STRESS MANAGEMENT
Stress has existed from the time of Early Man but has now become an omnipresent phenomenon in the life of 'Modern Man'. It has pervaded all layers of life.
Stress is the bio-psycho-social response of the body to a demand, mental or physical. Stress is an arousal response the body makes, when a situation is perceived as being stressful. The impact of this arousal affects emotional as well as cognitive thinking. The impact is seen in behavioral and physiological change.. When stress is long term and chronic it leads to chronic psychosomatic ailments. While there is an undeniable link between stress and illness, optimal stress is a prerequisite for success in every task. Stress is the wind beneath your wings pushing you towards achievement. If stress can trigger off psychosomatic ailments in those living in the fast track, it can be a trigger even to those who suffer from monotony, boredom or frustration. It is therefore very essential to bring a balance between too much and too little stress.
The first step in managing stress is to develop a stress-free personality. A high self-esteem, assertive behavior and a positive attitude help in building a stress-free perception. It also helps to focus on areas where control and change are possible. Locate the source of stress and use a problem solving approach to deal with it step by step. All stress you can understand. Some you can change. Some you may have little control over. You may then need to change your attitude and response towards these stressors. Thereby reducing stress.
Stress may be an irritant in your life or it may be a factor of passive existence. Change of perspective will help change this stress to an active, rewarding life. One of the best gifts of nature is sleep. Daily sleep of 6 to 8 hours helps in relaxation and repair of the body and mind. It provides sufficient time for deep - NREM and dream REM sleep restoring physical and mental health.
Use some of these stress defense mechanisms & optimize your stress:
1. Quality time for family will ensure that you have a retreat called home.
2. Plan your career well, it will give you challenge, satisfaction & security. 3. An assertive personality is responsible to self & others. Learn this skill.
4. Communication is the key to relationship building. Listen better and your conflicts will slowly dissolve.5. Develop a sense of humor. Learn to laugh at life, its paradoxes and at yourself.
6. Plan a little idleness & quietness each day. You will be able to recharge.
7. Exercise is arousal and relaxation is the opposite. Yet both are necessary on a daily basis. Practice both.
8. Sleep well and you will have renewed energy to face the next day's Stresses.
Plan your time well. You only have 24 /hours a day and many important areas to fit in. A simple formula for time & stress management. You could personalize it to suit your needs. Remember you can't delete any activity or reduce time for health factors.
| Hours | Activity |
| 6-8 | Sleep |
| 8-10 | Work, Occupation, Study |
| 1 | Exercise |
| 1 | 3 big and 2 small meals Quality family time |
| 6 | Relaxation, personal hygiene, social time, quiet personal time, others |
| 24 | Total time in a day |
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