Stress
Management
The fast pace of life is taking toll on every city dweller,
right from students to home makers and workers to managers,
every body is hit by the bug of the stress. Modern technological
development and communication aids are adding to the stress
because of their high speed. Traveling, exams, admissions
etc. at times are too stressful for students as well as parents
living hectic lifestyle. Stressed individuals are paying heavy
toll in terms of health and well being as they are more prone
to stress induced diseases such as headaches, upset stomach,
rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease,
and stroke. Most people get trapped into the vicious circle
of stress induced diseases and find it difficult to tackle
it at later stage. Hence it is very important for us to learn
to manage the stress.
So
what is stress?
Stress is an individual's perception and assessment of the
environment. It depends on how one perceives the situation.
The positive perception is called eustress while negative
perception will lead to distress. The amount of stress at
which each individual functions most effectively is unique
to each individual and it is known as optimum stress level
(OSL).
Any response, mental or physical, which adversely affects
performance, is called negative stress response.
That
which creates stress is called stressor. There are different
types of lifestyle stressors:
Performance Stressors: These are situations where one is stressed
to perform, viz. Driving a car, public speaking, performance
appraisal, big events in one's life viz. Exams, marriage etc.
Threat Stressors: These are situations perceived as dangerous,
viz.: Riots, War, High risk sport, accidents etc.
Boredom Stressors: These are situations which are perceived
and assessed as lacking in physical or mental stimulation,
Viz. Household chores, Routine factory work etc.
Frustration Stressors: These are situations which are perceived
and assessed as being undesirable but beyond one's power to
control, Viz. Govt. Taxation.
Bereavement Stressors: Loss of relationship, Death of loved
one, losing a Job, possession or Reputation, dignity etc.
Physical Stressors: Actual physical damage viz. breaking limbs,
suffering from disease or infection, working in conditions
where extreme temperature and pollution exists which can not
be avoided.
Effect
of Positive Stress:
As we have seen, positive stress adds anticipation and excitement
to life, and we all thrive under a certain amount of stress.
Deadlines, competitions, confrontations, and even our frustrations
and sorrows add depth and enrichment to our lives. Our goal
is not to eliminate stress but to learn how to manage it and
how to use it to help us. Insufficient stress acts as a depressant
and may leave us feeling bored or dejected; on the other hand,
excessive stress may leave us feeling "tied up in knots."
What we need to do is find the optimal level of stress which
will individually motivate but not overwhelm each of us. If
you are experiencing stress symptoms, you have gone beyond
your optimal stress level; you need to reduce the stress in
your life and improve your ability to manage it.
So,
how do we manage stress?
As there are many sources of stress, there are many possibilities
for its management. However, all require work towards change.
As stress is an individual's perception and assessment of
the environment, one needs to look into the possibility of
changing one’s perception and the reaction to it. In
fact, the ideal change will be to convert our reaction to
response. So what is the difference between reaction and response?
Reaction is habitual, uncontrolled, and impulsive while response
is well thought, contemplated act with awareness. A responsible
person responds and never reacts. Responsibility is one’s
ability to respond.
How
do we proceed?
1.
Awareness of Stressors: Become aware of your stressors. Watch
your physical and emotional reactions to stressors. Do you
become nervous or physically upset? Notice the situations
and events that create high levels of stress. Understand how
your body responds to the stress.
2.
Breath awareness: Bring your attention to your breath. Breath
awareness will make you more aware to notice various aspects
of stress, situation and its effects on your body-brain system.
Breath awareness will bring the understanding of the dominant
nostril. At any given time, we have one dominant nostril and
one blocked nostril. The dominance and the blockage can be
of varied degrees.
3.
Change the dominant nostril: This is one of the oldest secret
of “Shiv Swarodaya” or Swar Yoga. As you become
aware of stress and the dominant nostril, simplest thing to
do now is to block the dominant nostril by pressing thumb
on that nostril and breathe through the other nostril for
twenty one times. Normally this is sufficient to change the
nostril and stop the setting in of the stress. This simple
method works in a miraculous manner to manage stress!
4.
Practice “Nirmal Kriya”: Nirmal Kriya is one of
the most powerful methods to eliminate stress instantly. It
takes only half a minute to practice it. Here is how you go
about it…
Start with a couple of deep breaths. Now start with four short
breaths and end with a long breath. During the long breath
exhalation, create friction in the throat region. (This is
known as Ujjayi Pranayam). This makes the train of five connected
breaths. Repeat such train five times and you have completed
25 connected breaths Nirmal Kriya. You can do it standing,
sitting or sleeping positions. You can repeat it every hour
or anytime you feel you are drifting into the stressful situation.
5.
Change your Attitudes: Become more positive towards stress
management. Look at every situation in a positive manner,
including the stressful situations. In fact we learn our best
lessons of life from the worst situations!
6.
Set your Goals right: Practice SMART Goal setting. Let each
of your goal be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic
and Time bound. Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful
to you, rather than goals others have for you that you do
not share.
7.
Manage your Time: Practice Time management techniques and
manage your life accordingly. Prepare the list of things to
do every day morning. Set your priorities right. Follow your
own system to the extent possible and also be flexible to
change your system to suit your new environment.
8.
Improve your EQ: Emotional quotient is based on Emotional
Intelligence. Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions
to stress. The stress reaction is triggered by your perception
of emotional danger. Are you viewing your stressors in exaggerated
terms? Are you over-reacting and viewing things as absolutely
critical and urgent? Work at adopting more moderate views;
try to see the stress as something you can cope with rather
than something that overpowers you. Put the situation in perspective.
9.
Take care of your body: Exercise for cardiovascular fitness
three to four times a week Moderate, prolonged rhythmic exercise
is best, such as walking, swimming, cycling, or jogging. Practice
Yoga regularly. Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals. Maintain
your ideal weight. Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, and
other stimulants. Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with
your sleep schedule as possible.
10.
Take it easy: Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get away
whenever you can.
Develop some mutually supportive friendships and relationships.
Frustrations, failures, and sorrows are part of our life,
for learning lessons. Always be kind and gentle with yourself,
be a friend to yourself.
| Authors
Details: Prem Nirmal teaches “Stress Management”
at various B-Schools and also conducts Stress Management
programs regularly . Web
Site |
|
