Life Orientation

Development of the self in society

Faeeza Adam

12
Topic 2: Life Skills required to adapt to change as part
of ongoing healthy lifestyle choices: Stressors, Change
and quality of life
Unit 2.1: Identify stressors, physical, emotional, social
and environmental factors (abuse, vocation, life crises,
personality and social pressure)

Objectives:
• Looking at change
• Defining stress
• Identifying stressors

Introduction:
Grade 12! Alhamdulilah, you have worked hard and
persevered to get to this final hurdle. This year will
bring with it some changes and some opportunities to
make decisions that will in sha Allah pave your way
forward in life.

Your Life Orientation module this year has been

formulated to help make this grade 12 year more
manageable by focusing on key tips and tricks to make
the most of the year ahead .

To begin with, we will look at the concepts of Change,

followed by a study of stress as a reaction to
change. Please take some time to watch and take note
of the pre-recorded video below which will highlight
the topic and thereafter continue studying the notes and
complete the assigned activities.
Link:
 Itoolkit.com

Definition: to transform or become different

Change is inevitable , you have started this year as a
grade 12 learner and in sha Allah with the help of Allah,
your hard work and dedication, you will end it as a
matriculant. This change will in sha Allah bring with it new
adventures and discoveries in a transformational process.
This change comes with lots of excitement but it can
sometimes become daunting. This is the point at which
this module steps in.
Having identified that change will occur lets now look at
the stress that can develop as a result of these changes.
 Stress.org

What is stress?

Stress is a reaction caused by ongoing, increasing or new

demands and pressures.
When the pressures are more than your coping skills, you
may feel overcome by:
• Constant nervous tension
• Too much to do
• Too many problems to solve
• Too many things happening over which you think you
have no control.

The pressures that lead to stress are called Stressors.

Stressors can be divided into four categories:
 Emotional Social

Physical Environmental

Stressors

1.Physical factors : cause stress that

affects your body
2.Emotional Stressors :include your
feelings, thoughts, your personality and
reaction to life crises.
3.Social Stressors: refers to aspects of
your relationships with others that affect
your well-being.
4.Environmental Stressors: can include
things or situations around you and the
physical area you live in..
Stressor: Factor: Example: Effect on life
quality:

Physical: stress Unhealthy Poor nutrition Low Energy:

that affects your lifestyle Lethargy
body

Emotional: Life crises death in the Mourning/Grief ,

include your family loneliness,
feelings, depression.
thoughts and
reactions

Personality Type A Worry a lot,

personality anxiety

Social Friends Pressure to “fit Find yourself in

in” and be trouble from
accepted by pleasing your
friends. “friends”

Environmental Noise Building works, unable to

loud music concentrate
when studying
Activity:
Life Orientation teachers did research with a
large group of Grade 12 learners about their
stressors. Graph 1 shows the stressors that
learners saw as their main causes of stress.
Analyse the table on page 6 and the graph on page 7
and complete the following:

1. Study the table on page 6. For each of the four

stressors:
1.1 List one factor for each Stressor, not mentioned in
the table, which you may experience. (4x1)
1.2 Give an example of each factor you list. (4x1)
1.3Explain the effect of each factor you listed, on your
quality of life. (4x1)

2. Look at the graph on page 7.

2.1 Which two stressors affect Grade 12 learners
most often? (2)
2.2 Explain how this compares to your main
stressors. (2)