Pay close attention to one question at a time. This kind of concentration will
help to reduce anxiety. Focus on the questions, not on how well you are doing.
❑ Relax. If you are too nervous to think or read carefully, try to slow down
physically.
❑ Change your mood by taking three or four slow, deep breaths, breathe normally
for 30 seconds between each breath and then start to work.
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 Specific stress associated with being a student: Course-related stresses
❑ Set realistic goals for yourself.
❑ Do not overwhelm yourself by considering your entire workload at a particular
time.
❑ Set realistic goals for yourself, using SMART objectives.
❑ Divide course/module tasks into smaller elements that you can cope with.

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 Learning outcomes
This chapter has outlined that:
❑ stress affects everyone, particularly students
❑ stress comes from a range of sources and is largely under an individual's control
❑ whilst there are optimum levels of stress, too much is unpleasant and may
inhibit performance
❑ there are causes and consequences of stress and ways to manage it
❑ stress management techniques can be used to deal with stresses of student life
❑ to help to overcome the effects of stress at university or college, it is necessary to
be proactive by managing time better, engaging in exercise, using relaxation
techniques and talking with family, friends and others as necessary.
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