Managing Stress

Managing Stress

Common Physical symptoms of stress can include:

• Rapid heartbeat.
• Headache.
• Stiff neck and/or tight shoulders.
• Backache.
• Rapid breathing.
• Sweating and sweaty palms.
• Upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea.
• Sleep trouble.
• Weakening of the immune system
• Irritability
• Intolerance
• Short Temper
• Exhaustion
• Lack of concentration
• Frustration over minor challenges

Options to Alleviate Your Stress
If you determine that you are experiencing excessive stress, what can you do?

• Find out what is causing stress in your life and determine ways to reduce or eliminate the cause.
• Change your response to the stress by using old and new coping techniques
• Learn healthy ways to prevent stress and reduce its harmful effects.

Major Causes of Stress

• Being fired
• Being Promoted or Demoted
• Moving/Relocation
• Marriage/Divorce
• Pregnancy
• Death of family or friends

These are just examples of major life changes that can have a serious impact on our lives and cause our bodies to react with stress. Often times, the most common and stressful things happen on a daily basis.

Major Causes of Stress for University Students

• Adjustments to your daily routine
• Sleeping and eating habits
• Time-management due to additional academic work loads, finding the balance of studying, free time and deadlines
• Missing your social support network of high school friends and family
• Learning new navigations such as getting around campus, living on your own, choosing your classes, choosing new friends, choosing your life’s direction and career path for your future

Where does YOUR stress start?
Using the handout, take a few minutes to honestly consider what causes your daily stresses

• Family?
• School?
• Friends?
• Work?
• Etc…

How Can You Cope With Stress?

• Time Management can be a huge cause for stress in many peoples’ lives.  Consider taking a class or course or reading information available online or in magazines or books on how to better manage your time and tasks.
• Schedule - You may get more done with less stress if you make a schedule. Think about which things are most important, and put those at the top of your schedule/list to do those things first.
• Take good care of yourself. Exercise, get plenty of rest, try to eat well, don't smoke and limit how much alcohol you drink.
• Stop negative thoughts. Easier said then done right?  Well, it’s a skill that would be beneficial to develop.  Try writing down your worries and work on letting go of things you cannot change. Don’t worry about things that have past.  Focus on the positives and the future that you can still impact.
• Speak up. Assertive communication can help you express how you feel in a thoughtful, tactful way.
• Ask for help. People who have a strong network of family and friends manage stress better.
• Do something you enjoy.  A hobby, a bath, meditation, walking, or volunteering are good, helpful ways to help you feel better and relieve stress. Listen to relaxing music.
• Keep a journal.   Try including dates, time of day, time of year, current events in your life, even your food intake and exercise routine (if any).
• Focus on the present. Try meditation, imagery exercises, or self-hypnosis.  Don’t keep thinking back to your mistakes and reliving the negative things that happened.  There is nothing you can do about it.  Let it go and look ahead, not behind. 
• Laugh it up! Try to look for the humor in life. Don’t take yourself so seriously.  Everything will pass eventually and keeping a sense of humor will help lighten the load.  Laughter really can be the best medicine!

Make and Action Plan

• Can this situation be changed or improved? If so, how?

(As an example: Relationship stress - assertive communication training, setting boundaries, resolving conflict
Over commitment stress - setting boundaries, saying no, eliminating some things from your schedule
Grief and loss stress - seeking support, journaling, finding enjoyable activities to fill your day)

• What coping mechanisms (old or new) may help me to better handle the current stressful situation in my life?

(As an example: Meditation, Exercise, Engaging with friends, Listen to relaxing music, write down in a journal what things you want to let go)

• 3) Is there anything I can do to prevent or avoid having this situation reoccur in the future?

(As an example: Implement a schedule to better manage my time, ask for help if there are too many actions on my to-do list, go to bed earlier to have a better night’s sleep and more productive day)