STRESS

DR. TANUSHREE CHAKRABORTY

Faculty at International School of

Business and Media
Kolkata Campus.
EN 22, Sector V.
Salt Lake City.
Kolkata 700 091
 What is it?
STRESS THE GENERAL TERM APPLIED TO THE PRESSURES PEOPLE
FEEL IN LIFE.

 WHEN PRESSURES BUILD UP, IT CAUSES ADVERSE STRAIN ON A

PERSON’S EMOTIONS, THOUGHT PROCESSES, BEHAVIORS, AND
PHYSICAL CONDITION.


 PEOPLE WHO ARE STRESSED MAY BECOME NERVOUS AND
CHRONICALLY WORRIED; EASILY PROVOKED TO ANGER AND ARE
UNABLE TO RELAX; UNCOOPERATIVE; USE ALCOHOL OR OTHER
DRUGS EXCESSIVELY
Types of Stress
Acute

Chronic

Eustress

Distress
 Nature
 WHEN STRESS BECOMES EXCESSIVE, PEOPLE DEVELOP VARIOUS
SYMPTOMS THAT CAN HARM JOB PERFORMANCE AND HEALTH,
AND EVEN THREATEN THE ABILITY TO COPE WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT.
 What Is Stress?
Stressor = any physical or psychological event or
condition that produces stress

Stress response = the physiological changes associated

with stress

Stress = the collective physiological and emotional

responses to any stimulus that disturbs an individual’s
homeostasis
Emotional and Behavioral Responses to Stressors
Emotional responses may include anxiety,
depression, and fear

Behavioral responses are controlled by the somatic

nervous system = branch of the peripheral nervous
systems that governs motor functions and sensory
information; largely under conscious control
 Personality and Stress
 Type A = ultracompetitive, controlling, impatient,
aggressive, hostile
 Easily upset; react explosively to stressors
 Type B = relaxed, contemplative, tolerant of others
 React more calmly to stressors
 Type C = difficulty expressing emotions, anger suppression,
feelings of hopelessness and despair
 Exaggerated stress response
 Hardy = committed to activities, sense of inner purpose,
inner locus of control
 View stressors as challenges and opportunities for growth
 Gender and Stress
Gender roles affect perception of and responses to
stressors

Both sexes experience the fight-or-flight physiological

response to stress

Women are more likely to respond behaviorally with a

pattern of “tend-and-befriend”
 Gender differences may be partly tied to higher levels of the
hormone oxytocin in women
 Past Experiences
Past experiences influence the cognitive evaluation of a
potential stressor

Effective behavioral responses can overcome the effects

of negative past experiences
 The Stress Experience as a Whole
 Physical, emotional, and behavioral responses are interrelated
 Symptoms of excess stress
 Physical symptoms: dry mouth, excessive perspiration, frequent
illnesses, gastrointestinal problems, grinding of teeth, headaches, high
blood pressure, pounding heart, stiff neck, aching lower back

 Emotional symptoms: anxiety or edginess, depression, fatigue,

hypervigilance, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, irritability,
trouble remembering things

 Behavioral symptoms: crying, disrupted eating or sleeping habits,

harsh treatment of others, problems communicating, sexual problems,
social isolation, increased used of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs
 Stress and Wellness

The general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Eustress = stress triggered by a pleasant stressor
Distress = stress triggered by an unpleasant stressor

Stages of GAS
Alarm = fight-or-flight reaction
Resistance = new level of homeostasis characterized by
increased resistance to stress
Exhaustion = life-threatening physiological exhaustion
General Adaptation Syndrome
 Stress and Wellness

Allostatic load = long-term wear and tear of the stress

response, especially long-term exposure to stress
hormones like cortisol

 High allostatic load increases susceptibility to disease

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) = the study of the

interactions among the nervous system, the endocrine
system, and the immune system
 Links Between Stress and Specific Conditions

Cardiovascular disease
Altered functioning of the immune system
Other health problems
 Common Sources of Stress
Major life changes
Daily hassles
College stressors
 Academic stressors
 Interpersonal stressors
 Time-related pressures
 Financial concerns
 Common Sources of Stress
Job-related stressors

Interpersonal and social stressors

Environmental stressors

Internal stressors
 Causes of Workplace Stress
Job Insecurity Poor working conditions
High Demand for Performance Long working hours
 Technology Relationships with colleagues
Workplace Culture Lack of job security
Personal or Family Problems Difficult journeys to and from
Role Conflict work
Role Overload The way the company is managed
Role Underload Mismatch between the
Role Ambiguity requirements of the job and your
Environment Misfit own capabilities and needs
Office politics Inflexible working hours
Too much or too little
responsibility
 Job Design
Unrealistic targets
Boring or repetitive work
 Incorrect use of skills
 Poor/insufficient training
 Inadequate rest breaks
Lack of/too much
supervision
 Shift work
 Too much/too little work
Isolation
 Lack of direction
 Lack of decision making
Lack of control over the job
Poor opportunities for peer support
 Work with VDU’s and other
machinery
 Time pressures
Responsibility for lives
 Uncertainty about responsibilities
New technology
 Organizational Issues and Stress
Employee commitment to work
Staff performance and productivity
Staff turnover and intention to leave
Attendance levels
Staff recruitment and retention
Customer satisfaction
Organisational image and reputation
Potential litigation
 Burnout
 Burnout can be described as “the extinction of motivation or incentive,
especially where one's devotion to a cause or relationship fails to
produce the desired results,” and is a stress-related state.

Burnout is a state of emotional and

physical exhaustion caused by
excessive and prolonged stress. It can
occur when you feel overwhelmed and
unable to meet constant demands.
 Sources of Burnout
you find it difficult to say `no` to additional commitments or
responsibilities

•you have been under intense and sustained pressure for some
time

•your high standards make it difficult to delegate to assistants

• you have been trying to achieve too much for too long

•you have been giving too much emotional support for too long
 Symptoms
 Emotional Exhaustion
 Depleted Physical Energy
 Lowered Immunity to Illness
 Less Investment in Interpersonal Relationships
 Increasingly Pessimistic Outlook
 Increased Absenteeism and Inefficiency at Work
 Increased Absenteeism and Inefficiency at Work
 No Help or Supportive Resources
 No Time For Hobbies
 Too Little Sleep
 Too Little Time Off
 Psychological Causes of Burnout
 Perfectionist Tendencies

 Pessimism

 Excitability

 Type A Personality

 Poor Fit for the Job

 Lack of Belief in What You Do

 Counterproductive Coping Strategies
Tobacco

Alcohol

Other drugs

Binge eating
 Managing Stress

Exercise
 Reduces anxiety and increases sense of well-being
 Mobilizes energy resources to complete the energy cycle
 Avoid compulsive exercise
Nutrition
 Eat a balanced diet
 Avoid excess caffeine
 Managing Stress
Sleep
 Lack of sleep is both a cause and an effect of excess stress

Social support
 Foster friendships
 Keep family ties strong
 Get involved with a group

Communication
 Balance anger and assertiveness
Managing Anger
 Managing Stress

Spiritual wellness can promote

 Social support
 Healthy habits
 Positive attitude
 Moments of relaxation
 Awareness and clarification of personal values

Paths to spiritual wellness include organized religion,

spending time in nature, helping others, art or other
creative endeavors, personal relationships
 Managing Stress: Time Management

 Set priorities  Do least favorite tasks first

 Schedule tasks for peak  Consolidate tasks
efficiency  Identify transitional tasks
 Set realisted goals
 Delegate responsibility
 Budget enough time
 Say no when necessary
 Break up long-term goals
 Give yourself a break
 Visualize achievement of
 Avoid personal time sinks
goals  Just do it
 Track tasks you put off
 Managing Stress: Cognitive Techniques
Modify expectations

Engage in realistic self-talk

Live in the present

“Go with the flow”

Cultivate your sense of humor

 Managing Stress
Relaxation response = a physiological state characterized
by a feeling of warmth and quiet mental alertness

Relaxation techniques:
 Progressive relaxation = alternating muscle tension and relaxation
 Visualization = creating or recreating vivid mental pictures of a place
or an experience
 Managing Stress

Relaxation techniques

 Biofeedback = a technique that uses monitoring devices to

help a person become conscious of unconscious body
processes, such as body temperature or blood pressure, in
order to exert some control over them

 Hypnosis = a technique of mental focusing that affects the

body

 Massage = manipulation of the body’s tissues

 The six key areas of work design
 demands – such as workload, work patterns, work environment and training
 control – such as how much say the individual has in the way they do their
work
 support – such as the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by
the organisation, line management and colleagues. This can also include work
life balance.
 relationships – such as promoting positive working to avoid conflict and
dealing with unacceptable behaviour
 role – such as whether people understand their role within the organisation,
and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles
 change – such as how organisational change, large or small, is managed and
communicated within the organisation
 F R E E
R E S S
A S T F … …
R S E L
YO U
… … .