MANAGING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE

What is Stress?
Stress is a reaction to a basic threat and the basic threat is the perceived inability to cope. The reaction to stress is a unique personal experience, triggered by our unique personal perception of the world. The perception factor is that mysterious variable that can often make one mans poison another mans pleasure. How we perceive life is so often determined by the way we perceive ourselves. Reality is not made for us, but by us.

Reaction to Stress
Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.
Greek Philosopher Epictetus

The manner in which you choose to interpret, react to and handle a perceived stress can very often be far more damaging to you than the actual stress could ever be on its own.

TYPES OF STRESS
Eustress Positive

Distress Negative
commonly known as stress

Causes of Harmful Work Stress

Source: Stress Busters Stress Survival by Robert Holden

No formal stress-care awareness policy

Inconsistent, poorly trained management Inconsistent management communication

Poor management/colleague relationships Unhelpful approaches/attitudes to stress

Unwritten objectives and unclear goals Feeling undervalued and unappreciated

Insufficient employee consultation Unrealistic workloads/time schedules

Poor time management/organization skills

MANAGING STRESS

Our goal is not to eliminate stress but to learn how to manage and use it to help us.

Seven-Step Anxiety Plan

Source: Stress Busters Stress Survival by Robert Holden

Step 1 Identify the anxiety

Step 2 Why do I worry? - Find the real worry

Step 3 What are the benefits of worrying? - List all the

positives and negatives to this attitude

Step 4 The Universe only rewards action - List all the

possible actions. Appropriate actions abate worry.

Step 5 Which of my actions is the most appropriate? Develop

a plan of priorities of tackling your problem.

future can deny the power the present.

Step 6 What action can I be achieving, now? - Fear of the

Step 7 Attending to your anxiety needs to begin NOW.

Managing Stress
Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and physical reactions. Recognize what you can change. Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress. Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress.

Build your physical reserves. Maintain your emotional reserves.

Learn to Respond, Not React

Steps to Building a Positive Attitude

Source: 1998 Macmillan India Ltd., Author: Shiv Khera

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3:

Change Focus, Look for the Positive

Make a Habit of Doing it Now Develop an attitude of gratitude Get into a continuous education program Build positive self-esteem Stay away from negative influences Learn to like the things that need to be done Start your day with a positive

Step 4: Step 5: Step 6: Step 7:

Step 8:

Stress-Helpful Foods
Vitamin A
Brewers Yeast Vitamin C

Iron
Zinc Potassium

Essential for healthy Necessary Used as for source the proper of BTransports oxygen, Helps Ensures to a prevent that proteins blood skin, immune system complex functioning vitamins of the and increases intellectual are not pressure. converted Corn, to fat. responses, bone growth, immune chromium. system. These Acts as capacity. Foods rich in and reproductive chicken, potatoes, liver, avocadoes, kidney, an vitamins assistant help in hormone break processes. As a lean betaIron are eggs, down synthesis carbohydrates, and a oysters, fish, natural banana, yogurt, rice, carotene, vitamin A is meat, dried fruits, fats supporter proteins, of healthy which an and antioxidant and a beans, chicken, pears, and bananas and soya wholegrain cereals, peas provides skin integrity the body and iron with free radical fighter. have have Zinc it inin them. them. and potatoes. absorption. energy.

Stress-Helpful Foods
Helps An A Nature antioxidant in bone s gift, & with organic tooth If These taken have in unrefined been used As a stress treatment, development Vitamin molasses E, granules it protects and nerve form by the they Eastern boost Asian positive ginseng can be very transmission. cell maintain membrane traceReduces levels and of energy cultures levels for ages. and thus, good, something like heart palpitations, internal nutrients structures. and contain help Ayurveda to combat in India stress. has a muscle Helps iron, manganese, incramps, curing anemia, alcohol, only without the Some holistic examples treatment are saturated irregular copper, potassium, heart fat etc. beat. Foods and side effects. All other whole approach grain which bread, treats like whole calcium. milk, grains, They cheese, seafood, offer green a things are mere pasta, the body brown even rice, before vegetables eggs, sucrose meats, level allroughly brown contain rice controversial claims. calcium. have 10% below selenium traditional .fruits. vegetables any illness appears. and refined sugar. Calcium Ginseng

Carbohydrates Selenium Molasses

Herbal Supplements

Stress-Aggravating Foods

Tips on Handling Stress

Work smarter, not harder.
Carry reading material with you. Dont dwell upon things not done.

Record daily activities to realize hidden opportunities.

Always maintain a short-task list. Continually ask yourself, What is the best use of my time right now? Be physically active to relieve tension.

Make quick decisions.

Carefully mix work & breaks. Have a positive attitude.

Relax.

Contact Information
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Email: administration@mmmts.com Website: www.mmmts.com

Pramila Mathew CEO and Executive Coach

Vikas V. Vice-President Training