Stress Management Interventions

Question 1

Stress is defined as:

Answer 1

The collection of physical and emotional
responses to any situation that disrupts a person’s equilibrium.

Question 2

Taking care of oneself is an effective
stress management behavior. What are some
techniques employed:

Answer 2

• Recognize and heed stress signals
• Listen to one’s body
• Get 7-8 hours of sleep or the amount needed to awake refreshed
• Exercise with an elevated heart rate for 30 minutes at least three times a week
• Refrain from smoking or inhaling the smoke of others
• Drink only moderate amounts of alcohol
• Maintain healthy weight
• Develop and maintain a support system (positive family, friends, even
• pets)
• Eat breakfast
• Avoid high-fat and high-sugar foods

Question 3

When over-stressed, developing a regular relaxation routine can minimize the effects. Some techniques for relaxing are to:

Answer 3

• Practice deep breathing exercises
• Practice progressive muscle relaxation exercise (tense and relax muscle groups one by one, until total body relaxation is achieved)
• Pray, chant, sing
• Meditate or focus on peaceful imagery or thoughts
• Practice yoga
• Cultivate your artistic or creative talents
• Listen to relaxing music
• Take classes or instruction in relaxation techniques, such as Zen, self-hypnosis, or biofeedback

Question 4

There’s no need to combat stress if stressors are minimized in the first place. Some approaches for minimizing stress are to:

Answer 4

• Change commuting patterns
• Listen to music or relaxation tapes in the car
• Avoid exposures to environmental stressors (traffic noise, cigarette smoke, toxic chemical smells, etc.)
• Check chairs, desk, and workstation for correct fit
• Regulate extremes of temperature, lighting, and noise
• Learn to deal with aggressive personalities in a non-stressful way
• Reduce unnecessary interruptions
• Anticipate and prepare for change
• Take regular breaks (leave the stress-producing situation)
• Laugh more
• Take vacations

Question 5

Effective communication skills can reduce the onset of conflict. Use the following techniques to change the way you think and communicate:

Answer 5

• Replace negative thoughts and feelings of oneself with positive ones
• Focus on positive goals and achievements
• Examine personal performance expectations to be sure they are realistic
• Praise rather than criticize oneself
• Clearly communicate wants, needs, and dislikes
• Practice listening to others without analyzing what they’re saying
• Act assertively: learn to say “No”
• Control, but don’t suppress, anger and conflict
• Find ways to redirect the energy that goes into conflicts
• Spend time with friends or loved ones