Stress

Regardless of what is the cause of stress the degree in which stress affects us depends on how we think about it. To manage stress effectively we need first to be able to manage our thoughts and the way of thinking. Each situation and each event gets the value that we give them, and thus causing us suchstress, as we allow them to. Each person things and reacts differently from all other people. Also, the same person things and reacts for the same events differently at different times, depending on the circumstances.

What upset us is not the events themselves, but the perception we have for them. If this perception changed, then it is possible to manage, change or reduce the degree of stress we feel.

A very good way to manage stress, is to examine whether the situation or the causes of stress are really so bad as we think, or they are only bad in our thoughts. The steps below will help you manage your stress by first managing your thoughts.

Steps to manage Stress and your life

1. Defining the exact cause of the source of stress. Find exactly what is that bothers you. The stress you feel for something concrete is less than the stress you feel for something abstract. Also, you can more easily find specific ways to address a certain problem when you know what exactly the problem is than trying to solve a problem that is abstract and un-defined.

2. Check and re-evaluate your thoughts. After you identify what is causing you stress, it is useful to look at your thoughts about the source of stress and your connection with the source of stress, etc. The reassessment of the situation may lead you to a more accurate assessment of the situation and to help locate thoughts that “misrepresent” reality. Replacing these thoughts with other more adapted to reality or even more optimistic or positive will reduce the degree of stress you experienced.

3. Implementation of specific strategies for solving the problem. Having isolated the problem, you should deal with the problem and resolve it so as not to become a permanent or recurring source of stress.

Different techniques can help each person to manage stress. Apart from those described above, there are some other ideas that may be useful in a pressing and stressful situation.

1. Plan your time. It is important to schedule your responsibilities and your actions both long term (for the next few weeks or months) and short (for the next day or days). You can manage this as follows:

• Make a list of commitments and activities.
• Assess their importance and the urgency.
• Make a list of commitments and activities to be completed on the day, the next few days, the coming months.
• Try to deal first with the more important and urgent matters. Do not set unrealistic goals.
• Do not put new things on the list unless it is necessary or when there is sufficient time.
• Note any obligation or activity you have completed.
• At the end of each day check what you have achieved and make the necessary corrections to the program of the next day.
• DO NOT forget to arrange adequate time for fun and relaxation.
• Try to be flexible in planning and create a flexible schedule. Make the changes needed, when needed

2. Engage with pleasant activities. The physical exercise, dealing with a pleasant activity or having free time can significantly help in managing stress. The exercise, walking, dancing, swimming and hobbies relieve the tension and prevent negative consequences, such as health problems. Although competitive sports are good, try not to bother with any competitive sport or hobby, and do not deal in a competitive manner. There are also benefits from exercise and from being more ‘active’ in our daily lives: for example, you can walk to work and not drive. Use the stairs rather than the lift, do some light exercise at home.

3. Make sure that there is free time in your daily schedule. Actual leisure is the one in which you do not have to do anything. Sit somewhere comfortable and listen to music and do not do anything.

4. Try sleeping as much as you need. The application of the relaxation methods presented above, light exercise or a walk can help you sleep better. Also, try to keep a stable sleep schedule. Sleep and wake up the same hours every day. Stress and sleep are strongly bound together. Lack of sleep can cause stress and stress can be the cause for lack of sleep.

5. The dietary habits play an important role in our health and stress management. Our food and diet should be balanced: you should not eat much or too little, but you should eat as much food as your body needs. Your diet should be balanced in vitamins, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients. Do not rely your nutrition on fast food or sweets. Try a variety of flavours and food types. Managing stress with food is about consuming those foods that can give your body those ingredients and energy to cope with the daily life obligations that are the major causes of stress.

6. An escape from the daily routine may prove beneficial. Try to organise a trip for the weekend or a day trip every now and then. Just for a while escape from your office, your work, the library, the kitchen, your home. Forget for a moment the obligations and problems and try to relax.

7. Talk to someone you trust, love, or feel comfortable with. Go out with your friends for a coffee and talk about what concerns you. You may struggle to achieve this, but the relief you will feel will surprise you. In addition, you may hear a proposal or solution they have to offer that may be useful to you. Do not hesitate to ask for help when you need it. Ask what others would do if faced with the problem that you have. It is likely that they will give you good ideas.

8. Surely you had problems, difficulties and stress in the past. Refer to these cases and try to remember what helped you that time to overcome the difficult moments. It is likely that you will also find it useful now.

9. Alcohol, drugs and smoking when used for a long time is not a good solution for dealing and managing with stress. The problems are not resolved by forgetting them. On the contrary they persist and cause additional stress and extra difficulties. Alcohol, drugs or smoking do not really help but cause serious problems. Do not rely on them to fight stress.

10. Get help from professionals. If you have tried everything we described in this article, or other techniques and you feel that they have not helped you substantially, or if you feel that you are experiencing much stress and you do not have the strength to manage it or if you feel tired and depressed then do not hesitate to ask the help of experts.

To do something, however small, to manage your stress is incomparably better than not do anything at all!

Stress has become an integral component of our life. There are various ways to manage stress in a fast and efficient way. There are techniques that have to do with how we deal with problems – which are the major cause of stress and techniques we can use to relax in order to help our self to manage stress more efficiently. The bottom line is that stress is not a tangible component but it is a perception we have in our mind about different situations. Each situation and each event gets the value that we give them, and thus causing us such stress, as we allow them to.

Stress is not always a bad thing. Instead, it can keep us alert, it can warn us from possible dangers and in essence it helps us to understand what is important or not.

The inability to manage stress can sometimes prove to be dangerous for our health. We must be careful and take the necessary steps to protect ourselves. It is us that can make the difference in whether stress will remain useful or become dangerous for our health. Stress is harmful when we allow it to be.

Tips to help you manage stress fast and efficient

Tip 1. Solve the problems that are causes of stress

Problems in our personal and professional life are among the major causes of stress. Several times we have to offer solutions to various problems or difficult circumstances. There are simple techniques we can use with little effort to address such situations. If we address these situations then it is the first step in managing our stress.

1. Defining the problem: Try to define precisely what bothers you or what is causing you stress. Try to be specific as to what the problem is and work with only one aspect of the problem at a time.

2. Create a list of possible solutions: Try to find and record as many solutions for every aspect of the problem you are concerned about. Try to see how someone else would react in your position. Do not hesitate to ask the advice of others.

3. Evaluation of the “pros” and “cons” of any possible solution: For every possible solution you have found, list the pros and cons, which would result from the possible implementation of this solution. The aim is to find the solution with most “pros” and or less “cons” or the at least painless “cons”.

4. Design: With very specific actions, decide how you will implement the chosen solution. “What exactly will happen when it will happen, who will be involved, where, exactly what steps to follow”, are questions to be answered.

5. Action: Apply the solution.

6. Evaluate the results: If the solution was successful, well done! Apply this method to other problems as well. If the solution did not achieve the expected results, try to check and understand “what went wrong.” Maybe you where over optimistic, maybe you considered the wrong parameters, perhaps a third factor related to the problem was not taken into account. Whatever your conclusion, remember that you did not failed. We all have to expect some unlucky moments in our lives. Learn from your experience and mistakes and try again starting from the 1st step.

Deal with the problems early so that you have the time you need to solve them.

Tip 2. Learn how to relax efficiently

There are two stress relaxation techniques: proper breathing (diaphragmatic) and muscle relaxation.

A) Diaphragmatic breathing

The correct (diaphragmatic) breathing helps us to manage stress in a fast and efficient way. It is a necessity and we need to practice this very often. To practice this exercise you can follow the steps below:

You can start this exercise by lay down and at a later stage when you become more experienced you can use a chair to help you or you can even do the exercises standing.

1. Put one hand on the chest and the other in the stomach.

2. Inhale from your nose and let your stomach to swell. This way you make full use of your lungs. Try to keep the movement of the breast to a minimum, without tightening.

3. Gently and calmly, exhale from your nose.

4. Repeat this steps keeping a pace. The aim is to make 8-12 breathing exercises a minute.

At the beginning you may feel that you do not get enough air, but as you practice you will find that this new way of breathing is better and more efficient.

B) Muscle relaxation

The following technique is very simple but yet it is very effective. It takes only 5-10 minutes to complete. Try it the next time you feel that you are under stress.

1. Sit in a comfortable chair, in a couch or even lay down on the floor and make a few stretching exercises.

2. Let your shoulders and hands to relax in a comfortable position. By shaking slightly, ‘twisting’ and stretching your muscles it helps you relax and it stops intensity.

3. Let the tension escape from your legs, chest and neck in the same manner as above.

4. Feel that the chair, sofa or the floor supports the entire weight of your body. Feel that your hands and your feet are heavy and that you ‘sink’ on the seat.

5. Try to be calm. Relax your jaw and your face.

6. If something disturbing happens or if anything annoying passes through your mind, just ignore it. Do not give attention to any thought.

7. Close your eyes and imagine a scene in a calm place where you enjoy the sunshine, sea or anything else you want. Imagine that you are really in that place.

8. For a few moments keep this relaxed position.

Do not postpone the decision-making, except when you consider that it must be postponed in order to ensure better conditions.

Stress in the workplace is devastating. Regardless of the factors causing stress at work is very important to develop ways to manage stress to be creative and productive for us. It is unrealistic to believe that we can live without stress. The aim of stress management is not to stop worrying and care about everything (so that we can avoid stress) but to learn to keep our self relaxed and under control.

In recent decades the word stress has entered our vocabulary for good, describing the fatigue, discomfort and pressure we are experiencing in our daily lives. The difficult working conditions, the financial difficulties, and the small or big personal problems of each of us became our personal load that we are forced to carry every day.

Stress in workplace arises when we realize that the tasks we have to undertake in our work are greater than what we can handle. When the stress is intense and lasts for a long time, we begin to develop various symptoms that warn us that something is amiss. The most typical symptoms (signs) are the following: intense irritability, anxiety, uncertainty, difficulty in sleeping (insomnia), memory disturbances, tremor in the hands,headaches, abnormally tense muscles (particularly in the neck), nausea, tachycardia, intense sweating, dizziness, trends faint, and others.

The reasons why there are high levels of stress in the workplace especially the last two decades are a lot. The workplace now requires from the employee to be highly efficient and productive. The worker is working under very demanding conditions. Moreover, in reality the work is the instrument for acceptance and recognition of the adult person, that’s why it plays a very important role in our lives. The importance of work becomes more easily understood if one considers the high levels of unemployment and its impact on the lives of individuals.

The factors that cause stress are not the same for everyone. What causes stress in a person may not cause stress to another. Each person reacts to stress differently. So the factors that cause stress in the workplace can be classified into the following generic categories:

Environmental conditions

Factors such as poor lighting, high noise levels, inadequate ventilation of the area, bad architecture and ergonomic arrangement of space, etc. has found that they can have a significant impact on the health of the workers and are often a cause of accidents.

Working Conditions

Working parameters such as work schedule, night shift, work and career insecurity, possible reduction in pay or working hours, poor working position, can increase the stress levels in the workplace.

Conditions that have to do with the actual work

The workload is one of the key factors that can cause stress. Research has found that workers who have to work longer hours and have to undertake many tasks simultaneously are more likely to turn into harmful to the health habits (smoking, alcohol use, etc.) and they are more at risk to become sick than workers that have not been overloaded.

Conflict of roles / ambiguity of roles.

Conflict of roles is defined as the situation during which the worker receives conflicting and ambiguous messages in connection with the duties of his/her work from different people at the same time.

Ambiguity of roles is the situation during which the worker is unaware about the exact responsibilities and what is expected from them at work and what are the criteria for their assessment. In addition the inability to take initiatives in the workplace reduces job satisfaction and increases the rates of sick leaves.

Factors related to interpersonal relations in the workplace.

Employees who because of the nature of their work are unable to communicate with their colleagues are not usually satisfied with their jobs.

Effects of Stress in workplace

Today there is several research data, which show that stress, has a negative impact not only on the quality of work but also on the level of productivity and security, as well as on the health of workers. Of course, the daily pressure and stress rarely can cause a disease with no other factors that affect the organism. While it is difficult to record the full range of workplace stress effects, they can be divided into the following categories:

Physical health problems

The National Institute for Safety and Health at Work has issued a list for the impact of poor working conditions on the health of the workers. These include cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, cancer, and disorders of the reproductive system, hearing problems, dermatological diseases, psychosomatic problems, accidents and exposure to hazardous substances.

Psychological problems

Problems of psychological nature such as depression, severe anxiety and nervousness, weakness of concentration, emotional-out, low self-esteem.

Behaviour problems

Problems identified in behaviour, such as frequent absences from work, increased smoking, increased consumption of alcohol or psychoactive substances and drugs, aggressive behaviour towards colleagues, propensity to accidents.

Ways to manage stress in workplace

Regardless of the factors causing stress at work is very important to develop ways of managing stress to be creative and productive for us. It is unrealistic to believe that we can live without stress.

Some basic ways to manage stress in the workplace are:

Plan your time properly.

It is important not to say yes to everything. Try to count well and realistically the actual time required for the various activities you have to undertake

Try to put priorities.

The hierarchy of obligations will help you manage stress better.

Admit your own unique requirements.

It is good to be able to identify situations that can create you tension and anxiety and to take preventive measures to manage them or even to completely avoid, if possible.

Make Sure that you sleep well

The sleep allows the body and our mental world to relax from all pressures to which they are put daily.

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise helps to combat and reduce stress.

Watch your diet.

Eat healthy; avoid fats and consume enough fruits and vegetables. Coffee, alcohol and smoking increase the levels stress.

Get trained in the implementation of relaxation techniques.

Sports and music can make us relax. There are other relaxation techniques like deep breathing, the yoga, the massage, muscle relaxation techniques, the meditation that help reduce the intensity of symptoms but also in the preparation of the individual to identify them from their initial stages. A common characteristic is that the person, with continuous training, acquires the habit to think and act more calmly and functional.

Get Help from family, friends, and specialists

Seek help from family, friends or colleagues. In cases of chronic stress the assistance from friends and family may not be effective. In that case you need the assistance of a specialist.

The specialist – in addition to the relief from stress can offer you the possibility of a personal self-journey with the ultimate objective of personal success and self-esteem.

Express your opinion and discuss your problems

In order to manage stress and do the workplace more comfortable and functional, learn to express your opinion decisively to resolve any excessive demands, discuss the problems with the head of the department and behave to your colleagues with respect and sensitivity, as you would like them to behave.

Finally, a good solution is to throw away from your desk what you do not need because the mess is a cause of stress. Also, there is no harm in using game breaks in the office for relaxation. And remember that family support, support from friends and avoiding bad habits such as smoking and alcohol, only good can do for you.

The aim of stress management is not to stop worrying and not to care about anything (so that we can avoid stress) but to learn to keep our self-relaxed and under control.