An UGC Autonomous Institution
(Approved by AICTE, permanently affiliated to JNTU, Hyderabad) (NAAC Accredited Institution with ‘A’ Grade)
Vol. 8 No. 3 July-September 2019 (Special Issue)
ISSN (Online) : 2322-0449
ISSN (
) : 2277-6753
Department of Master of Business Administration
Abstract
Stress is a fact of our day to day life, we all go through it sometime it acts as a positive & sometime a negative force. Stress levels seen to be high in India compared to other countries both developed & emerging says a survey conducted by Cigma titled Health Insurance. About 89% of the population in India say they are suffering from stress compared of to the Global average of 86% nearly 75% if respondents have do not feel comfortable talking to a medical professional about their stress & cite cost as one of the barriers.
Work & Finance are the key reasons people attribute their stress to however, workplace wellness overall scored high, with about half the responding saying they received support and are participating in a workplace wellness programme. "Employees can offer practical solutions such as flexi-houses or stress management programme that include mental wellness." Said, Prasun Sikdar Managing Director & Chief Executive office Cigma TTK Health Insurance.
This paper highlights the causes, effects & management of stress & therefore could be helpful for people who want to learn how to react to stress in a more construction, proactive way.
Jell codes:A20, M12, O15,J59.
Keywords: Stress, Management, Eustress.
Introduction
Asking ten people if they sometimes feel stressed out, ten will answer yes. On the contrary, ask ten people for their own definition of stress, one will get different answers. But most probably these answer will agree in one point, namely that stress is to be blamed for being the direct precursor of mental & physical illness. This is, stress has predominantly a negative connotation & evokes detrimental & maladaptive physiological & behavioural responses. Stress is a universal phenomenon that essentially manifests itself in human as a result of pressure emanating from several experience or challenging situation. Stress is changing to a common phenomenon among the employers & employees. (Michie, 2002, p. 67) Increasingly the stress level is changing rapidly among the employees due to a set of various reasons. Employees experience & feel stressed continuously & therefore the reactions of stress at the workplace are not a separate aspect.(Fairbrother, & warn, 2003 p8) Stress at work is also increasing dur to external factors such as technological advancement & changes in the economy of a country . It is also bound to occur in multinational companies where operation is global & employees
* Govindlal Kanhaiyalal Joshi (Night) Commerce College, Latur-41351 E-mail:[email protected]
Stress Management
have different cultural backgrounds. Stress is an unavoidable consequence of modern living. Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations & demands. For many people , stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn't always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure & motivate you to do your best. But when you are constantly running in emergency mode, your mind & body pay the price. Stress management is the need of the hour. Today stress management is important in everyone's lives. It's necessary for long happy lives with less trouble that will come about. Stress management involves understanding the psychology behind or that is causing the stress & finding strategies to deal with , reduce, or eliminate the stress. Stress can result from viewing yourself or your situations negatively or with insecurity. Stress reduction results from managing or viewing situations in a positive way, taking action, organizing, planning & finding solutions. By doing this you will also feel a sense of control over the situation & your life.
Objectives
The objectives behind the study is to understand : (a) What is stress,
(b) Types of stress & there effects (c) Management of stress
(d) Causes of stress
(e) To conclude about the paper.
Type of Research
The type of research used in this study is Qualitative research as this type of research aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behaviour & the reasons that govern such behaviour.
Stress
The term stress has been defined by many scholars. One of the definitions was given by Fletcher as a "continuous process that involves individual transacting with their environments, making appraisals of the situations they find themselves in, and endeavouring to cope with any issues that may arise (Fletcher (2006) cited Rumbold et al , 2012,p. 173). Stress represents a situation where a person is under pressure & does not have sufficient ability to cope with it. Stress also indicates a direct negative reaction both The word stress is derived from Latin word "stringere" which meant literally to draw tight & was used in the 17th century to describe hardship, strain, adversity or affliction. These root words refer to the internal feelings of constriction many feel under stress. During the late 18th century , stress denotes fource, pressure, strain or strong , referring primary to an individual or to an individual organs or mental power, for individual & organization by undermining the original of goals attainment.
divided into four types: physical, emotional, cognitive & behaviour. Without going too deep into medical theory , I will only mention the most familiar & often met stress characteristics: general negative outlook, poor judgment , exaggerated worrying, continuous unhappiness, irritability, aggressiveness, inability to relax, feeling lonely or isolated, depressed. There are also some physical signs, for example aches & pains , dizziness, chest pain, etc & finally changing habits: eating too much or not enough, nervous habits, using alcohol etc.
Some stress definitions are here below:
• "Stress is the reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them" (Managing stress at work: Discussion document, United Kingdom Health & Safety Commission, London, 1999)
• Fontana 1989 as cited in chowhiu, 2009 defines stress as those challenges which excite us & keep us on our toes, & without which life for many people would become dull & ultimately not worthliving.
Types of Stress
Stress is inevitable from the moment of birth. One?definition of life is "the continual process of solving? problems," and all problem solving involves pressure,? conflict, and frustration - in other words, stress? (Manning, 1988). Besides, Selye (1978) as cited in Lim,? (2009) stated that No one can live without experiencing? some degree of stress all the time. You may think that? only serious disease or intensive physical or mental injury?can cause stress. This is false. Crossing a busy?intersection, exposure to a draft, or even sheer joy are enough to activate the body's stress mechanism to some?extent. Stress is not even necessarily bad for you; it is also?
the spice of life, for any emotion, any activity, causes?stress."Therefore, stress is widely accepted to have two?opposite effects on individuals - good stress (eustress)?and bad stress (distress). Han Selye, who often referred to?as the "father of stress", was the first to distinguish?between good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress).?He also noted that eustress provides challenges that?motivate individuals to work hard and meet their goals?meanwhile distress results from the stressful situations?that persist over time and produces negative health?
outcomes (Landy, 2007). Broadly, it can be concluded that?the acceptable levels of stress help to improve theindividuals' performance whilst excessive amounts of stress can lead to a decreased performance.
alertness?and often leads to superior cognitive and behavioral?performance. Eustress may supply the arousing?motivation for one individual to create a work of art,another an urgently needed medicine and scientific theory (Rice, 1999).
2. Distress (Negative or Bad Stress): Generally, stress and distress are been thought as?interchangeable terms (Rice, 1999). Perhaps, this is?because common sense suggests that stress is something? bad. According to Selye (1978) as cited in Lim, (2009)?distress is "damaging or unpleasant stress". Therefore,?distress can be refers to the negative effects of stress that?drain of energy and surpass ones capacities to cope.
Expressed in these terms, stress is much the same as a? state of anxiety, fear, worry, or agitation (Rice, 1999). Rice(1999) also stated that the core of the psychological?experience is negative, painful and something to be?avoided.Broadly, there are two kinds of distress namely acute? stress and chronic stress (Seaward, 2004). Acute stress is?the result of short-term stressors (Olpin&hesson 2007).Acute stress occurs, usually quite intense, and then?disappears quickly (Seaward, 2004). Meanwhile chronic?stress is long-term stress resulting from the unrelenting?demands and pressures that go for interminable periods?of time (Olpin&hesson 2007). The danger of chronic stress?is that some people just get used to it, lose hope, and give up searching for solutions. Meanwhile, the physical and?mental resources are deplete.
Reasons of stress at work
Almost every workers agrees, that stress at work results from the interaction of a person and work conditions. However the attitudes differ concerning the significance of working atmosphere versus worker's personal characteristics as the main reasons of stress at work. And sometimes identical work situation for one person seems incredibly catastrophic, for another one it is just ordinary working day, and working conditions are not the reason for their attitudes on working situations. That is why there are plenty of various reasons of stress at work.
(Main State Nurses' Association, ProQuest Information and Learning Company 2003)
The most famous division of stress causes is wheel scheme. ?The analysis wheel can be useful in both recognizing the causes of stress and in planning how to address them. Each perspective offers a different way of explaining the origins of stress. These perspectives do not necessarily provide 'either…or' explanations - they can be complementary and provide different views of the same cause.
(http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/t-articl/stress-management-pt2.htm)
Here is the summary of the wheel parts, explaining their names:
Biological: The biological make up and interaction of your body with the food you eat and environment you live in.
Psychodynamic: The term 'psychodynamic' refers to subconscious thoughts and feelings, which often arise from childhood experiences.
Rational: The rational processes in our minds constantly interpret and evaluate the world around. Events can be interpreted in many ways, and the way in which this is done can influence the level of stress that is felt.
Experiential: The way in which each individual experiences each situation in time, even in very similar situations, is very different. One person may find a situation highly stressful, whilst another may find it stimulating or enjoyable - every reaction is unique.
Spiritual: The need for individual spiritual development has long been recognized by the religion. It is only during the last 30 years that psychology has acknowledged the existence of a spiritual side to the individual.
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/t-articl/stress-management-pt2.htm
Even the communicational problem is just one drop in a jug of the reasons; it is the significant initiator of hundreds of difficulties. Stress at work caused by the communicational troubles is no more a phenomenon, especially in developed countries. However in Asian countries, where spiritual atmosphere at work placed on pedestal, communicational problems are rarely appearing. This factor practically improves the working outcomes in general, and personal results for individuals.
Stress Management
Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun -plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.Identify the sources of stress in your life Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn't as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren't always obvious, and it's all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you're constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it's your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress. Toidentify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses.
Start a stress journal:- A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way you deal with them. Each time you feel stressed; keep track of it in your journal. As you keep a daily log, you will begin to see patterns and common themes.
Write down
• What caused your stress (make a guess if you're unsure). • How you felt, both physically and emotionally.
• How you acted in response.
Look at how you currently cope with stress Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress journal can help you identify them. Are your coping strategies healthy or unhealthy, helpful or unproductive? Unfortunately, many people cope with stress in ways that compound the problem.
Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress
Not all stress can be avoided, and it's not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.
Learn how to say "no" - Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you're close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
Avoid people who stress you out - If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can't turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
Take control of your environment - If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic's got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
Avoid hot-button topics - If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it's the topic of discussion.
Pare down your to-do list - Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you've got too much on your plate, distinguish between the ?should? and the ?musts.? Drop tasks that aren't truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.
Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation
If you can't avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn't present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.
Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don't voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.
Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you'll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you're stretched too thin and running behind, it's hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don't overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you're under.
Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor
If you can't change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.
Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.
Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.
Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with – good enough.?
Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.
Adjusting Your Attitude: How you think can have a profound effect on your emotional and physical well-being. Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tension-filled situation. If you see good things about yourself, you are more likely to feel good; the reverse is also true. Eliminate words such as "always," "never," "should," and "must." These are telltale marks of self-defeating thoughts.
Stress management strategy 4: Accept the things you can't change
Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can't prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it's easier than railing against a situation you can't change.
Don't try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control- particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.
Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you're going through can be very cathartic, even if there's nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.
Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation
Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you'll be in a better place to handle life's stressors when they inevitably come.
Don't get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.
Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don't allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.
Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.
Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.
Stress management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle You can increase your
resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.
Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don't avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.
Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.
Conclusions
Reducing stress in your everyday life is vital for maintaining your overall health, as it can improve your mood, boost immune function, promote longevity & allow you to be more productive. There are plenty of good reasons to learn some stress management techniques. It'll save you more than it will cost you. Stress management is important because it can save your life & your relationship. Due to stress people attention on there goals in life is diverted to another directions.
The consequences of stress can cause specific disorders in both mind & body. Recent event of farmers suicide is also a result of stress. Many peoples suicides because of stress. Stress effect there health, family, Relationship,work. Stress leads to marriage breakups, family fights,violence, etc. Stress accounts for 80% of all illnesses either directly or indirectly. So Stress management is the need of the hour. Its necessary for long happy lives with less trouble that will come about.
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