STRESS MANAGEMENT

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

• FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LEARN ABOUT STRESS? 

• Stress is a normal, universal human experience.
• Attendance at college has been recognised as one
  of the most stressful times in ones life.
• Successfully completing ones college degree, and
  enjoying ones college experience, requires
  flexibility, adaptation, and persistence.
• Learning to effectively manage stress can
  increase ones chances of doing well in college
  and in later life as well.

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STRESS results when we perceive an imbalance
between the demands placed on us in a given
situation, and our resources for meeting those
demands.

• This involves 3 key components
• The situation and its demands.
• Our subjective appraisal of the situation.
• Our perceived resources for meeting the demands.

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Physical Signs of Stress

• Racing heart
• Cold, sweaty hands
• Headaches
• Shallow/erratic breath
• Nausea, upset tummy
• Bowel problems
• Shoulder/back pains

• Rushing around
• Working longer hours
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Weight losses
• Changes in appetite, alcohol consumption

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Cognitive Signs of Stress

• Forgetting things
• Difficulty concentrating
• Worrying about things
• Difficulty processing information
• Negative self-statements

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Emotional Signs of Stress

• Increased irritability or anger
• Anxiety or feelings of panic
• Fearfulness
• Tearfulness
• Increased interpersonal conflicts
• Easily frustrated

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Demands and Resources

• Demands or stressors
• External sources
• Internal sources
• Resources for coping

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DIFFERENT SITUATIONS CALL FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF
COPING.

• PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at changing a
  situation or its accompanying demands and is most
  appropriate when you have some control over a
  situation.
• EMOTION-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at dealing with
  the emotions caused by a situation and its
  demands and is more appropriate when you have
  little or no control over a situation.

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COPING RESOURCES

• Cognitive Strategies
• Behavioural Strategies

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COPING RESOURCES

• Cognitive Strategies
• Reframing
• Challenging negative thinking
• Positive self-talk

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COPING RESOURCES

• Cognitive Strategies
• Count to ten
• Cost-benefit analysis
• See the humour

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COPING RESOURCES

• Cognitive Strategies
• Smell the Roses
• Keep perspective
• Reduce uncertainty
• Imagery/visualisation

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COPING RESOURCES

• Behavioural Strategies
• Physical exercise
• Breathing
• Relaxation
• Laugh Smile
• Healthy Diet Sleep

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COPING RESOURCES

• Behavioural Strategies
• Social support
• Seek help
• Worry Time
• Time management

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Time Management Principles

• Clarify your priorities.
• Evaluate how you spend your time.
• Set goals.
• Develop an action plan.
• Combat procrastination.
• Organise your time.

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Time Management Strategies

• Prioritise
• Specificity
• Small bite-size pieces
• Use all available time
• Schedule
• Say no and mean it
• Use rewards

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Many situations you will face as college students
and later, as professionals, are best coped with
by a combination of both problem- and
emotion-focused coping

• Remember, flexibility, adaptation, and
  persistence will help ensure your success.

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RELAXATION
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PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS

• Most people find performances stressful.
  However, they need not cause distress. The
  following tips for managing the stress
  experienced as a result of performance situations
  can help you achieve your goals without
  compromising your health.

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PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS

• 1. Focus on the process, not the outcome.
• 2. Be aware of the stress/performance curve and
  your own optimal level of stress.
• 3. Learn and practice coping skills.
• 4. Reframe evaluative situations.

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PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS

• 5. Keep and use your sense of humour.
• 6. Maintain your perspective.
• 7. Remember that mistakes are part of learning.
• 8. Separate your self-worth from your
  performance.

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Foundations for Lifelong Health

• Health
• Nutrition
• Exercise

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Foundations for Lifelong Health

• Lifestyle
• Attitude

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Survival tips for students

• Spend time developing and nurturing
  relationships.
• Strive to maintain some balance in your life.
• Aim to keep your perspective.
• Develop tolerance for ambiguity.
• Cultivate optimism.

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Survival tips for students

• Learn to work with others.
• Learn to break assignments down into manageable
  tasks, and when ethical, share them.
• Remember that you are at the beginning of a sharp
  learning curve.
• Lastly, HAVE SOME FUN!