Dr. Vandana Sharma
 You win Rs. 50,0000 in the lottery
 You find out that your company is about to eliminate
your department
 A dozen family members are coming over to your
department for dinner
 Your spouse is diagnosed with a serious illness
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 Understanding of Stress
 Management of Stress
 Symptoms of Stress
 Sources of Stress
 Effects of Stress
 How to Tackle Stress
 Strategies to minimize burn-out
 Transition from distress to de-stress
 Strategies for dealing with increased stress levels
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 Stress is a normal part of life that can either help us learn
and grow or can cause us significant problems
 Stress releases powerful neuro -chemicals and hormones
that prepare us for action (to fight or flee)
 If we don't take action, the stress response can create or
worsen health problems
 Stress can be defined as mental, physical, emotional, and
behavioral reactions to any perceived demands or threats
 Psychological interpretation of a situation may lead to
physiological responses
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Individual
 Implementing time
management
 Increasing physical exercise
 Relaxation training
 Expanding social support
network
Organizational
 Improved personnel
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selection and job placement
Training
Use of realistic goal setting
Redesigning of jobs
Increased employee
involvement
Improved organizational
communication
Offering employee
sabbaticals
Establishment of corporate
wellness programs
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Emotional
bothered by unimportant
things
nervousness, anxiety
boredom
edginess
irritable
feeling "burned out"
feeling powerless
crying easily
overwhelming pressure
anger
loneliness
unhappiness, depression
"moodiness"
feeling helpless
Cognitive
trouble thinking clearly
difficulty with
concentration, focus
forgetfulness
lack of creativity
expecting too much from
others
inability to make decisions
constant worry
loss of humor
being self-critical
being pessimistic
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Physical
headaches
indigestion
stomach aches
sweaty palms
cold hands, feet
dizziness
easily fatigued
muscle tension
back pain
tight neck, shoulders
racing heart
shallow breathing
restlessness
ringing in the ears
constipation
diarrhea
Behavioural
excess smoking
bossiness
eating too little or too much
critical attitude of others
short-tempered
procrastination
sleeping too much or too little
driving too fast
grinding of teeth
overuse of alcohol
inability to finish tasks
nail biting
fidgety
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 Environmental
Factors
 Economic
uncertainties of the
business cycle
 Political uncertainties
of political systems
 Technological
uncertainties of
technical innovations
 Terrorism in threats to
physical safety and
security
 Organizational Factors
 Task demands related to the
job
 Role demands of functioning
in an organization
 Interpersonal demands
created by other employees
 Organizational structure
(rules and regulations)
 Organizational leadership
(managerial style)
 Organization’s life stage
(growth, stability, or decline
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 Individual Factors
 Family and personal
relationships
 Economic problems from
exceeding earning capacity
 Personality problems
arising for basic disposition
 Individual Differences
 Perceptual variations of
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how reality will affect the
individual’s future.
Greater job experience
moderates stress effects.
Social support buffers job
stress.
Internal locus of control
lowers perceived job stress.
Strong feelings of selfefficacy reduce reactions to
job stress.
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Positive
Negative
 Stress can also have a
 It is a contributory factor
positive effect, spurring
motivation
and
awareness, providing the
stimulation to cope with
challenging situations
 Stress also provides the
sense of urgency and
alertness needed for
survival
when
confronting threatening
situations
in minor conditions,
such
as
headaches,
digestive problems, skin
complaints,
insomnia
and ulcers
 Excessive, prolonged and
unrelieved stress can
have a harmful effect on
mental, physical and
spiritual health
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 Change the stressors or environment causing your
stress
 Change your direct response to these stressors
 Change your attitude and perceptions that affect your
responses
 Take active steps to recover from stress
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Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive
and and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet
constant demands.
 Developing very clear boundaries between work and personal life
 Developing and maintaining warm, nurturing relationships professionally and
personally
 Making sure that regular breaks are taken during the day e.g. tea, lunch breaks
etc.
 Being honest with yourself and your management team about how much is
possible to achieve during a working day
 Becoming aware of potential dangers to your physical and mental health and
putting some mechanisms in place to alleviate the pressure
 Obtain appropriate peer / family support formally and informally
 Eating properly, getting adequate amounts of sleep, exercising regularly
 Keeping in touch with friends in own environment
 Having time out to participate in external workshops, seminars, continuing
education activities
 Taking regular annual leave breaks during the year to re-energise
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 Eat balanced and healthy diet
 Keep yourself fit
 Avoid smoking and alcohol
 Manage your time
 It’s good to talk
 Recharge your batteries
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 Avoid unnecessary stress
 Alter the situation
 Adapt to the stressor
 Accept the things you can’t change
 Make time for fun and relaxation
 Adopt a healthy life style
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