What is stress?

Stress is a physiological abnormality at the

structural or bio-chemical level caused by
overloading experience.
Stress is an adaptive response to an external
situation that results in physical, psychological and
or behavioral deviations.
 Definitions
 Dr. Seyles, an expert in Stress Management, gives the best definition in
Stress Management. According to him “stress is a non-specific response of
the body to situation”.

 Gregory Moorhead and Ricky W. Griffin define stress as “a person’s

adaptive response to a stimulus that places excessive psychological and
physical demands on him or her.”

 Stephen p. Robbins defines stress as “a dynamic condition in which an

individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint, or demand related to
what he or she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both
uncertain and important”.

 T.A. Beehr and J.E. Newman define job stress as “a condition arising from
the interaction of people and their jobs and characterized by changes within
people that force them to deviate from their normal functioning.”
Kinds of Stress
Eustress: This stress is because of the sudden
over joy.
Distress: Distress is caused whenever a person
is suddenly very sad or angry.
Hyper Work Stress: This type of stress is caused
because of the hyper activity and travails of life
to meet deadlines etc.
Hypo Stress: This type of stress is the opposite
of the hyper stress. This stress is caused by
less than optimum activity.
Individual Stressors

•Role conflict and ambiguity

•Type A characteristics
•Locus of control
•Learned helplessness
•Self-efficacy
•Psychological hardiness
Organizational Stressor
Macro Level Org. Stressor
 Working Conditions
Organizational Processes
Administrative Strategies

Organizational Structure
• Downsizing • Role • Only • Crowded
• Merit Pay Ambiguity Downward Place
Plans • No Promotion Comm. • Toxic
• Rotating Work • Untrusting • Tight Control Radiation
Shifts Culture • Little • Poor
• Advanced • Centralization Performance Lighting
Feed back • Dangerous
Technology
• Biased Conditions
Appraisal
 EXTRA ORGANISATIONAL STRESSORS

• Social & Technological changes

• Family problems
• Relocation
• Economic & Financial conditions
• Race & Class
• Residential & Community conditions
• Sudden changes in life.
Group Stressors
• Absence of group cohesiveness

• Absence of support from group members

• Conflicts related to the group

ANGRY
ANXIOUS
BORED
DEPRESSED
DISSATISFIED
TENSE
IRRITATED
MANAGING STRESS
In layman’s term :
 Understanding the Impact of stress
 Identifying various stressors
 Taking constructive measures
How to cope with stress?
 Individual strategies :
 Problem –Focused Strategies :
o Time-Management
o Request Others For Help
o Shifting To Another Job
 Emotion-Focused Strategies :
o Relaxation
o Exercise
o Psychological Strategies
o Recreation
o Companionship
ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGIES
PROBLEM –FOCUSED STRATEGIES

 REDESIGNING THE JOB

 PROPER SELECTION AND PLACEMENT
 TRAINING
 TEAM BUILDING
 PROVIDING VARIOUS DAY CARE FACILITIES
EMOTION – FOCUSSED STRATEGIES
 PROMOTING OPEN COMMUNICATION
WITHIN THE ORGANISATION

 EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

 MENTORING

 WELLNESS PROGRAMS AND PERSONAL TIME

OFF
WE HAVE DISCUSSED SO FAR……..
 DEFINITIONS OF STRESS

 CAUSES OF STRESS

 EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS

 STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH STRESS

Stress is not in our
environment…

…it is what we
perceive in our mind
and body.
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PLEASE CIRCLE ONE:
POSITIVE / NEGATIVE

 Stress in and of itself is neither

positive nor negative.

 It is our perception of that stimulus

which determines whether a
situation is stressful.

 Some event that is exciting and

pleasurable to one person may be
painfully stressful to another.

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MIND OVER
MANAGEMENT

 Our goal is not to eliminate stress but to learn how to

manage it.
 Begin with educating yourself.

 Remember:
“ Knowledge is power!”
 The ability to control a matter lies in understanding it.
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 3
Basic Stages

ALARM
of Stress ARE:

RESISTANCE
EXHAUSTION
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 DURING TIMES OF CRISIS

 Give yourself credit for being human; intentional self-care is

crucial.
 Recognize that your mind is not fully functioning. DO NOT make
any major life changes or life decisions until things calm down.
 Follow the AA motto:
“One Day at a Time.”
 Know that this too shall pass. 24
 5 EASY WAYS TO ADDRESS
S TRe s s s s………………….z z z z z z z zz zz z zzz
Take deep breaths
Take a walk; escape from
your environment
Say no to what you don’t
have time for or what
isn’t interesting
Leave work early (or at
least on time)
Relax your demands on
yourself a bit; most of us
expect to much

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5 MORE WAYS TO
ADDRESS STRESS
Let yourself ask questions, and communicate with
co-workers.
Do unpleasant tasks in the morning to get them
over with.
Simplify things whenever possible. Look at large,
overwhelming projects as a series of steps you
complete one at a time.
Let yourself laugh, especially when you feel
grumpiest.
Live in the present—don’t spend time worrying
about how much better things were in the past or
what might happens in the future. Most people
who are able to manage stress have perfected the
art of living in the now.

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 MAIN GOAL
 Act, don’t react. Plan ahead,
including having a Plan B.

 If there is a pattern of setting

yourself up for problems or if the
baggage from your past is
interfering too much with the
present, “GET HELP!” e.g., adults
abused as children; adult
children of alcoholics.

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