Holistic Approaches for Stress Management
Having a baby, a flat tire, moving to a new neighborhood, a new job; are all examples of stress. According to the Oxford dictionary (1996), stress is pressure or tensions. It can also be defined as any demand placed on a person that requires a response.
Not all stress is bad; some stress is normal, necessary, and unavoidable.
Hans Selye, a Canadian endocrinologist and founder of modern stress research, states that stress acts as a motivator to make us adjust our behavior to meet changing demands. Selye termed unpleasant stress as distress and pleasant stress as eustress (Garrison and Bly, 1997).
People apply different techniques to cope with stress, whether through relaxation, exercising, modifying one’s thoughts, or improving eating habits.
These techniques can be made more effective if one changes their attitudes and become more prepared to deal with pressure or tension. Institutions and organizations are affected by the negative consequences of stress, and some have implemented stress management programs to assist their employees to cope with problems.
The registry of a tertiary institution that caters to hundreds of students would be an ideal location for high counts of stress factors. In order to maintain the performance and effectiveness of this unit, they would have to implement stress management initiatives.
Holistic Approach: Relaxation
Relaxation is the key to any meaningful stress reduction. During stress, muscles tense up, blood pressure increases, heart and respiratory rates go up and energy is more available (Sdorow, 1995).
Relaxation helps to offset these reactions. There are many ways one can unwind, taking some alone time from the pressures of work, is very common. One sub-Technique of relaxation is doing breathing exercises. Taking slow, deep, and rhythmic breaths will slow the heart and respiratory pace.
Other relaxation techniques can be used at work to control physical responses to stress.
Namely, tensing and relaxing muscle groups, whether by clenching and relaxing the fist or clenching and releasing the teeth. Also, meditation, which is another popular approach, is used in combination with yoga.
Clearing our thoughts helps us to reflect on the cause of our stress and decide how we will deal with the problem.
Holistic Approach: Modifying Thoughts
Modifying one’s thoughts is the truest way to control our circumstances. Identifying the things we have control over and those we do not have control of help in times of stress.
An earthquake, corporate buyouts, tax audits, co-workers’ attitudes are just examples of things we cannot control. However, preparing for an earthquake or any other experience deserves more focus and will ease stress in the long run.
Holistic Approach: Exercise
A popular method of coping with stress is exercise. Exercise rids the body of excess adrenaline and blood sugars that accompany stress.
Any form of physical activity helps one to cope with the physical effects of stress. Activities can range from walking, riding a bike, playing football, or netball. Going to the gym has become a sub-culture in our society.
Millions of dollars are spent yearly on aerobics classes and the latest exercise fad classes. Newly invented exercise machines, such as Bowflex and total gym flood the market almost daily. Large corporations and organizations have developed sporting facilities for their employees and encourage inter-business sporting activities.
These practices, to deal with stress, are very popular. Also, companies experience higher productivity rates and employee relationships are much better.
Conclusion
Stress can be experienced in any circumstances; we each apply different methods to cope.
Techniques such as relaxation, which incorporates breathing exercises, meditation, or simply having some alone time; or exercising, can decrease the effects of stress. These effects can take the form of high blood pressure or muscle tension.
Organizations have established methods to aid employees in dealing with the pressures of work.
Workplace stress is very costly, by reducing stressful policies and providing sporting complexes; productivity rates increases.
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About the writer:
Poetess Denise N. Fyffe is a published author of over 30 books, for more than ten years and enjoys Training, Publishing and Counseling. She is a freelance writer for online publications such as Revealing the Christian Life, Jamaica Rose, Entertainment Trail, My Trending Stories among others.
Check out her book The Expert Teacher’s Guide on How to Motivate
This handbook highlights the most efficient teaching techniques to motivate students. The Expert Teacher’s Guide on How to Motivate Students initially examines who is an expert teacher and how to become one. Then it will delve into how to get students to learn any subject by implementing effective motivation strategies.
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Denise N. Fyffe 