The effects of long term stress are not to be taken lightly. Stress can lead to serious physical, as well as mental health problems. Managing our stress levels is very important if we wish to remain happy and healthy.Common symptoms of stress include irritability, muscular tension, inability to concentrate and a wide variety of physical reactions, such as headaches and increased blood pressure and heart rate. Long term stress can also lower our immune systems, which consequently increases our chanced of picking up illnesses and diseases. Many experts even believe that this can lead to increased risks of cancer and heart diseases.
The survey found that four out of ten college students report they feel stressed often. One out of five say they feel stressed most of the time. One out of four students experienced daily stress and one in ten had thoughts of suicide (2008). That is why today I would like to inform you what I believe to be three of the main stressors that everyone goes through. This would include financial problems, workplace stress, and personal relationships. Then, I would also like to take you through five steps that I have found useful in coping with stress.
The first main stressor is financial problems. Bills can become overwhelming. Especially when they just keep piling up. Most of us have student loans, credit card bills, rent, gas, electric, phone bills, and the list can go on. Also, with gas prices continuing to go up, cost for school going up, groceries going up, and pay rate going down, not to mention jobs all together are hard to find, stress can easily build up when financial burdens get the best of us, and coping with stress becomes hard when we don't have a good strategy to keep the stress in check.
There are a number of ways that can help you manage your stress levels. Relaxation techniques taught in disciplines such as yoga and meditation are very effective. They give you valuable 'time out' to slow down and just 'be' for a while. Remember we are human 'beings' and not human 'doings'. If a person does not wish to become involved in these disciplines, then they can at least learn simple breathing exercises, such as taking long slow breaths in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Doing this slowly whilst counting the breaths until 50 or 100 is an excellent quick relaxation tool that you can do practically anywhere.
Furthermore, there is the stress of personal relationships. We may receive attitudes from our relatives. Have arguments with our kids or spouses. There could be possible illness to deal with in the family, or a major change of location could have happened. These all bring on a great deal of stress in our lives. Without knowing how to cope with all these stressors they could really exhaust a person.Therefore, I would like to introduce an acronym I use to remember five steps in coping with stress. The acronym is R-E-L-A-X. It stands for Recognize, Exercise, Let-it-go, Attitude, and Xtra sleep. Let's go over each letter one by one.
The workplace is arguably the primary source of stress for most working people. From beating deadlines to dealing with co-workers, stress is part of the normal daily routines on the job. The intensity of stress varies depending on the type of work. Some jobs are innately more stressful than others, especially those that involve danger to life such as combat-related duties.
Stress factors, job specifications and situations may vary but stress is fundamentally an instinctive physiological and psychological reaction. Stress is based on the "fight-or-flight" instinct reaction to danger or perceived danger. However, even without actual danger stress reactions still occur and usually lead to health-related problems if not properly managed.
To prevent some of the troubles that may be encountered at university, prospective and new students should do a little preparation and research. The most important thing to consider is the course itself. As soon as there is a timetable available, it should be studied and a realistic life timetable be made so it is known how much time is going to be available to study, work, rest and play. Keeping on top of workload is key to having an enjoyable time at university.Making the best out of home life is also very important. It is advisable to most students to take a place in student accommodation for the first year. It is important to make friends and to be eased into university life this way. Living in private accommodation can isolate people from other students. If it isn't possible to live in halls then it would be good to consider joining a sports team or club to integrate in that way.
Coping with stress at work is primarily a psychological function that requires some practice. Different individuals may react with varying degrees of stress given the same situation and stress factors. Some people are easily irritable while others are more resilient. Regardless of the individual differences, effectively managing stress can be divided into three general categories.Attitude - Coping with stress will largely depend on individual attitude. People who are generally optimistic in their outlook in life can adjust better to the various challenges in life. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Positive attitude can be learned and practiced. It is mainly about hope and good prospects, focusing on finding solutions rather than being burdened by problems.
Relaxation - When the situation becomes too stressful, simple deep breath exercise can help. It can increase blood oxidation and improve circulation. Relaxation techniques do not need to be expensive or complicated. Finding a quiet place at the office where one can collect composure, for instance, can help in relaxation. Listening to soft music may also provide some relief.Efficiency - Being organized and highly efficient at work can help employees coping with stress simply because the piling up of tasks will be avoided. Accomplishing the required tasks will also provide some sense of accomplishment. Efficiency at work can be achieved by eliminating procrastinations and by having well-defined daily plans.Social skills - People who are friendly and easy to like are less likely to experience stress due to uncooperative and rude co-workers, including bosses. Developing good social skills can also help employees move up in the corporate ladder and be given leadership responsibilities. Social skills are oftentimes more valuable than technical skills especially when it comes to large organizations.
The survey found that four out of ten college students report they feel stressed often. One out of five say they feel stressed most of the time. One out of four students experienced daily stress and one in ten had thoughts of suicide (2008). That is why today I would like to inform you what I believe to be three of the main stressors that everyone goes through. This would include financial problems, workplace stress, and personal relationships. Then, I would also like to take you through five steps that I have found useful in coping with stress.
The first main stressor is financial problems. Bills can become overwhelming. Especially when they just keep piling up. Most of us have student loans, credit card bills, rent, gas, electric, phone bills, and the list can go on. Also, with gas prices continuing to go up, cost for school going up, groceries going up, and pay rate going down, not to mention jobs all together are hard to find, stress can easily build up when financial burdens get the best of us, and coping with stress becomes hard when we don't have a good strategy to keep the stress in check.
There are a number of ways that can help you manage your stress levels. Relaxation techniques taught in disciplines such as yoga and meditation are very effective. They give you valuable 'time out' to slow down and just 'be' for a while. Remember we are human 'beings' and not human 'doings'. If a person does not wish to become involved in these disciplines, then they can at least learn simple breathing exercises, such as taking long slow breaths in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Doing this slowly whilst counting the breaths until 50 or 100 is an excellent quick relaxation tool that you can do practically anywhere.
Furthermore, there is the stress of personal relationships. We may receive attitudes from our relatives. Have arguments with our kids or spouses. There could be possible illness to deal with in the family, or a major change of location could have happened. These all bring on a great deal of stress in our lives. Without knowing how to cope with all these stressors they could really exhaust a person.Therefore, I would like to introduce an acronym I use to remember five steps in coping with stress. The acronym is R-E-L-A-X. It stands for Recognize, Exercise, Let-it-go, Attitude, and Xtra sleep. Let's go over each letter one by one.
The workplace is arguably the primary source of stress for most working people. From beating deadlines to dealing with co-workers, stress is part of the normal daily routines on the job. The intensity of stress varies depending on the type of work. Some jobs are innately more stressful than others, especially those that involve danger to life such as combat-related duties.
Stress factors, job specifications and situations may vary but stress is fundamentally an instinctive physiological and psychological reaction. Stress is based on the "fight-or-flight" instinct reaction to danger or perceived danger. However, even without actual danger stress reactions still occur and usually lead to health-related problems if not properly managed.
To prevent some of the troubles that may be encountered at university, prospective and new students should do a little preparation and research. The most important thing to consider is the course itself. As soon as there is a timetable available, it should be studied and a realistic life timetable be made so it is known how much time is going to be available to study, work, rest and play. Keeping on top of workload is key to having an enjoyable time at university.Making the best out of home life is also very important. It is advisable to most students to take a place in student accommodation for the first year. It is important to make friends and to be eased into university life this way. Living in private accommodation can isolate people from other students. If it isn't possible to live in halls then it would be good to consider joining a sports team or club to integrate in that way.
Coping with stress at work is primarily a psychological function that requires some practice. Different individuals may react with varying degrees of stress given the same situation and stress factors. Some people are easily irritable while others are more resilient. Regardless of the individual differences, effectively managing stress can be divided into three general categories.Attitude - Coping with stress will largely depend on individual attitude. People who are generally optimistic in their outlook in life can adjust better to the various challenges in life. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Positive attitude can be learned and practiced. It is mainly about hope and good prospects, focusing on finding solutions rather than being burdened by problems.
Relaxation - When the situation becomes too stressful, simple deep breath exercise can help. It can increase blood oxidation and improve circulation. Relaxation techniques do not need to be expensive or complicated. Finding a quiet place at the office where one can collect composure, for instance, can help in relaxation. Listening to soft music may also provide some relief.Efficiency - Being organized and highly efficient at work can help employees coping with stress simply because the piling up of tasks will be avoided. Accomplishing the required tasks will also provide some sense of accomplishment. Efficiency at work can be achieved by eliminating procrastinations and by having well-defined daily plans.Social skills - People who are friendly and easy to like are less likely to experience stress due to uncooperative and rude co-workers, including bosses. Developing good social skills can also help employees move up in the corporate ladder and be given leadership responsibilities. Social skills are oftentimes more valuable than technical skills especially when it comes to large organizations.
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