Mindtools on Stress

Strategies reviewed:

• Keeping a stress diary
  • include how well you responded to the situation
  • Provides perspective on the sources and frequencies of stresses
  • a few weeks is most helpful, after that the benefits reduce
• Job Analysis
  • decrease job stress by understanding your situation better
  • focus on areas you can improve (prioritization, delegation, communication)
  • make sure your behavior, skills, and your work environment are aligned by understanding each
• Performance Planning
  • Think through your performance in advance
• Imagery
  • Calm yourself by imagining a calm place
  • Focus yourself by imagining excellent performance
• Physical Relaxation techniques
  • Deep Breathing
  • PMR - progressive muscle relaxation. Tense, then relax, then really relax.
  • develop a 'Relaxation Response' -- a series of meditation-like steps to get yourself to a relaxed place
• Thinking on your feet (techniques)
  • Try to relax
  • Listen closely
  • Ask for the question to be repeated
  • Use stall tactics
  • Use silence
  • Stick to one point and one supporting piece of evidence
  • Prepare some 'what ifs'
  • Deliver clearly (not the same as loudly)
  • Summarize and STOP
• Rational Positive Thinking
  • Observe your own thoughts and feelings. Are you feeling inadequate? Judging yourself more harshly than you would judge others? Being perfectionist? Worrying about things outside your control? Worrying about an upcoming performance?
  • Spend time replacing your negative thoughts with positive ones, the kind a friend would give you as reassurance.
• Positive/Negative Thinking

  1 - 3
  2 - 5
  3 - 3
  4 - 2
  5 - 3
  6 - 4 
  7 - 5
  8 - 4
  9 - 5
  10 - 5
  11 - 3
  12 - 3
  13 - 4
  14 - 5
  Total: 54
  Result: Great job! You have a generally positive and optimistic outlook on life. You don’t take things personally and you are able to see that setbacks won’t ruin the rest of your life. Even then, if you are experiencing negative thoughts, do some work to iron them out.
  Permanence: 13/20
  Pervasiveness: 21/25
  Personalization: 20/25
  

• Anger Management
• Burnout
• Self Confidence
• Boosting Your Self Esteem
• Locus of Control
• Wheel of Life