stress management

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STRESS MANAGEMENT

FOR COLLEGE STUDENTSFOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

GensipTrinity College Dublin

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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LEARN

ABOUT STRESS?

Stress is a normal, universal human experience.Stress is a normal, universal human experience. Attendance at college has been recognised as one Attendance at college has been recognised as one

of the most stressful times in one’s life.of the most stressful times in one’s life. Successfully completing one’s college degree, and Successfully completing one’s college degree, and

enjoying one’s college experience, requires enjoying one’s college experience, requires flexibility, adaptation, and persistence.flexibility, adaptation, and persistence.

Learning to effectively manage stress can increase Learning to effectively manage stress can increase one’s chances of doing well in college and in later one’s chances of doing well in college and in later life as well.life as well.


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STRESS results when we perceive an imbalance between the demands placed on us in a given situation, and our resources for meeting those demands.

This involves 3 key components:This involves 3 key components:• The situation and its The situation and its demandsdemands..• Our subjective Our subjective appraisalappraisal of the situation. of the situation.• Our perceived Our perceived resourcesresources for meeting the for meeting the

demands.demands.


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Low StressBoredom

High StressAnxiousnessUnhappiness

Optimum Stress

Area of Optimum Performance

Figure 1.: The relationship between stress and performance


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Physical Signs of Stress

Racing heartRacing heart Cold, sweaty handsCold, sweaty hands HeadachesHeadaches Shallow/erratic breathShallow/erratic breath Nausea, upset tummyNausea, upset tummy Bowel problemsBowel problems Shoulder/back painsShoulder/back pains

Rushing aroundRushing around Working longer hoursWorking longer hours FatigueFatigue Sleep disturbancesSleep disturbances Weight lossesWeight losses Changes in appetite, Changes in appetite,

alcohol consumptionalcohol consumption


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Cognitive Signs of Stress

Forgetting thingsForgetting things Difficulty concentratingDifficulty concentrating Worrying about thingsWorrying about things Difficulty processing informationDifficulty processing information Negative self-statementsNegative self-statements


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Emotional Signs of Stress

Increased irritability or angerIncreased irritability or anger Anxiety or feelings of panicAnxiety or feelings of panic FearfulnessFearfulness TearfulnessTearfulness Increased interpersonal conflictsIncreased interpersonal conflicts Easily frustratedEasily frustrated


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Demands and Resources

Demands or stressorsDemands or stressors External sourcesExternal sources Internal sourcesInternal sources

Resources for copingResources for coping


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DIFFERENT SITUATIONS CALL FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF COPING.

PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at changing a situation or its accompanying demands changing a situation or its accompanying demands and is most appropriate when you have some and is most appropriate when you have some control over a situation.control over a situation.

EMOTION-FOCUSED COPINGEMOTION-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at is aimed at dealing with the emotions caused by a dealing with the emotions caused by a situation and its demands and is more situation and its demands and is more appropriate when you have little or no appropriate when you have little or no control over a situation.control over a situation.


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COPING RESOURCES

Cognitive StrategiesCognitive Strategies

Behavioural StrategiesBehavioural Strategies



COPING RESOURCES

Cognitive StrategiesCognitive StrategiesReframingReframing

Challenging negative thinkingChallenging negative thinking

Positive self-talkPositive self-talk



COPING RESOURCES

Cognitive StrategiesCognitive StrategiesCount to tenCount to ten

Cost-benefit analysisCost-benefit analysis

See the humourSee the humour



COPING RESOURCES

Cognitive StrategiesCognitive StrategiesSmell the RosesSmell the Roses

Keep perspectiveKeep perspective

Reduce uncertaintyReduce uncertainty

Imagery/visualisationImagery/visualisation



COPING RESOURCES Behavioural StrategiesBehavioural Strategies

Physical exercisePhysical exerciseBreathingBreathingRelaxation Relaxation Laugh & SmileLaugh & SmileHealthy Diet & SleepHealthy Diet & Sleep



COPING RESOURCES

Behavioural StrategiesBehavioural StrategiesSocial supportSocial support

Seek helpSeek help

Worry TimeWorry Time

Time managementTime management



Time Management Principles

Clarify your priorities.Clarify your priorities. Evaluate how you spend your time.Evaluate how you spend your time. Set goals.Set goals. Develop an action plan.Develop an action plan. Combat procrastination.Combat procrastination. Organise your time.Organise your time.



Time Management Strategies

PrioritisePrioritise SpecificitySpecificity Small bite-size piecesSmall bite-size pieces Use all available timeUse all available time ScheduleSchedule Say no – and mean itSay no – and mean it Use rewardsUse rewards

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Many situations you will face as college students and later, as professionals, are best

coped with by a combination of both problem- and emotion-focused coping

**Remember, flexibility, adaptation, **Remember, flexibility, adaptation, and persistence will help ensure your and persistence will help ensure your success.success.



RELAXATION



PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS

Most people find performances stressful. Most people find performances stressful. However, they need not cause distress. The However, they need not cause distress. The following tips for managing the stress following tips for managing the stress experienced as a result of performance experienced as a result of performance situations can help you achieve your goals situations can help you achieve your goals without compromising your health.without compromising your health.




1. Focus on the process, not the outcome.1. Focus on the process, not the outcome.

2. Be aware of the stress/performance curve 2. Be aware of the stress/performance curve and your own optimal level of stress.and your own optimal level of stress.

3. Learn and practice coping skills.3. Learn and practice coping skills.

4. Reframe evaluative situations.4. Reframe evaluative situations.




5. Keep and use your sense of humour.5. Keep and use your sense of humour.

6. Maintain your perspective.6. Maintain your perspective.

7. Remember that mistakes are part of learning.7. Remember that mistakes are part of learning.

8. Separate your self-worth from your 8. Separate your self-worth from your performance.performance.



Foundations for Lifelong Health

Health Health

NutritionNutrition

ExerciseExercise



Foundations for Lifelong Health

LifestyleLifestyle

AttitudeAttitude



Survival tips for students:

Spend time developing and nurturing Spend time developing and nurturing relationships.relationships.

Strive to maintain some balance in Strive to maintain some balance in your life.your life.

Aim to keep your perspective.Aim to keep your perspective. Develop tolerance for ambiguity.Develop tolerance for ambiguity. Cultivate optimism.Cultivate optimism.



Survival tips for students:

Learn to work with others.Learn to work with others. Learn to break assignments down into Learn to break assignments down into

manageable tasks, and when ethical, share manageable tasks, and when ethical, share them.them.

Remember that you are at the beginning of Remember that you are at the beginning of a sharp learning curve.a sharp learning curve.

Lastly, HAVE SOME FUN!Lastly, HAVE SOME FUN!

stress management

Documents

ones college experience

stress results

given situation

ones college degree

accompanying demands

problemfocused coping

emotionfocused coping

ones life