I. Essence and nature of stress

1 Concept of stress

2 Causes and sources of stress

3 Types of stress. Stress management

1 Prevention of stress in work situations

2 Methods for coping with stress

3 Methods of stress management. Developing stress management programs

1 Developing stress management programs for students

Conclusion

I. Essence and nature of stress

The concept of stress has been borrowed from the field of technology, where it means the ability of various bodies and structures to withstand stress. Any structure has a tensile strength, exceeding which leads to its destruction.

The many conflicts that accompany our life often lead to additional nervous stress on a person, to stressful situations, to the need to manage stress. Almost everyone has experienced stress in their life, and these days, stress is often spoken of.

The increased (especially in the second half of the 20th century) the urgency of the problem of protecting a person from the action of unfavorable environmental factors can be considered a prerequisite for the emergence and widespread dissemination of learning under stress.

1.1 Concept of stress

Translated from English, the word stress means pressure, pressure, tension ... And the encyclopedic dictionary gives the following interpretation of stress: a state of mental stress that occurs in a person or animal under the influence of strong influences.

Stress is usually perceived as a negative phenomenon. It is believed to be caused by some kind of nuisance (such as a car accident). But this is just one type of stress. In fact, there is also positive stress that can be triggered by pleasant events (for example, being introduced to a promotion, making a big lottery win, etc.). It is also called eustress - from the Greek "ei", which means "good." A little stress is even good for the body - they constantly train it, putting it into a state of activation or training. Hans Selye, the discoverer of stress, called such stresses "a spicy seasoning for the everyday food of life." And in his book Stress Without Distress, the scientist writes about it this way: “Contrary to popular belief, we should not - nor are we able to avoid stress. But we can use it and enjoy it if we better know its mechanisms and develop an appropriate philosophy of life. This is what my book is about ”.

What is stress? For the first time this phenomenon was investigated and described by G. Selye in his work "Stress without distress". The scientist gave this phenomenon the following definition: "Stress is the body's nonspecific response to any demand presented to it."

There is another definition that emphasizes the need for stress for the body: Stress is both a special nervous state and an adaptive reaction of the body aimed at ensuring self-preservation.

The nature of stress is the body's unique response to danger.

Such a division occurs at the junction of characteristic factors that cause a nonspecific reaction.

Our world, together with all the benefits of civilization, is a source of stress (factors causing this state).

Any life situation can cause dysfunctions. For example: technical breakdowns in an important situation, be it a car, a pen on an exam or a telephone during negotiations; conflicts in the family, at work and, of course, intrapersonal; illness; failures and so on ..

Most stressful situations from the physical area develop like a snowball into the psychological area, however, the reaction to stimuli remains the same and this is where active action is needed. heartbeat, breathing quicken, blood pressure rises, etc.

Biochemical shifts under stress are the defensive reaction of the organism to an external threat formed in the course of long evolution. Its physiological meaning is the instantaneous mobilization of all the body's forces necessary to fight the enemy or flee from him. But modern man, unlike primitive man, does not often solve his problems with the help of physical strength or fast running. So hormones that have not found use circulate through our blood, which excite the body and do not allow the nervous system to calm down. Whether they are immediately spent on any kind physical activity, stress would not be devastating. But there are few such opportunities for a person leading a modern lifestyle. Therefore, his body falls into a kind of stress trap: an emergency release of stress hormones into the blood depletes their supply in the adrenal cortex, which immediately begins to intensively restore them. Therefore, even with a relatively weak repeated emotional arousal, the body reflexively reacts with an increased release of hormones. This is the biochemical nature of stress, which stands behind the scenes nervous, inappropriate human behavior.

In principle, stress cannot be avoided. For their nature is reflexive. It is an automatic reaction of the body to difficult or unfavorable situations. Such reactions are the mechanisms of natural biological defense of a person, a purely natural way of adapting to a changing environment. To destroy them means to extinguish life in a person, to make him insensitive to external stimuli.

Stress- this is a tension that mobilizes, activates the body to combat the source of negative emotions;

Distress- this is an excessive stress that lowers the body's ability to adequately respond to the demands of the external environment.

Thus, understanding the nature of stress should lead us to the conclusion that trying to avoid stress in general is the wrong strategy for behavior. And the point is not only that it is practically impossible. It is much more important that in the phase of resistance to the source of stress, the human body is much more resistant to adverse external influences than in a state of complete rest and relaxation. Temper the body is useful not only physically, but also emotionally, since our emotions act as triggers of stress reactions.

1.2 Causes and sources of stress

Experts believe that any situation to which a person reacts with strong emotional arousal can cause stress. It must be borne in mind that stress can cause both positive emotions, such as the birth of a child, marriage (marriage) and negative - the loss of a job, the death of a loved one. Situations that provoke stress can also be of a minor nature (long waiting in line or in a traffic jam).

The author of the theory of stress, Hans Selye, defines it as a set of stereotyped programmed reactions that primarily prepare the body for physical activity (for resistance, struggle, flight). This, in turn, provides the most-favored-nation environment for dealing with danger. Weak influences do not lead to stress; it occurs only when the influence of certain factors (stressors) exceeds the adaptive capabilities of a person. Under stressful influences, certain hormones begin to be released into the blood, as a result of which the mode of operation of many organs and systems of the body changes (its protective properties change, the rhythm of heart contractions becomes more frequent, blood clotting increases). The body is prepared to fight, ready to cope with danger, to adapt to it - this is the main biological significance of stress.

Stressors are factors the environment or personal, the action of which unbalances the physiological and mental functions of a person, which affects the nervous system of the body and causes stress.

Distinguish between physiological and biological stressors.

Physiological ones include painful effects, excessive physical activity, extreme temperatures (heat, cold), etc.; to psychological - the need to make a decision, responsibility for something, resentment, experience, conflict, danger signals, etc.

Stressors can be both real and probable. The most destructive for the body are psychological stresses, which are subdivided into informational (occurring in conditions of information overload) and emotional (manifested in conflict situations, with threats, offenses).

Any change in our life acts as a kind of ballast.

In the modern world, stress is one of the most common ailments. And this is really so, because people of all ages and professions are subject to the influence of stress, regardless of nationality and place of residence, social status and level of culture.

Physiological stimuli include:

Mental irritants are:

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of people dissatisfied with their financial situation. This leap characterizes the now developing global financial crisis, which has also appeared on the territory of the CIS.

Unattainable dreams and high demands on yourself.

Folk wisdom has brought to our time a lot of catch phrases and sayings, the meaning of which is the simple phrase "set real goals for yourself." Slightly paraphrasing it, we get: "if you want to avoid stress, set yourself achievable goals."

Blaming yourself for all problems, even those that happened through no fault of yours. Oddly enough, the world is full of contradictions.

Blaming themselves for something especially that happened through no fault of their own, people create stress for themselves, very strong stress, which, like conscience, will not give rest. If a person himself cannot cope with this problem, it is worth seeking advice from a psychologist.

Moving to another country, changing climatic conditions. In this situation, there are two stress-forming factors (stressors). First, there is a risk of getting stressed from physical stimuli. This should include: the impact of climate change on the body, changes in diet (different cuisine), changes in the daily routine (insomnia). However, along with the above, there are no less mental irritants, if not more.

Organizational stressors.

A significant proportion of stress-provoking factors are associated with the performance of professional duties. The authors of the popular textbook on the basics of management highlight the organizational factors that can cause stress:

ü overload or too little workload;

ü conflict of roles (arises if the employee is presented with conflicting requirements);

ü uncertainty of roles (the employee is not sure what is expected of him);

ü uninteresting work (a survey of 2,000 male workers in 23 occupations showed that those who have more interesting work show less anxiety and are less prone to physical ailments than those engaged in uninteresting work);

ü poor physical conditions (noise, cold, etc.);

ü the wrong balance between authority and responsibility;

ü poor communication channels in the organization.

Another group of stress factors could be called organizational and personal, since they express a person's subjectively anxious attitude to their professional activities. German psychologists W. Siegert and L. Lang distinguish several typical workers' fears:

à fear of not coping with work;

à fear of making a mistake;

à fear of being left out by others;

à fear of losing your job;

à fear of losing your own self.

Stressogens are also an unfavorable moral and psychological climate in the team, unresolved conflicts, lack of social support, etc.

Thus, the causes of stress are not a special secret. The problem is how to prevent stress by acting on the causes that cause it. The basic rule here suggests itself; we need to clearly distinguish between stressful events, which we can somehow influence, from those that are clearly not in our control. It is clear that the individual person, if he can influence the crisis situation in the country or in the world, the inevitably impending retirement age, etc., is very insignificant. Therefore, such events should be left alone and focus on those stress factors that can be really changed by us.

1.3 Types of stress

Stress can be categorized into:

Stress can be emotionally negative and emotionally positive.

In the case of emotionally positive stress, the stressful situation is short-lived and you control it, usually in these cases there is nothing to fear: your body will be able to quickly rest and recover after the explosion of the activity of all systems. There are, however, facts when strong positive emotions in people with poor health led to serious consequences, up to strokes and heart attacks, but these are still unique cases and we will not discuss them. When we say “dealing with stress,” “the consequences of stress,” we mean an emotionally negative type of stress.

Distinguish between short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) stress. They affect health in different ways. Long-term has more serious consequences.

Acute stress is characterized by the speed and surprise with which it occurs. The extreme degree of acute stress is shock. There were shocking situations in the life of every person.

Shock, acute stress almost always turn into chronic, long-term stress. The shock situation has passed, and the person has recovered from the shock, but the memories of the experience come back again and again.

Long-term stress is not necessarily a consequence of acute, it often arises due to seemingly insignificant factors, but constantly acting and numerous (for example, dissatisfaction with work, tensions with colleagues and relatives, etc.).

Physiological stress occurs as a result of the direct impact on the body of various negative factors (pain, cold, heat, hunger, thirst, physical overload, etc.)

Psychological stress is caused by factors acting with their signaling meaning: deception, resentment, threat, danger, information overload, etc.

Emotional stress occurs in situations that threaten human security (crimes, accidents, wars, serious illnesses, etc.), his social status, economic well-being, interpersonal relationships (job loss, family problems, etc.).

Information stress occurs during information overload, when a person who bears great responsibility for the consequences of his actions does not have time to accept correct decisions... Information stresses are very frequent in the work of dispatchers, operators of technical control systems.

II. Stress management

Despite the fact that someone else's soul is darkness, it is often easier to manage someone else's emotions than your own. However, in order to take the whole company out of the labyrinth of conflicting emotions towards a brighter tomorrow, an effective leader will not only have to help employees cope with difficult situations, but also solve the problem himself.

How to cope with stressful situations, and then help other members of the company in this, is what I wanted to talk about in this chapter.

Stress management is the ability to control a situation when people and events generate excessive demands.

High variability and complexity modern world leads to the fact that stress and, first of all, psychological stress become constant "companions" of a person. Today, most experts agree that the average stress level of most people exceeds their psychophysiological capabilities, which leads to a decrease in the efficiency of their vital activity, to a deterioration in health and well-being. In addition, lately more and more people are striving for conscious self-knowledge and self-improvement, and this activity is stressful by its very nature. Thus, for modern man possession of stress management technologies, and first of all - the management of psychological stress, is a prerequisite for his effective performance, and especially activities in areas new to him.

And on the one hand, mankind has accumulated enough stress management technologies - nowadays there is an increased interest in them, especially among managers, businessmen, people of extreme specialties. Within the framework of modern management, a separate direction is allocated - "stress management". Many psychologists and business trainers conduct trainings and seminars in this area, using in great demand... However, most stress management practices are often not scientifically substantiated and also loosely coupled.

2.1 Prevention of stress in work situations

In life, it often happens that the term "stress" is generalized with the concept of "pressure". Hence the belief that a small amount of stress helps you do your job more efficiently. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true.

To begin with, stress at work is a relatively new phenomenon in modern life. The workflow has undergone intense changes over the past century, and these changes continue to this day, and their speed can be compared with the speed of a hurricane. They cover almost all professions, from the artist to the surgeon, from the commercial pilot to the ordinary seller of goods. Unfortunately, stress inevitably comes with these changes. Scientists from many countries of the world have experimentally established that occupational or work stress poses a threat not only to the physical health of one employee, but also affects the health of the entire workforce.

Work stress can be caused by a variety of complex causes. Among them:

I. Insecurity of work

Reorganizations and mergers of companies, their takeovers, downsizing of firms and a number of other changes can become major stressors for company employees who are trying to survive in conditions of fierce market competition. And such transformations affect literally every employee, from top managers to simple performers.

II. Excessively high requirements for the execution of the work order

Unrealistic expectations, especially during a corporate reorganization period, which sometimes cause unhealthy and unreasonable pressure on the employee, can be a tremendous source of stress and distress. An increase in workload, an excessive increase in the length of the working day, and intense pressure towards faster completion of the task in the same period of time and for the same salary can actually lead to physical and emotional exhaustion of the employee.

III. Expansion of technology

Expansion the latest technologies- computerization, the introduction of pagers, cell phones, facsimile communications and the Internet - can initiate higher expectations in the management of the enterprise in terms of productivity, speed up work processes, increase efficiency and, accordingly, lead to increased demands and increased pressure on workers who are constantly staying " at the peak "of their ability to perform operations

IV. Workplace culture

Regulating the culture of the workplace, which provides for the constant renewal of certain components of the workplace, can also intensify the stress state.

Forcing oneself to adapt to various aspects of culture, such as the nature of communication, adherence to hierarchy, strict dressing, a specific work environment, and, most importantly, the nature of the relationship with management and colleagues in the service, the employee may lose the overall stability of his position, which in turn can become an "inducer" of stress. On the other hand, the inability to adapt to the culture of the place of work can lead to conflicts with colleagues or with management.

V. Personal and family problems

Workers who have personal or family problems tend to bring their worries and anxiety to the workplace. And if an employee is in a depressed state, his attention may be dulled or completely lack of motivation to perform his duties, which ultimately will lead to a decrease in the level of responsibility for the task entrusted to him.

We receive a significant part of the stress as a result of conflicts generated by various work situations. In this case, in any case, the “vertical” of business relations is affected: a leader - a subordinate. Leaders charged with reducing employee stress and employees should be stress-free and not serve as stressors for others.

Anti stress guide

In order to minimize the level of stress in the team, without reducing productivity, the leader should heed the following recommendations:

· Think often about the accuracy of assessing the abilities and inclinations of your employees. Compliance with these qualities of the volume and complexity of the assigned tasks is an important condition for the prevention of stress among subordinates.

· Do not neglect "bureaucracy", that is, a clear definition of the functions, powers and limits of responsibility of employees. This will prevent a lot of minor conflicts and mutual grievances.

· Do not be annoyed if the employee refuses the received assignment, it is better to discuss with him the thoroughness of the refusal.

· Show your trust and support as often as possible.

· Use a leadership style that is appropriate for the specific work situation and the characteristics of the staff.

· When employees fail, evaluate first of all the circumstances in which the person acted, and not his personal qualities.

· Do not exclude from the arsenal of means of communication with subordinates compromises, concessions, apologies.

· If you need to criticize someone, do not lose sight of the rules of constructive and ethical criticism.

· Periodically think about ways to relieve the stress already accumulated by subordinates. Keep in mind the problems of rest of employees, the possibilities of their emotional release, entertainment, etc.

The implementation by managers of these generally simple recommendations can have a very significant effect on the level of stress in the team.

Anti-stress submission

At the same time, for the same purposes, it is proposed that subordinates take a step towards the bosses. People suffering from stress at work are usually offered about the following list of methods to minimize stress:

· If you are not satisfied with the conditions and content of work, wage, career opportunities and other organizational factors, try to carefully analyze how realistic your organization's capabilities are to improve these parameters (that is, first find out if there is something to fight for).

· Discuss problems with colleagues, with management.

· Try to establish an effective business relationship with the leader, Assess the scale of his problems and help him understand yours. Leaders usually need “feedback” but are not always able to provide it.

· If the volume of the assigned work clearly exceeds the possibilities, find the strength to say "no". At the same time, he will take care of a balanced and thorough justification of his refusal.

· Do not hesitate to demand from management and colleagues complete clarity and certainty about the essence of the tasks assigned to you.

· If there is a production "conflict of roles", that is, the deliberately inconsistent requirements, do not bring the matter to a sad end when you have to make excuses for not fulfilling one or another task. To bring up the problem of incompatibility of the cases entrusted to you at once, focusing the attention of management on the fact that the case will suffer in the end.

· When working hard, look for opportunities for short-term disconnection and rest.

· Be sure to discharge your negative emotions, but in socially acceptable ways. Socially approving management of your emotions is not about suppressing them, but about finding appropriate channels to channel or release them.

· Give yourself any physical activity - it is better that one where you have to hit something (football, volleyball, tennis, at worst, knocking out carpets will do).

· Try not to mix personal and service relationship etc.

Among such recommendations for reducing the level of stress, formulated by modern managerial and psychological thought, there are also quite unexpected ones that run counter to generally accepted ideas. For example, there is a widespread belief that a strong family, a “strong rear”, in which an employee attacked by office stresses finds comfort and support, is a fairly reliable protection against stress at work. However, things are not so simple.

American researchers Susan W. Kobasa and Mark K. Pusetti, who surveyed about two hundred middle managers and above in one of the largest companies, recorded a strange phenomenon. It turned out that workers who perceived their families as the greatest support had the highest rates of stress-related illnesses. This fact was confirmed even in relation to those who had such a social asset as a large salary or a high position. The essence of this situation has been interpreted to mean that workers' families provide them with a slightly different support than is required to cope with stress at work. While the industrial situation requires them, say, discipline or mobilization of all forces, the family may maintain qualities that are not most appropriate at such a moment - resentment against colleagues and leadership, self-pity, shifting blame on others or on circumstances, etc. ...

The conclusion is probably obvious: not all family support can serve as a safe haven from stress.

Summary

A specific stressful situation is always unique, since it is not least determined by the personality of the person subject to stress (his temperament, character, style of behavior, etc.). In addition, our susceptibility to stress at work largely depends on the general background of life, that is, on how successfully we are able to get out of stressful situations generated by general social, family, age and other factors. In fact, occupational stress is just one of the many types of stress we experience. It, of course, has its own specifics.

But the physiological nature of stress is the same. Therefore, a person who is seasoned in overcoming various life barriers and troubles should obviously be more successful than others in coping with professional stressful situations.

Thus, one of the keys to success in overcoming work stresses lies in the general life strategy of the individual, based on the selected basic values ​​and taking into account the characteristics of his personality.

The reaction to stress, increased nervous tension, is the response of the human body to any demand presented to it by the external environment. According to the founder of the theory of stress, Hans Selye, this is "adaptation to the difficulty that has arisen, whatever it may be." It is important to channel the stress response in a safe direction. This task and solves stress management.

Stress management in Russia is still in its infancy. Before the outbreak of crisis in autumn 2008, stress management consisted of the following: special trainings were carried out; considerable funds were included in the “social” budget to ensure that employees were able to maintain their physical health, for example, to go to the pool or gym. Many organizations have seriously, not just for show, carried out anti-smoking campaigns, classes with a visiting yoga specialist, or consultations with a psychologist. Staff health insurance became so common that it was perceived as the norm, and its absence - on the contrary, as a flaw in the management.

The concept of stress management, like many other concepts related to business, came to us from the west. Let's first try to figure out what is behind the concept of "stress management"

In my opinion, it is quite logical to understand stress management as the process of stress management, which includes three main areas: prevention of stress factors (stressors), reducing stress from unavoidable stressors and organizing a system for overcoming them. negative consequences.

In Europe and America, almost everyone uses the services of psychologists and psychoanalysts, since they are firmly convinced that the stress caused by constant turmoil in the family, tensions at work, information overloads has a detrimental effect not only on health, but also significantly reduces the economic performance of work.

For more than a decade, Russians have been doing business in a regime of chronic stress without trying to psychologically protect themselves from it. The main forces are spent on economic survival in conditions of complete instability. It is difficult for managers to plan the activities of the company for several years ahead, so they are always in a situation where they need to quickly make the right decision in conditions of strict time constraints, and this is information stress. Managers, salespeople, and secretaries often have to listen to complaints from dissatisfied customers, while experiencing emotional stress. Often, the company is actively engaged in career wars, intrigues are woven, which creates a stressful situation within the team. To adequately cope with all this, stress management services exist.

Of course, the problems that managers or ordinary employees have to face are different, hence the division of stress management services: executive coaching, training for staff, leveling the microclimate in the team.

At the moment, in almost any professional activity, and especially in the so-called "skilled labor", the following causes of stress are most typical and widespread:

v Lack of time and high responsibility, coupled with the fear of making a mistake.

v Unclear prospects for professional growth and career development, crises of its completion.

v Social significance, prestige of the profession and the desire to match it with the inner needs of the individual.

v The tense psychological climate in the organization, the working group.

v Time allocation problem.

Analysis of this list leads to the conclusion that it is impossible in principle to avoid collision with at least half of the stressors listed in it, and some of them have become extremely urgent due to the crisis.

According to American studies, the annual stress damage to the US economy exceeds $ 20 billion. The results of a study by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and data from the European Commission of the EU indicate that the problem of stress affects one in three workers.

In this regard, more and more attention is paid to the development of stress management programs.

For what purposes can these programs be used?

According to Western sources, these are:

· direct increase in labor productivity by improving the physical and mental state of workers, reducing the number of absenteeism and industrial injuries;

· improving the moral climate and humanizing relations in the organization;

· prevention of the phenomenon of "burn-out" and destructive behavior.

The main stress management programs in Western countries are:

Assistance programs.

These programs are more related to medical care and solve specific problems: alcoholism or drug addiction, relocation of an organization, re-profiling or curtailing production, mass layoffs, personal misfortunes, and so on. Such programs, although focused on the individual, rely mainly on the use of traditional therapeutic (and psychotherapeutic) means.

Health improvement and adaptation programs.

They are aimed at reducing psychosocial risks, improving overall health and improving the quality of life. These programs usually involve such methods as the rational organization of work and rest regimes, structural and functional changes in the organization, physical exercise, diet, and psycho-muscular relaxation.

Within the framework of such programs, certain training of employees is carried out, and, which is very important, the implementation of the programs is organizationally supported. The creation of so-called sensitivity groups to improve interaction and relationships and reduce conflicts can also be attributed to programs of this kind.

Health improvement and adaptation programs are focused primarily on vegetative-organic and situational stress levels. It seems to the author that their focus - undoubtedly important and valuable - does not fully correspond to the realities of Russian working life. Indeed, a significant part of the country's able-bodied population began their labor activity in a planned socialist economy, full and guaranteed employment. From a psychological point of view, "the transition of the economy to market rails" turned out to be a powerful and total impact on the "subjective picture of the world" of a person. What was imprisoned fifteen years ago became overnight wealth and prosperity, efficient and honorable. And the labor behavior approved within the framework of the socialist economy turned out to lead to poverty, professional and life collapse.

However, the intrapsychic criteria for distinguishing between good and bad, right and wrong, worthy and unworthy cannot change as quickly as the external situation. This mismatch (between basic life attitudes and the realities of a market economy), in my opinion, is a source of severe personal stress, requiring a large supply of internal resources to adapt a person to new economic and everyday conditions.

Thus, I think that the main difference between work stress in Russia and work stress in Western countries is a significantly higher level of personal stress exposure of employees. And stress management programs in an organization should focus primarily on this issue.

As we have already noted, personal stress for the most part is not realized by the person. Therefore, for adaptation, "automatic" methods of reducing the level of stress are used: a general decrease in the level of impulses, destructive behavior, alcohol and other chemical relaxants.

Of particular importance in this series is the decrease (weakness) of labor motivation of workers, noted by many managers and confirmed by relevant studies. It is clear that all this does not contribute to an increase in labor productivity and the development of the organization.

To summarize, it should be said that successful stress management programs in Russian organizations must take into account that psychosocial stressors largely determine the overall level of employee exposure to stress.

Such programs, I think, should:

v have a psycho-regulatory orientation, as well as develop psycho-regulation skills;

v promote personal growth and development of personality self-programming skills in order to change ineffective personal attitudes and tendencies;

v considered as a necessary component of improving the "corporate culture" of the organization;

v promote the creation of equitable systems of control and remuneration in order to reduce the uncertainty of the social environment;

v include special measures to increase work motivation and develop work ethics.

In studies conducted The National Institute US Occupational Safety and Health Organization, work organization is one of the priority areas of safety and health research at the national level. It has been suggested that a weak organizational culture may be associated with an increase in negative experiences of stress, while a strong organizational culture may diminish or obstruct the health effects of stress. The determining factor for organizational culture in this sense is the size of the enterprise, and this should be borne in mind when planning interventions and evaluating them simultaneously with the broader context in the context of business globalization.

2.2 Methods for coping with stress

"Stress is not what happened to you, but how you perceive it." Hans Selye "father" of stress theory

Coping with stress is defined as efforts to reduce the impact of stress on an individual's condition (Edwards, 1988). Coping with stress, as well as the stress at work itself, is a complex and dynamic process. Efforts to resolve these issues are dictated by an assessment of the current situation as either threatening and damaging, or worrying (that is, essentially stressful). Overcoming is an individual process that levels the relationship between stress and its consequences.

The mechanisms for overcoming this state are individual and depend on the specific situation: what perfectly helps one person is absolutely unacceptable for another. What works for one situation may not work for another.

Of course, the effectiveness of coping with stress largely depends on the psychological readiness to resist it and on the ability to manage your emotions in difficult situations.

It is very important to know how to relieve stress when dealing with stress. Different stresses occupy different emotional levels, as well as their nature and severity. Accordingly, the ways to relieve stress are also different, knowing them, everyone will be able to avoid the consequences of the influence of stress on the physical and mental state.

Firstly, it is a method aimed directly at eliminating the causes of stress. This refers to a long-term strategy that changes either the situation or the person himself. You find the cause of the stress and eliminate it. This method is applicable only if you are fully aware of the reasons that caused the stress, you want to eliminate them, and you are not satisfied with a quick but temporary solution to the problem, or you feel the approach of a stressful state and want to prepare yourself accordingly.

Secondly, there are so-called quick methods that can alleviate the situation for a short time. In this case, you are trying to reduce the level of stress reactions that have already occurred and try to avoid increasing them. These methods are applicable when you cannot (due to certain circumstances) eliminate the cause of the stress.

In fact, there are many ways to relax and unwind - be it walking, reading, playing music, playing sports or ... just lounging around. The choice depends only on the person.

Thirdly, it is active protection against stress. A person changes the field of activity and finds something more useful and suitable for achieving peace of mind, contributing to an improvement in health (sports, music, gardening or gardening, collecting, etc.). Active relaxation (relaxation), which enhances the natural adaptation of the human body - both mental and physical. This reaction is the most powerful.

Each of us has our own problems ...

Someone successfully copes with them using their proven methods, while others prefer to use the services of a psychoanalyst.

But it is not at all necessary to resort to the help of a stranger, because a person can easily cope with stress on his own.

Method 1.

Experts are convinced that one of the easiest ways to get rid of stress is to simply "wash it down". The fact is that one of the most obvious consequences of stress is dehydration.

The easiest way to deal with this problem is to drink as much as possible.

True, here you need to take into account that you need not drink everything, but only clean water and freshly squeezed juices, which quickly satisfy the body's need for fluid.

If we talk about everyone's favorite coffee and tea, then these drinks, on the contrary, increase the rate of excretion of fluid from the body. The advantage of this method is also that, unlike the first, it is much safer for the figure, especially if you use water, not juices.

Method 2.

Now let's remember about the banal need of our body for a full sleep.

With the modern rhythm of life, many people have already forgotten what normal sleep is.

Scientists from the United States say that the time before sleep is determined by each person individually, in accordance with his needs, but it is not recommended to sleep less than seven hours a day.

Remember that chronic lack of sleep, which is currently characteristic of most people on our wonderful planet, has an extremely negative effect on health.

In addition, it is no longer a secret that sound sleep is a wonderful and very enjoyable way to deal with stress. Therefore, try to set aside adequate sleep time.

Method 3.

Some experts in the field of psychology, recommend "burning" all your problems.

Psychologists offer a unique way to deal with stress.

They advise their patients to write down all their experiences and negative emotions in a separate notebook, while describing everything in great detail.

When all your thoughts are in writing, you can tear the sheets or burn them.

According to experts, this method allows you to quickly relieve nervous tension and relieve you of negative emotions.

Method 4.

Scientists in Japan have long believed that the best way to vent your negative emotions is through exercise.

Believe it or not, at the beginning of the twentieth century in France, tableware manufacturers produced a whole series of cheap china dishes, which were specifically designed to be beaten.

At the same time, the founders of the company urged everyone to buy cheap plates and cups so as not to accumulate negative energy in themselves and to always have this dish at hand.

Who knows, maybe this is really the best way to discharge?

Method 5.

Learn some breathing practice.

It will come in handy when you are faced with any negative situation.

The fact is that if we restrain ourselves and do not throw out the whole stream of negative emotions on others, then they do not disappear, but accumulate inside, which leads to the fact that we begin to show aggression against ourselves, we are tuned in to "self-destruction." Some experts believe that this can be avoided simply by learning to "breathe out" the stress.

The simplest breathing technique in this case would be to simply take ten deep breaths and exhalations.

This same simple exercise will help you not to break down on others. When you feel that emotions overwhelm you, do this exercise, after which, you can surely be able to control yourself.

Method 6.

Scientists from Germany advise to "freeze" stress.

Experts from this country are convinced that nervous tension will help relieve the usual cold.

When you find yourself in a situation that puts you into a state of intense excitement, go out for three minutes in the cold without putting on outerwear.

When you briefly find yourself in an environment with sub-zero temperatures, your brain begins to actively produce the hormone of joy - serotonin.

True, it should be noted that the main thing when using this method is not to delay the process, since otherwise it will not take long to get a cold!

Method 7.

This method is also very, very effective. All you have to do is imagine yourself as a director, and turn the whole situation into nothing more than a theatrical action. Imagine that everything that happens does not concern you at all, you observe all this from the outside and therefore you can adequately assess everything that happens and find the most optimal solution to complex problems.

An elementary work organization can significantly reduce stress:

cleaning at the end of the working day of the workplace from unnecessary papers, tools, devices, garbage, etc.;

every night (at the end of the working day) planning the next day with an indication of the priority of each case, while tomorrow it is necessary to adhere to the plan;

the leader needs to think about delegating some of his powers to subordinates;

it is unacceptable to skip lunch or breaks, for this time it is better to leave the workplace, otherwise the rest will not be complete;

during breaks, it is advisable to perform several physical exercises (swinging arms, legs, several squats), it is good if you can find a suitable set of exercises, vigorous walking (walks) is also effective.

After work, you can go in for sports, your hobbies, or just take a walk down the street.

Exercise is one of better ways to handle the stress. Exercises for training the cardiovascular system, stretching and strength exercises are usually distinguished. You can do one type of exercise or come up with a complex that includes several exercises of each type. Deep diaphragmatic breathing, autogenous training, and meditation are also effective in reducing stress. I would also recommend yoga, because rest and relaxation are just as necessary for well-being, as is physical activity. Yoga includes these components.

So, summarizing what has been said, I will note the important methods that allow you to withstand both work and any daily stress:

v strengthening the general state of health with the help of proper nutrition, good rest, sports, etc.;

v changing the situation, i.e. eliminating what is of concern as much as possible;

v change in attitude to the situation;

v be able to relax and not be in the usual stress of stress.

Organization is of course important working environment, which encourages friendly relationships: everyone understands that they can count on the support of others.

According to psychologists, overcoming crisis situations is possible subject to the observance of the principles on the basis of which it is possible to form a system of strategies for restoring mental balance. These principles include:

... The satisfaction principleforesees the implementation psychological protection on the basis of identifying the maximum degree of emotional well-being possible in an unfavorable situation. The mechanism for the realization of this high degree of well-being lies in the cognitive and emotional infantilism of a person.

. The principle of realityaims at a sober approach to the world, in which movement towards any goal is not seen as a straightforward process of ascending more and more steps, but involves long, including roundabout ways and indirect means. Psychological mechanism the implementation of the principle of reality is mainly in the ability to be patient.

. The value principleindicates the need to build systems of different life alternatives on the same value basis, as a result of which each of the alternatives within a given value system receives its own assessment. This priority list of assessments serves as a tool for rationalizing the situation that needs to be overcome.

. The principle of creativityto a large extent determines the self-improvement of a person, the active and conscious creation of himself by a person, and not only in an ideal sense, but also in practical implementation in real crisis situations.

Classes on the development of various strategies for solving life problems increase the psychological stability of a person in conditions that require the exertion of spiritual forces. The main role in this is not knowledge, but flexibility, which allows you to change and thereby normalize behavior in a timely manner.

People suffering from excessive stress at work may try the following stress management techniques:

1. Develop a system of priorities in your work. Rate your work as follows: must do today , do later this week and do when the time is right.

Learn to speak No when the employee can no longer take on more work.

Build a particularly effective and reliable relationship with your boss. You need to understand his problems and help him understand yours. Teach your boss to respect your priorities, your workload, and give informed assignments.

Disagree with a manager or anyone who begins to make conflicting demands (role conflict). Ask to arrange a meeting with everyone stakeholders to clear up the question. Do not take an accusatory aggressive position; simply explain what specific problems create conflicting requirements.

Tell your manager or employees when you feel that the expectations or standards for evaluating the assignment are not clear (role uncertainty).

Discuss feelings of boredom or lack of interest in the job with your supervisor. Explain that you are a supporter of challenging work and would like to be able to participate in other activities.

Find time to disconnect and rest. Appeal to pleasant thoughts or images to refresh the brain. Leave the office from time to time in order to change the environment or the way of thinking. Avoiding monotony can effectively reduce the risk of stress and increase stress resistance.

Tips for bosses to reduce employee stress and increase productivity:

To manage others while achieving high productivity and low stress levels, you need to:

Assess the abilities, needs and inclinations of your employees and try to select the amount and type of work for them that is consistent with these factors. Once they have demonstrated successful results in completing these tasks, increase their workload if they so desire. Delegate authority and responsibility as appropriate.

Allow employees to refuse to perform any task if they have good reason to do so. If it is necessary for them to complete this task, explain why it is necessary and prioritize their work to give the necessary time and resources to complete. additional assignment.

Clearly describe specific areas of authority, responsibility, and operational expectations. Use two-way communication and information from your subordinates (feedback).

Use a leadership style that is appropriate for the situation.

Provide adequate remuneration for effective work.

Become a mentor to your subordinates, developing their abilities and discussing difficult issues with them.

Thus, increasing the level of stress resistance of employees and taking care of their health, the manager will benefit not only them, but also the common cause.

The modern life of any person is associated with large overloads arising as a result of the formation of new social and labor relations in the country in the conditions of the formation of a market economic system and adaptation of workers to it. The way to resist this overload is known - it is preventive preparation for new conditions and a new regime of activity. To do this, you need to know the very technology of training and specific methods and techniques for protecting a person from overloads, from critical situations.

2.3 Methods of stress management

stress work team mental balance

“You shouldn't be afraid of stress. Only the dead do not have it. Stress needs to be managed. Managed stress carries the flavor and flavor of life. " Hans Selye

The ideal situation is when productivity is as high as possible and stress is as low as possible. To achieve this, leaders must learn to deal with stress in themselves.

Stress management is a process of purposeful influence on the organization's personnel in order to adapt the personality to a stressful situation, eliminate sources of stress and master the methods of neutralizing them by all personnel of the organization.

There are many types of stress management techniques, and learning and practicing these techniques will go a long way toward helping you deal with such common occurrences as stress.

Dealing with stress or ignoring it is not the best way to help yourself; it is better to manage stress by using it for your own purposes. Thus, we only drive the problem inside, giving it complete freedom of action. It is necessary to realize the fact that stress is an inevitable component of a modern person's life, and learn to cope with it.

It turns out that every sufferer is quite capable of becoming invulnerable to stress, but the path to this lies in an unexpected direction. In order to solve such a problem, a person must learn to get rid of the remnants of his own past, from his childhood shortcomings. And no matter how unexpected it may sound, it is in childhood that the roots of the problems that a person will face throughout his adult life lie. These children's reactions, which persist in the future throughout life, are called psychological protection. Let's briefly list its varieties .. A person's desire to shift the blame and responsibility for their own mistakes onto others. An attempt to find a consoling explanation for the sad events that happened. In other words, a person's attempt to convince himself that exactly what happened was what should have happened anyway - and with him and in exactly the same way. Trying on someone else's role, playing someone stronger, more attractive, more successful ... Taking out your discontent not on the real culprit, but on someone else, weaker or more vulnerable. Indiscriminate denial of everything that does not coincide with one's own opinion .. Fantasy is the most harmless and at the same time the most "childish" variant of protection.

It is easy to see that all of the above psychological defenses are a kind of "children's games" of adults, which sometimes not only are not able to solve a life problem, but, on the contrary, aggravate it. In order to put a reliable barrier to stress, it is necessary to replace these unreliable, essentially childish ways of protecting with more mature and effective ones. And of course, as banal common sense suggests, the best way to "remove", dismantle old protections and replace them with new ones is to contact a specialist.

There are two levels of stress management.

The first one - at the level of the organization, as a result of changes in policy, structure of production, is to develop clear requirements for employees, assess their performance. Some organizations, mainly in foreign companies and in some domestic banking structures, conduct relaxation trainings (2-3 times a week after work) using audiocassettes under the guidance of a psychologist. There are also communication trainings for development communication culture employees, mastering the skills of relieving stress, field game trainings in order to relieve tension in teams, strengthen ties between employees. They help a person feel better, relax, and recuperate. Such programs exist and are applied at the level of the entire organization, especially a lot of them have been developed in last years at enterprises in Western Europe and the USA.

For example, in Sweden, the 1991 Work Environment Act encourages workers to change their work environment, adapt it for themselves, and the administration is encouraged to help them in everything. In these countries, occupational stress is viewed in the context of the general environment in the firm and in society. Many programs prioritize stress reduction through better organization labor, changing the nature of work, establishing real planning targets, improving personal relationships in organizations, creating small working groups. American companies are increasingly faced with demands for compensation for "professional" stress, and they are paid quite often. Whereas in 1983 15% of all lawsuits brought against firms were related to professional risk payments, in 1993 their number was already 40%, and these claims are satisfied twice as often as claims for health damage.

The second level of stress management is at the level of the individual. This method consists in being able to cope with stress individually, using recommendations and special programs to neutralize stress.

Such programs include meditation, training, exercise, diet, and sometimes even prayer. They help a person feel better, relax, recuperate.

Stress management techniques.

Work stress manifests itself in many different forms and affects everyone in different ways. For example, non-working equipment can be classified as insignificant voltage sources. However, the main sources of stress are: too much work, inefficient production, fear of being fired, or a tense relationship with the boss.

Typically, these major sources of stress lead people to mental exhaustion, making them unhappy and less productive in their work. Work stress can also affect your health and home life. Low voltage levels are not as noticeable; slightly higher levels can be positive and make you act in creative and more inventive ways; and high levels of stress are harmful, which can lead to chronic illness.

Here are some ways to reduce stress:

Meet with the person who supervises your work at least once a year (preferably every 3 or 6 months), talk to him about your activities and work.

Discuss the following:

· What is expected of me in this position?

· Where is the company going, and how do I fit into this plan?

· How do I work? What are my powers? Areas for improvement?

· What can I expect from you if problems arise in my work?

The main methods of stress management include leadership coaching, anti-stress corporate trainings, and organizational behavior.

Leadership Coaching The most appropriate stress management tool for CEOs is coaching. Coaching (English coaching - training, training) - a method of counseling and training, differs from classical training and classical counseling in that the coach does not give advice and rigid recommendations, but seeks solutions together with the client. The role of the coach-consultant is to help the leader see the pros and cons of the management decisions needed, to activate life strategies that have helped to achieve success in the past, to discard or adjust strategies that are ineffective in the current stressful situation. department or company. To conduct anti-stress training, you first need to analyze the situation, identify the main problems and determine the results that are supposed to be achieved during the training. Then a training program is drawn up and agreed with the management. For example, if a decision is made to conduct anti-stress training among sales staff or call-center employees, the program includes exercises to resist emotional pressure from disgruntled interlocutors and find a way out of difficult situations that arise during communication. When faced with "difficult" clients, it is very difficult to avoid, for example, feelings of anger, resentment, helplessness, but it is quite possible to learn how to manage them. You need to strive to focus not on negative emotions in the conversation, but on the results that will be achieved after completing the work - concluding a profitable deal, increasing profits, creating a positive image of the company in the eyes of clients and partners. Organizational behavior is another effective way to manage stress. that allows you to increase the viability of the organization in adverse conditions. The main task of organizational behavior is to prevent the loss of psychological resources and the use of stressful situations for the development and training of employees. The essence of this method is that in a state of stress, a person is able to learn through a visual example. For staff good example may become the behavior of their leader. Let's say a meeting is being held to bring a company out of the crisis. If the CEO literally in front of his eyes confidently turns an undefined problem into a solvable problem, communicates effectively with those present and rationally manages the meeting time, then he thereby shows, demonstrates, conveys to employees the forms of organizational behavior that work and create a real plan of action. So, organizational behavior is an example behavior, a type behavior that is transmitted from a manager to subordinates mainly in situations of uncertainty, personal discomfort and overload. Positive Organizational Behaviors help employees get out of exhausting stress. Uncertainty Management By demonstrating an example of organizational behavior that allows you to manage uncertainty, the leader must show that he is responsible for his words, and that his activities and those of his subordinates make sense. That he can organize work in such a way as to turn any problem into a solvable problem. When managing uncertainty, the main thing is not to block the channels of reliable information and give employees feedback, the opportunity to consult on any work issue. Uncertainty management methods include such functions personnel work, like time-management, career planning, assessment and development of personnel.

Time managementin the context of stress management includes the following:

v Prioritizing tasks that can be:

important and urgent

urgent but not important

important but not urgent

not urgent and not important

v Scheduling working hours by making a list of things to be solved at a certain time: so plan the smallest things in the morning, in the afternoon important meetings, negotiations, trips (when both the employee and his clients are fully involved in work), for the evening - meetings, drawing plans for the coming days.

v Delegation of authority

v The science of saying no!

v Organization of the workspace (files and documents, highlighting text with flowers, saving paper copies, etc.)

v Correct use of the phone

v Time tracking, "time pie": work, leisure, friends, hobbies, family

v Accounting for "time sinks"

v Criteria for defining SMART goals

v Compliance with the Pareto principle: 20% of the time give 80% of the result, and 80% of the time - 20% of the result.

At each stage of a career, an employee acquires new knowledge, a new skill, and new powers, which corresponds to the principles of the positive influence of activity on the emotional background of a person, when he seems significant to himself, necessary, when he realizes his needs and desires. Career planning for employees by the company and by the employee himself is an effective way to deal with work stress when the promised increase in performance is being met.

Career planning allows employees to see what kind of position they can get if they gain relevant positive experiences under certain initial conditions.

Career planning periods include:

When planning an employee's career, it is necessary to keep in mind that tasks are being solved that:

If, in the opinion of the department heads, personnel service, the enterprise, the employee deserves career planning, which is in the interests of the enterprise, then it is necessary to determine the attitude of the employee to this. To do this, a conversation is held with the employee, which is structured in such a way that he reveals his attitude to the tasks solved by the enterprise, to its possible expansion and the need in this connection to prepare in the SSS, to move around work (rotation and promotions), etc. ... It is recommended that the interview be conducted by the head of the personnel department or one of its leading specialists as the most prepared for this complex method of psychological diagnostics.

When identifying the employee's motivation for career development (i.e., attitudes towards promotion, success, self-realization, recognition, etc.), it is advisable to determine the conformity of the severity of a number of personal qualities (professionally important) to the requirements professional activities... In other words, it is necessary to assess personal qualities and their compliance with the criteria of professionalism and professional suitability by methods of psychological diagnostics.

Personnel assessment and development is also an important element of stress prevention, since such events pay attention to the employee, and, accordingly, the management and the employee himself can assess their potential, their strengths, sides that can be developed by setting them up for active self-development actions. Evaluation can be done different methods: tests, interviews, Assessment Center, 360 degrees and other assessment methods.

Assessment Center(An assessment center, also commonly known as an assessment center), or a personnel assessment center, is one of the most reliable and accurate methods for assessing the professionally important qualities of employees. During the assessment center, the behavior of employees is assessed in specially simulated situations and exercises, in which the qualities and competencies necessary for successful work in a given organization are clearly manifested.

360 degree evaluation methodis a method of assessing competencies based on the opinions of several respondents. Competencies are the experience, knowledge and skills of an employee that he shows in work behavior. Competencies measure behavior at work.

The development of the potential of employees is ensured through the inclusion of an employee in new projects, involvement in business planning or decision-making, participation in meetings for more high level, engaging in mentoring, coaching, proactive trainings, internships, engaging in brainstorming.

The introduction of the personnel assessment and development system into the corporate space on an ongoing basis gives employees more information about their professional potential, as well as confidence that the management will pay attention to their achievements. This reduces the stressful impact of negative workplace situations.

An important fact is that an excellent prevention of stress is the control of behavior at work and outside work, which is expressed in speech and communication (communication), the nature of interaction with people.

III. Developing stress management programs

An effective workplace stress management program contains a number of interrelated elements that work simultaneously. Some of these are called stress management programs, others are part of the overall management of the organization, but are designed to manage stress. Some of the elements are directed at individuals and groups; others are directed generally against the factors that cause stress in the workplace and make it difficult for the organization to function as a whole. These stressors inevitably affect the performance of individual employees or the entire team. Below I summarize and analyze the elements of a stress management program.

1. Managing stress symptoms.

Cases where people are already suffering from stress are considered. This medical model seeks to identify people with stress-related symptoms and persuade them to volunteer for help from the company or from professionals who can assess their problems, diagnose the causes and offer appropriate treatment. This could be done by an employee health service, an employee assistance program, or an advisory service. The wide range of services includes individual interviews and examinations, hot lines for extreme situations, multidisciplinary centers with a staff of qualified specialists in various fields. The specialists in these centers can work full-time, part-time or contract. To work with individual cases, specialists may be invited to the enterprise. Some units address all issues, while others focus on specific stress-related syndromes such as high blood pressure, back pain, alcoholism, drug addiction or family problems. The inclusion of these elements in stress management programs is based on the following points:

v Awareness that many recurrent or persistent somatic complaints (muscle pain, back pain, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, and others) are caused by stress. Rather than providing sedatives and advice, an attentive professional or counselor will understand the situation and focus on the stressors.

v If it is identified in a specific department of the organization, such functional complaints are present in many employees, you need to start looking for stress factors.

v Working with people who have been involved in or witness to situations such as fatal accidents or violence.

v If possible, it is better to suspend the employee's performance of his duties or influence his behavior in order to further reduce the level of stress and restore normal health and performance of the person.

2. Reducing individual vulnerability.

Most common elements stress management programs are those that help people cope with stress by reducing their vulnerability. These include a series of workshops and workgroups supplemented with audio or video recordings, brochures and other publications that train employees to effectively manage stress. They have the following elements in common:

v Training to recognize the signs of increasing stress and the factors that cause it.

v Confidence training that empowers employees to become more dynamic when dealing with stress.

v Stress reduction techniques.

Some approaches to reducing vulnerability

3. Interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

Organizations are becoming increasingly aware of the stressors of the diverse workforce and interpersonal issues in the workforce. Prejudice and bigotry do not stay out of the gate and are often exacerbated by tactless and discriminatory behavior by managers and supervisors. Religious and racial bias can take the form of harassment or even violence. If such relationships prevail, it is necessary to correct them by developing a detailed plan of action, including disciplinary measures against the perpetrators and measures to protect victims who dare to complain.

4. Managing stressors in the workplace.

The organization is responsible for minimizing stressors that can adversely affect an employee's ability to work effectively. It is essential that supervisors and managers at all levels are trained to recognize and effectively deal with the employee problems that are inevitable in the workplace.

5. Stress management within the organization.

The organization as a whole is exposed to stresses that, if not managed, creep into the environment of employees, interfering with work at all levels. This requires the formulation of promising but achievable goals and objectives for the early identification and assessment of potential stressors that can disrupt plans, as well as coordinating the organization's ability to address these issues and informing staff about the results of these activities. The latter is especially important in times of economic tension, when employee collaboration and optimal productivity are especially important for senior management replacements, threats of mergers and dives, company closings or relocations, and staff layoffs.

6. Help in dealing with personal stressors.

Although coping with stressors in the family and community is largely a personal problem, employers find that these types of stress are inevitably transferred to the workplace, which, together with other stressors, can affect well-being. workers and jeopardize their ability to work. Accordingly, employers find it appropriate (and in some cases necessary) to create programs designed to help workers manage these types of stressors.

Basic principles of the program

Stress management programs should be based on the following basic principles:

First, remember that there are no boundaries separating stress in the workplace, at home, and in society. Each person represents a unique combination of all factors that have no clear boundaries. This means that the program should certainly focus on the problems that arise in the workplace, but at the same time recognize that these problems affect personal life. The work itself and the support of employees and management help in solving personal and family problems. The loss of such support can lead to disability, for example during retirement, even if the refusal to work is voluntary.

Second, stress is passed on to other people. It does not affect not only specific people, but colleagues at work.

Thirdly, only the person himself can cope with stress. Workers with problems can be identified and offered counseling, support and training in stress management, and if necessary referred to qualified doctors for more intensive and prolonged therapy. However, this requires the consent and participation of the person himself, which in turn depends on the structure of the program, its status in the organization, the competence of the personnel, their reputation and the availability of the program. Perhaps the most important factor in the success of the program is strict adherence to privacy policies regarding personal information.

Fourth, managing stress in the workplace is primarily the responsibility of managers. The program should be based on the organization's policies that give great importance the health and well-being of employees. And this policy should be reflected in daily activities through the behavior of managers and their relationships with subordinates at all levels.

Fifth, employee participation in program design, implementation, and especially in identifying stressors is an important part of program success.

Finally, a successful stress management program requires a keen understanding of employees and the environment in which they work. The program is most successful when stress-related problems are identified and resolved before any harm is done to the person.

3.1 Developing stress management programs for students

For the modern student, as for any person in general, stress is not a supernatural phenomenon, but rather a reaction to accumulated problems, to the endless process of dealing with everyday difficulties. Stress can be caused by factors related to the work and activities of the organization or events in a person's personal life.

For example, for a university student, such problems and difficulties may be the following:

lack of sleep;

undelivered and unprotected work;

not completed or performed incorrectly calculation and graphic tasks;

a large number of passes in any subject;

absence at the right time term paper or a discipline project;

insufficient knowledge of the discipline;

poor performance in a particular discipline;

overload or too little student workload, i.e. a task that should be completed in a specific period of time;

conflict of roles. It can result from differences between the norms of the informal group and the requirements of the formal organization (teacher). In this situation, the student may feel tension and anxiety, because he wants to be accepted by the group, on the one hand, and to comply with the teacher's requirements, on the other;

lack of interest in the discipline or the job offered to the student;

poor physical conditions (deviation in room temperature, poor lighting or excessive noise, etc.).

Personality factors should also not be disregarded. This can include the illness of a family member, a change in the number of friends, conflicts with classmates and loved ones, relocation, significant personal achievements, changes in financial situation, and other factors.

According to geneticists, based on their research, even exams can cause serious stress in students. It will be about shaking hands, insomnia, lack of appetite, and so on. But everything is much more serious: the effect of stress, according to American researchers, is also manifested at the genetic level.

What kind of stress management programs should be organized in educational institutions?

In response to this question, I would like to give examples of students from the College of Entrepreneurship # 15 who presented their ideas on this topic.

Most of the students expressed their opinion that the creation of special trainings would help students to reduce the impact of stress, since these anti-stress programs are designed to help get rid of a stressful state, learn to independently control emotional and physical stress and come to harmony with themselves.

Anti-stress programs help:

· get rid of stress, relax;

· become stress-resistant and strong man;

· unleash personal and work potential;

· set life priorities;

· they create a positive atmosphere around.

Anti-stress training can include theoretical information, its practical application, various role-playing games and simulation of situations. In addition, relaxing techniques are used to balance the state of mind.

It is very important that the training program is interesting and relevant for students, and that they are led by competent psychologists.

Also, as it turned out, it is very important for students to be able to plan your time correctly, properly organize your lifestyle.

The ability to plan your time is one of the most important skills. And the sooner we learn to do this, the more successful the learning process will be in the future. It has been observed that the best students are not necessarily the smartest. But, as a rule, they are disciplined and able to organize their time. And often during study, especially at a university, you have to learn a lot, but you don't have much time. So if we can plan our time, then the mood will be better, and the grades are higher.

It is better to break your plans into three types: long-term, short-term and immediate. And the main thing is to buy a large diary where you can write down plans.

Many students find that one of the best ways to relieve stress while studying is physical exercises... I agree with them, as it is an important means of restoring health and increasing productivity. But instead of regular physical education classes, I would advise organizing aerobics and rhythmics during the working day, so that you can do exercises with music, this can help throw out strong destructive emotions, for example, aggression and anger.

Many students also believe that the educational institution is very necessary psychologists, to which you can always turn for help and advice. A good specialist can help to understand the problems. Now there are many people who lack communication, who have complexes, especially for students who have not yet fully formed their internal attitudes. A psychologist is needed in order, firstly, to talk with a person and thereby relieve tension from him, and, secondly, to reveal what torments this person.

After analyzing the work of my classmates, I identified the most interesting ideas that, I think, can be very effective methods for dealing with stress, if they are correctly implemented.

Yudina Ekaterina proposes to organize such work in groups as business games, round-table talks, so that people feel comfortable and calm, and a friendly atmosphere is created.

Also, one should not forget about the benefits of proper nutrition, and, if possible, give herbal tea in the dining room, which has a calming effect on the body, and small portions of chocolate, which are known to improve mood.

Kim Kirill and Gusev Sergey believe that for emotional relief it is necessary to attend cultural events together, as well as to pay great attention to communication in informal settings in order to avoid conflicts in the group. That is, to get to know each other from different sides, then there will be trust and understanding in the team. And this is very important for maintaining a calm, relaxed climate while studying.

Of course you can't ignore creative tasks , in which you can always express yourself in a new way, and this is very important for young people and very often they do not have enough opportunities to do this.

Asya Nesmelova believes that the most colossal stress is experienced by those students who combine study and part-time work. They, as a rule, have debts, and there is only one reason - it is difficult to concentrate on business at work because of the painful thoughts of university "tails", and at the university they are oppressed by work-related problems.

Due to regular absences related to work, relations with teachers and the dean's office can deteriorate. This is especially true for those who have earned an excellent reputation in their first years. After all, they have always relied on when conducting seminars, general university events. And in connection with the work that has appeared, such students with great difficulty are able to break free even to pass the exams.

Therefore, in order to avoid such problems, it is possible to provide jobs at the end of the training. Then a person will know what he is striving for, and it will not seem to him that his actions are useless. Career counseling will be very helpful

To the question "how do you deal with stress during the exam session?" most students responded that they relieve stress by going for walks or hanging out with friends. Others have an increased appetite and start eating sweets. Students with bad habits smoke more often, and also sometimes start drinking alcohol.

Alena Goryacheva recommends arranging small trainings before exams so that students do not worry so much. After all, it has a bad effect on many, when already in front of the door to the auditorium where the exam is taking place, conversations begin about who knows what and what does not know.

To protect yourself from stress, you can use your imagination. It is used for mental relaxation. Laughter is also a good cure for stress. It trains many muscles, relieves headaches, lowers blood pressure, normalizes breathing and sleep. In this case, the so-called anti-stress hormones enter the bloodstream. During stress, the body also produces hormones, only stressful ones: adrenaline and cortisol.

Conclusion

So, in the first chapter, we found out what stress is, defined the basic concepts of stress. We learned that the discovery of this term is associated with the name of the Canadian explorer Hans Selye. He also identified the concept of a general adaptation syndrome - an adaptive response of the body to external influences.

The examples discussed in the first chapter show that stress can not only be dangerous for everyone a specific person but also have a devastating effect on the performance of the organization. Therefore, the study of stress and its causes, as well as its consequences, is an important problem of organizational behavior.

We also looked at the main causes and consequences of stress in a person's life. We found out that with all the variety of factors that can cause stress, it should be remembered that they do not act on their own, but depend on how a person relates to the circumstances in which he finds himself, that is, the presence of factors that cause stress does not mean that it will definitely arise. The job of a human resources inspector involves multiple stressors.

As for the consequences of stress, discussed in the first chapter, we can say that it affects all systems of the body, including the immune. For example, it was found that during the session, students have a significant decrease in the activity of cells - "killers" responsible for fighting viruses. Excitements, active work, disturbed sleep and the usual rhythm lead to changes in the body, including a decrease in immunity. It is characteristic that after the end of the session, the morbidity among students increases briskly.

The very first step in any stress program is to acknowledge that it exists. Any problem-solving program must consider whether stress exists and what causes it.

Stress arises when workers do not know their job roles or are afraid that they will not be able to do the job.

Each of these methods aims to provide a better fit between a specific role and the work or organizational environment. The same logic is used in labor enrichment programs, which involve the refinement and reorganization of work so that the work becomes more meaningful, interesting and includes the possibility of internal encouragement. The assignment of tasks that include this possibility provides a better match between the employee and the work performed by him.

Also important corporate culture educational institution that dictates appropriate behavior and motivation of individuals, even in the presence of uncertainty and conflict. The culture of an enterprise or educational institution is shaped and supported by its employees. If they are exposed to stress, hypersensitivity, depression and hostile moods, then this will be reflected in the culture. If there are discerning leaders, then they will try to create openness, training and consideration of the needs of workers.

The general takeaway is that healthier workers equals more happy people who do not know what stress is. They come to work regularly, perform better, and stay with the company longer.

Caring for the mental and physical health of staff nowadays is caring for the well-being of the company in the future, because the truth of life is such that the sick and the weak drop out of the competitive race. From a management perspective, we are most interested in the organizational factors that cause stress in the workplace. Knowing these factors and giving them special attention will help prevent many stressful situations and increase labor efficiency, as well as achieve the goals of the organization with minimal psychological and physiological losses of personnel.

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We will discuss the nature of stress at work and its causes. You will also find here interesting and useful advice on ways to limit and manage stress in the workplace.
A person in a big city is in a state of constant tension. It is important to have time for everything and everywhere: put yourself in order in the morning, have breakfast, send the children to school. To catch the bus, to work ... The work schedule is scheduled for weeks and months ahead, so the lack of time is especially acute in the workplace. It seems that as soon as a person crosses the threshold of a checkpoint or office, he turns from a sweet respectable citizen into a ferocious Cerberus, ready to tear up everyone he meets. And why? Work stress!
And yet, while stress is a normal part of our lives, keep in mind that constant stress at work significantly reduces productivity, physical and emotional health. This is why it is so important to find ways to keep work stress under control. Fortunately, each of us can independently limit and manage stress at work, for this it is necessary to correctly identify its symptoms.

Signs of stress at work

How do you know when you need to deal with professional stress? Signs of professional stress can help you with this, because the impact of stress can be truly unpredictable:
Physical signs of stress at work: headache, toothache, chest pain, heart pain, shortness of breath. Heart palpitations, high blood pressure, muscle pain, indigestion, constipation, or diarrhea. Increased sweating, fatigue, insomnia, decreased immunity.
Psychosocial Signs of Work Stress: anxiety, irritability, sadness, anger. Frequent mood swings, hypersensitivity, lethargy, depression, delayed reactions, or jumpy thoughts. Feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and hopelessness.
Behavioral signs of stress at work: overeating or loss of appetite, impatience, irritability, anger, increased use of alcohol, nicotine or drugs, social self-isolation (unwillingness to communicate with other people), neglect of responsibility, low labor productivity, failure to follow the rules of basic personal hygiene, changes in family relationships.

How to deal with stress at work?

By following simple guidelines, you can easily keep stress in the workplace under control:
- Be friendly with colleagues and subordinates;
- Improve your communication skills - learn to speak so that you are understood exactly the way you want;
- Observe the principles of time management, learn to manage time;
- Improve your qualifications - be sure to attend the courses and trainings planned at work;
- Regularly do simple exercise before going to work: lying in bed can do 20 repetitions of abdominal exercises. Then get up, stretch up for 10 seconds. Further, slowly do 20-30 squats, and if possible, push-ups. In addition, after work, you need a light aerobic exercise, for example, a 30-minute walk at a brisk pace or an hour walk before bed at a calm and measured pace.

What can you do to avoid stress at work?

When people are under occupational stress, they become angry and irritable. This condition does not in the best way affect the quality of their work and labor productivity. This is why it is better to prevent stress than to deal with the unpredictable effects of stress on work. In addition, occupational stress not only decreases productivity, but also worsens relationships with management, colleagues and subordinates. Stress in the workplace has the most detrimental effect on health. After all, the most dangerous thing about stress at work is the duration and very often the lack of the ability to adequately respond to a stimulus. You must admit that it is unwise to send a boss when he deserves it - and, as a result, stress.

Why are we stressed at work? There are many very good reasons for professional stress:

Fear of being fired. Job loss and stress are definitely related concepts.

The growth of demands from the bosses without an increase in wages.

The need to constantly maintain a certain level of work.

When stress at work diminishes your ability to work or significantly affects your personal life, it's time to take action. It is important to pay attention to physical and emotional health first. It is much easier for a healthy person to resist stress. The better you feel, the easier it will be for you to deal with stress when the work becomes overwhelming.

Taking care of yourself does not require a dramatic lifestyle change. Even small things can lift your mood and boost your energy levels. Take just one step and you will soon see that the amount of stress in your life has been significantly reduced. After that, you may want to take other steps to achieve balance and harmony in your life.

Step 1 - life in motion. Sport is a sweaty but effective way to lift your mood, boost energy, sharpen focus, and relax your mind and body. For maximum relaxation, you will need 30 minutes of daily intense physical activity.

Step 2 - food for joy. It is advisable to eat what you want right now, from which "drooling". If possible, eat in small, fractional portions in a relaxed, supportive environment. Food culture is an important part of a healthy diet. In addition, frequent and small snacks help maintain normal blood sugar levels - after all, low sugar levels make you feel anxious and irritable. We also recall that overeating makes a person lethargic and deprives him of working capacity for a long time.

Step 3 - everything in moderation. It is important to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. Understanding that a simple alcohol overdose reduces the performance of the human body by half for 3-4 days is a good argument in favor of moderate consumption during the working week and not only. Smoking contributes to a decrease in immunity, destroys blood vessels, causes irreparable harm to the pulmonary system and reduces efficiency by 25-30% - draw your own conclusions. Nicotine also increases anxiety levels, which is a direct road to depression.

Step 4 - healthy sleep. Anxiety and stress are the main causes of insomnia. However, lack of sleep reduces performance, reaction and ability to concentrate, which inevitably leads to stress in the workplace. Insomnia compromises your ability to withstand stress. It is much easier to maintain emotional balance when you are well rested.

How to relieve stress at work? When stress in the workplace is haunted, it is impossible to simply ignore it. Fortunately, there is simple ways regaining control over the situation. Your capacity for self-control will be perceived as a strength by others, which will lead to better relationships with colleagues and superiors.

Here are some tips for reducing work stress by improving your organization and the right choice life guidelines and professional priorities:

Create a balanced schedule. Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. Remember, your job doesn't have to be a survival game. Try to find a balance between work and family life, social activities and hobbies, daily responsibilities and leisure.

Don't overload yourself. Avoid constant stress. Try not to put off many important tasks until the last day.
Wake up earlier. A stock of 10-15 minutes will relieve you of the rush and morning stress. Getting up early will make your day a little longer and allow you to be more punctual.

Take regular breaks from work. Make sure you take short breaks for your brain throughout the day. Try to leave your workplace at lunchtime. Taking a short break will help you relax, it will help you be productive.

Tips for Reducing Workplace Stress:

List of priority tasks. List the tasks you need to solve in descending order of importance. Pay attention to the highest priorities first. If you need to do something not particularly pleasant, do it as early as possible. And devote the rest of the day to more enjoyable activities and responsibilities.

Break large projects into pieces. If a large project seems impossible, do not be afraid, just break it down into a large number of small steps-steps and carry them out gradually. Focus on completing each step individually, instead of thinking about everything at once.

Delegate responsibility. You don't have to do everything. If you have people in your company who can handle one of your tasks, why not let them take on that task? Let go of the desire to independently perform and control everything, even the smallest, tasks. And you will lower your stress level.

Reducing Work Stress Through Emotional Self-Control

Emotional self-control in the workplace has four main components:

* Self-awareness - the ability to recognize your emotions and understand their impact on your decisions.

* Self-management - the ability to control your emotions and behavior and adapt to changing circumstances.

* Public awareness - the ability to feel, understand and respond to the feelings and emotions of others. Helps to feel comfortable in the team.

* Relationship management - the ability to inspire, influence and interact with other people, the desire and ability to regulate conflicts.

The higher your capacity for emotional self-control, the easier it will be for you to deal with professional stress. Fortunately, emotional self-control is not innate, it is something that we can learn throughout our lives.

For example, changing jobs is also stressful. How to emotionally prepare yourself for a new team and with the least emotional losses to survive the first time in a new place? You need to gradually develop your emotional and non-verbal communication skills, which include the following techniques:

* Admit to yourself that you may be experiencing stress. Prepare for stress psychologically - remember the state of inner harmony and peace. Try to learn how to enter this state in any situation. Perhaps deep breathing or memories of happy moments in life will help you with this.

* Be aware of your own emotions. Say to yourself: "now I am angry" or "now I am offended", etc. This exercise will help you remember negative emotions, become aware and try to switch to a positive mood. This practice will help you learn to understand not only your emotions, but also the emotions of the people around you. For example, if you recently got a job, it will help you quickly integrate into the team and understand who is who.

* Learn to recognize and effectively use non-verbal cues that make up 95-98% of your communication process. Remember that it is not what you say that matters, but how you say it.

* Laugh. Nothing defuses the atmosphere like a good joke. But know when to stop, because joking with other people can backfire. Don't laugh at your colleagues.

Learn to listen. A person who knows how to listen is very valuable.

Coping with stress after being fired.

None of us are immune to the blows of fate. In our difficult times, job loss is not uncommon, firms close unexpectedly and many employees are not ready for such a turn, and after losing a job they fall into deep depression and not only cannot, but also do not want to look for a new job.

There is no universal remedy for bad mood and depression, but there are a number of elementary solutions that can ultimately bring your condition back to normal. Leaving is always a stressful factor and the main cause of depression, so in order to get through a stressful situation with the least loss, you need to adhere to some rules. Symptoms of stress after losing a job can be different - they are laziness, loss of appetite, irritation, emotional and physical exhaustion, bad mood and well-being.

It is not always worth rushing to look for a new job after being fired; you will experience even more stress if you cannot do it the first time and in a short time. It is sometimes better to give yourself time to rest, especially if Previous work was heavy and tense. However, just lying in bed at home and watching TV all day is not an option. Such rest will hardly help you to get out of prostration. Don't let yourself get stuck in one place. The longer you lie on the bed, the more difficult it will be to get out of it later. Remember, it is much harder to get out of a state of deep stress, it will be impossible to cope and eliminate all the symptoms of depression on your own, and you will have to turn to specialists - psychologists and psychotherapists.

Movement is life, therefore, no matter what, go for a walk, do physical exercises, move, go shopping, cafes, meet friends and devote more time to family and friends. Visit the places where you could not go in the past due to high employment at work. It can be a cinema, various municipal institutions, medical examination in the clinic or a visit to the dentist. Sign up for a pool, fitness or refresher course. Spend no more than 8 hours a day sleeping.

During such a forced rest, there will be time to think about what your wishes for a new job are. Do you want to do what you did before, or would you like to try something new? Or maybe you have long dreamed of finding a new profession, trying yourself in a new "role"?

Try to find inspiration in everything, watch films, read books, imagine yourself working in a new interesting position or dream with pleasure how to return to your old profession, only in a new place. Draw images of your new professional colleagues. All this will help to miss work and to start looking for it with renewed vigor. Good method get rid of emotional stress - pour out your soul, tell a close friend or relative about a painful one, cry, remember everything that worries you, but only once. Tell and forget.

Set yourself up in a positive way. so that it does not happen to you, whether it be the loss of a job or any other stressful situation, nothing can be changed, but you still have to continue living and working. Stop blaming yourself and look inside yourself negative sides, pull yourself together and look for only positive moments in any situation. Remember your merits, write them down on paper, thereby you will raise your self-esteem and easily find a new job. Good specialists are needed always and everywhere, convince yourself that you are a qualified worker, a positive person and an excellent colleague. Even if you fail to find a suitable job the first time, do not despair, continue searching and working on yourself, then such a cause of stress as the loss of a job will seem like a trifle to you.

The material was prepared by the psychological service

Main Directorate of EMERCOM of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region

That is because of the annoying life. Today, according to various sources, from 50 to 70% of girls who work in the office regularly experience stress associated with deadlines, conflicts with bosses and colleagues, overwork and strenuous work. Unfortunately, for many women, the workplace is far from being in the comfort zone, so constant emotional overload is becoming a familiar part of life for them.

Don't skip work breaks

In every modern magazine, you can find tips on how to properly arrange work breaks. It is suggested to do gymnastics for the eyes, moisturize the skin with a thermal spray, or devote a five-minute period. But not every girl is ready to tear herself away from the monitor even for 15 minutes. Make a rule of thumb: let your brain rest for at least 10 minutes every two hours. Breathe fresh air, have a cup of green tea, or read your favorite book to take a break from charts and reports.

Dedicate 2-3 hours a week to sports

Regular. Psychologists usually recommend boxing, rock climbing, dancing, or any other form of adrenaline-pumping physical activity. Sport is needed if not for beautiful figure, then at least for the production of endorphins (hormones of joy). They suppress the growth of stress hormones, preventing you from feeling discouraged.

Find common topics with co-workers

For you personally, the comfort of the climate in the workplace is closely related to how close you are to your colleagues. They do not need to know who you are dating or why you hate your mother-in-law - but periodic communication is still worth maintaining. As we wrote above, this helps to quickly relieve stress. In order not to feel lonely in a huge team, there is no need to openly distance yourself from colleagues. For communication, it is better to choose neutral topics - fresh film premieres, life hacks related to work, the life of stars or. There is no need for political or religious disputes.

Don't try to gain credibility by rushing to the rescue.

In any team, there will always be several who want to get rid of their duties, or at least part of them. No, these people are not going to quit - they just expect that there will be a good fairy who will happily take on their responsibilities. This type of manipulator crushes pity by complaining about poor health, having children, or lack of time. The manipulator is just looking for a victim who is ready to rush to the rescue in order to gain the approval of the collective. And now you are wasting your nights doing overtime for someone who snores peacefully in his bed. When you get tired of this, blackmail will begin: in order not to lose a free assistant, the manipulator will begin to hint at a deterioration in the attitude towards you in the team. Why do you need additional experiences to add to the existing stress?

Learn to deal correctly with criticism that has nothing to do with constructive

Everyone is familiar with the situation where the source of stress is a hot-tempered boss who does not know how to separate emotions from productive remarks. If daily nagging has become the norm for you, the cause of stress can be skipped. There are only two ways out of this situation. You can quit to forget a picky manager like a bad dream. A less radical way: learn to separate the wheat from the chaff, and the boss's bad mood - from the real errors in the performance of their own duties. To begin with, try to avoid talking to your boss if it is out of sorts in every possible way.

Get quality sleep

Insomnia leads to overwork, provoking irritability: the last thing you want to do in the morning after a lack of sleep is to go to work. Sound sleep is an assistant to productive work in the workplace. Sleep at least 8 hours a day, try to fall asleep without the "help" of a smartphone or tablet.

Listen to your favorite music

In the treatment of stress, music therapy is considered one of the most productive ways. It can be active when you play musical instruments or passive when you listen to music or attend concerts. Music lovers more often and more vividly experience such emotions as joy, tenderness, friendliness, peacefulness and dreaminess. Previously, it was believed that only classical music helps to get rid of stress, but recently scientists have come to the conclusion that only the music that you like has such an effect - it does not matter whether it is Justin Bieber or Madonna.

Eat healthy foods

Able to work wonders with you. It helps to reduce blood pressure, lose weight, rejuvenate the skin and reduce irritability. An anti-stress diet should definitely include a maximum of protein foods and a minimum of those that contain simple carbohydrates.

Photo: nicosiamoneynews.com/startworknow.com/pinterest.com

Many of us face stress at work. A lot of things to do, lack of time, and the boss is not a gift. When we are stressed, hormones are released into the bloodstream - adrenaline and norepinephrine, and then cortisol. In small amounts, they activate the functions of the body, which is not so bad. But in excess, they undermine health.

The word "stress" has become very popular now. But many of us have little idea of ​​what stress really is. Let's turn to Eastern wisdom. Translated from Chinese, the word stress means "danger" and "opportunity." That is, it is a constant possibility of danger, a kind of state between illness and well-being. And more often than not, stress occurs precisely at work. Why? Because we spend a third of our lives in the workplace. It is here that various troubles and surprises await us. Naturally, the level of stress resistance is different for everyone. Someone can be put out of action by a trifle, while someone is holding on "to the last." How do you know if you are close to stress? If you are haunted by trouble more often than usual, you forget about important things, you are nervous about the slightest reason, you are lost in a situation where you used to feel confident, it is worth thinking about. And if, moreover, at the service they have ceased to cope with duties, are constantly late and do everything through force, stress really began to attack you.

Dangerous effects of stress at work

The constant tension that we have to deal with will soon make itself felt as a physical ailment. In particular, muscle clamps occur, which can cause osteochondrosis, radiculitis, headaches, stoop, and vascular dystonia. Due to overvoltage in the central nervous system neuroses arise. Subsequently, there is rapid fatigue, irritability, and causeless pain in healthy organs. Stress also causes heart problems. The vessels are narrowed, the main heart muscle, the myocardium, is straining. If a person lives in constant stress, then after 10 years his heart wears out as if he had experienced a severe heart attack. But that's not all. Who would have thought, but because of stress, our bones and skin also suffer. Indeed, to normalize hormonal levels, the body takes calcium, protein and vitamins. Our immunity also falls, we quickly catch viruses, we suffer from various autoimmune diseases.

Ambulance for stress

As much as you love your job, sooner or later you may face chronic fatigue syndrome. If your nerves are at the limit, it is worth adopting several methods of dealing with stress.

1. Drink a soothing tea with mint or lemon balm. Also, tincture of valerian or motherwort will come to the rescue.
2. Drink hot water. Plain, clean hot water will cause increased sweating, and along with sweat, will remove stress hormones.
3. Exercising will help release muscle clamps. Stand up straight, lower your arms and make a fist. Lift your shoulders up, contracting the muscles of your entire body. And then "release" the voltage. Repeat the exercise 4-5 times.
4. Correct breathing. When you feel nervous tension, take a few deep breaths in and out.
5. Recharge with glucose. During stress, blood sugar is used up very quickly, so your brain cells need an energy boost in the form of something sweet. It can be honey, dark chocolate, dried fruits. Try to choose healthy sweets.
6. Eat right. Include in the diet foods that have an anti-stress effect. These are black currants, strawberries, bananas, kiwi. They help in the production of the hormone of happiness - serotonin.
7. Don't forget about aromatherapy. Lavender, lemon balm, bergamot, orange or juniper oils will quickly calm down.

How to avoid stress at work

In order not to face a situation where you need to take emergency measures, try to avoid a stressful situation. In order for your body to be able to withstand negative influences, provide yourself with proper adequate sleep. Only in conditions of complete silence and darkness during rest is melatonin, a hormone that improves mood, is produced.

Organize your work properly. Make a to-do list for the day, do the hardest first. And don't put off "until tomorrow."

Try to eat right, avoid rigid diets. If you limit your diet, your body will panic and release a lot of stress hormone cortisol into your bloodstream. And if you add to this the nervous tension at work, you get an explosive mixture. Therefore, take care of yourself, and the body will resist the stress at work.

Agree that work is generally such a lot of stress. Probably the lion's share of the stress we experience comes from work. How to live with it, or is it not necessary to fight it at all and perceive it as a law of life (stress as an integral part of everyday life)?

What are the main causes of stress at work?

Of course, stress is not a form of existence. We all would like to live without him. Well, or at least minimize it. And the main causes of stress are work and relationships.

Let's analyze stress at work. Here we experience strong stress regarding our own future, when there is some uncertainty, anxiety, incomprehensibility, instability. The second is the inability to do your job. When a person does not cope with his duties, for example, there is a plan, and he cannot fulfill this plan.

Do you think that stress is more likely to occur among representatives of dangerous professions or among those who day after day sit in the office at the computer and do routine work?

As a psychologist, I can say that I have clients from there and from there. I myself even worked in dangerous profession... As a student, I worked as an industrial climber. And there the stress was minimal. Although it was scary at first.
Indeed, a large number of people sitting in offices are under maximum stress pressure. And the reason for this, including physiology. Because physical inactivity contributes greatly to stress levels. Physiology first, then psychology. Often we are inattentive to the fact that we are tired, that we do not care about ourselves, that we recycle. I don't think workaholism is a good quality.

Why am I against workaholism? For many people, this is the normal way of being. In my clear opinion, workaholism is a measure of avoiding those problems that need to be solved in life, other problems outside of work.

What causes stress in men and women?

For women, for example, life without relationships is very stressful. And it is difficult for men to understand this. Because for us, external realization is primary, and what happens at home is, as it were, self-evident and not so important. It is very important for us to understand that if I purposefully invest time, effort, attention, care in the house, then in the end I myself will win, including in funds in my pocket, which will appear in a different amount.

One of the causes of stress at work is also pandering to bosses and colleagues. You can never, in any situation, let go of something that disgusts you.
You should never swear. Because screaming, insulting, raising your voice is a sign of weakness. That is, the way I am, with a simple tone, they don't hear me. Therefore, we feel weak. Try to be strong, express yourself correctly, and state what is not right for you.

It is clear that a person sometimes gets very tired at work, he can have a lot of stress there. But the situation is much worse when a person has no job at all. This is one of the biggest stressors, especially in a man's life, since work for a man is a life-determining category. A man, finding himself in such a situation, and not coping with it, may find himself without life at all. If you find yourself out of work, oddly enough, but you need to work on your condition. Unhappy people are not needed by anyone! When you come for an interview, then you should emanate from you enthusiasm and gratitude to the past employer. In no case should you complain about the previous leader. Get some psychological training. With the help of NLP, you can do absolutely amazing things and achieve a new state in a fairly short time. As a rule, interviewers do not look at the lines, they look at what state the person brings. Either a person comes in a decadent mood, or an optimistic person comes, ready to work, and who wants to learn.

How do you know when it's time to go on vacation?

For everyone who works, sooner or later the moment comes when you need to rest. How to identify this moment and deal with the anticipation?
In fact, it's very bad if you haven't been on vacation for a long time. It's a matter of your efficiency. For example, if you don't sharpen your saw, your results will deteriorate dramatically over time.

Whatever happens at work, there should be a vacation. Clever people have come up with the rationing of labor, that so many hours are supposed to work, so many days a year to rest. All this was thought up to make you effective at work.
If you implement everything we talked about, there will be less stress at work.