Training%20-%20Time%20and%20Stress%20Management123456.pdf

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Study Unit

Time and Stress

Management



he skills taught in this study unit will benefit everyone. Everyone deals with stress—both nd bad—everyday. This study unit will teach you how to apply stress-reducing techniqueense situations. In this study unit, you’ll learn how to bring your blood pressure, heart ratend breathing patterns back to a natural, balanced state of relaxation during stressful timesou’ll discover there are many productive ways to cope with stress.

Much of the stress in our lives seems to stem from having too much to do in too little time. he second half of this study unit we’ll help you determine ways to better manage that all-mportant treasure, time. You’ll learn how to effectively manage your time by discovering tmportance of planning, goal setting, and analyzing your time usage. You’ll learn how tohange those habits that are preventing you from using your time most effectively.

After completing this study unit, you’ll be able to

· Describe the art of relaxation

· List commonly practiced stress-reduction techniques that should be avoided

· Discuss effective stress management coping strategies

· Identify common stressors and symptoms of stress

· List tips for dealing with emotional and social stress

· Define the basic philosophy of mental health

· Explain the importance of setting lifestyle and lifetime goals

· Determine how you spend your time

· Eliminate time wasters

· Eat, sleep, and exercise to increase your energy

· Set goals and determine priorities

· Establish efficient, effective daily routines

Preview





NTRODUCTION TO STRESS MANAGEMENT

When was the last time you took time out to relax or meditate? Whwas the last time you read a book, listened to soothing music, curleup for a leisurely nap, or wrote a long letter to a distant friend (Figure

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t remember the last tyou participated in any of these relaxing activities. People today agenerally obsessed with the need to be on the move. Although weognize the need for (or even desire for) relaxation, it’s often difficuto stop and take time out to relax. Even when there are a few minuto spare, out of habit we find some activity to fill the void. What fe

realize is that relaxation is an art that requires practice and dedicatto achieve its maximum results. Proper forms of relaxation can revdi i b l i f l d

Time and Stress Management

IGURE 1—Relaxing with a ood book is a great stress

eliever.



RELAXATION AND OTHER COPING STRATEGIES

he Art of RelaxationAlthough a natural part of daily living in the Far East, relaxation teniques and their benefits have only recently been recognized by Werners. This recognition has led to the creation of an entire market oproducts to encourage and enhance relaxation. Relaxation cassettetapes contain guided relaxation techniques and/or soothing, meditive music. Other audiotapes synthesize the sounds of nature-the sshore, bird calls in wooded forests, or the rushing of creeks and

waterfalls (Figure 2). Isolation baths, professional body massages, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, and health retreats are other means we’reencouraged to use to relax and refresh ourselves.

Time and Stress Managem



Relaxation counteracts the effects of stress. Stress can be defined as aphysical and psychological response that’s caused by the presence ounanticipated, disruptive, or stimulating event (a stressor ). What stredepletes, relaxation rebuilds; what stress disturbs, relaxation calm

Relaxation can last for a few minutes or hours at a time. Relaxatioreconditions the mind to become quiet and peaceful.

Relaxation isn’t diversion. Sitting in a chair with a headset on listeninto loud music may divert you from concentrating on your stressors, it’s not relaxation. Relaxation is a state of low arousal. Physiologicallrelaxed person has slow breathing, lowered levels of muscle tensionslow heart rate, and decreased blood pressure. Psychologically, a relaxperson has fewer thoughts, lessened urgency with regard to time, anlowered levels of irritability.

To become relaxed, you need to learn how to control breathing, mustension, and thought processes. You must also set aside time on a regu basis to practice stress management. Try to include daily 10- to 15-min“time-outs” to concentrate on you, and not on what’s going on arouyou in your life. This time shouldn’t be at the very end of the day whyou’re too tired. Early morning or evening hours are generally the btimes. If you’re feeling stressed when you begin, let your mind floatfree of intruding thoughts and concentrate on relaxing. Tell yourself

that you’re going to take a vacation from your worries. If at all possisit in a quiet place so that you can concentrate. Turn off the radio, telvision, and telephone to get some privacy.

The following exercise is one of several techniques developed toreduce anxiety.

1. Sit in a comfortable position. Loosen any restricting clothingsuch as a tight tie or belt.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Beginning with your feet, progress slowly up the body, tellinyourself, “My feet are becoming very relaxed.”

4. Spend a few seconds with each muscle group or body part. Foon your breathing. Breathe through your nose. As you exhale, a single-syllable word such as “one” silently to yourself.

5. Continue this process for up to 10 minutes.

6. Take several more minutes to simply sit quietly and relax.

7. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through yourmouth Repeat this five times

ime and Stress Management



Whenever you feel a little stress coming on, practice this techniqueThe relaxation benefit improves with practice.

In addition to forced and concentrated breathing techniques, light

tivity, such as passive stretching or walking in the park, can be reeergizing. Taking a hot bubble bath or pulling a long-forgotten musinstrument from the closet and playing a well-remembered tune ca be relaxing. At times, all you need is a short nap to help clear yourmind. It won’t take the stress away, but it will help you be better ppared and rested to handle the causes of your stress.

Keep in mind that not all coping strategies are effective ways of deing with stress. You’ll discover what works best for you, but be awof the types of coping strategies you choose. Some strategies, for ex

ample, may only be creating added stress, while others may actual be harmful to your health over a period of time.

Harmful Coping Strategies

In your efforts to manage stress, you might have discovered one omore techniques for coping with stress that seem to work in the shrun, but turn out to be harmful over time. Such techniques fall into

one of two strategies:

· Covering the symptoms

· Distracting yourself from noticing stress symptoms

If you drink a few alcoholic beverages after work, the stress seems be replaced by a false sense of ease. Taking other drugs may help aindividual feel relaxed and forget some of the things causing stressSome people eat to cope with stress. All of these actions, however,

lead to other health problems.High rates of cancers in the digestive system, especially of the esopgus and stomach, are one health problem commonly identified witchemical abuse. Other serious health problems include ulcer diseaand inflammation of the stomach and pancreas. Even in low dosesalcohol affects the liver’s ability to produce sugar and over time cacause alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Chemical abuse can also cahigh blood pressure, heart disease, accidents, and suicide.

Covering the Symptoms

Time and Stress Manage



Using alcoholic beverages. When alcohol is used as a means of coing with stress, it induces a feeling of well-being. Because alcohol depressant, it relaxes muscles and opens blood vessels. The anxieinducing thoughts disappear and the stress flows away. The prob

with this means of coping is it doesn’t reduce stress at all. It simplhides it temporarily. Once the effects of the alcohol leave the bodythe stress returns-along with the problems associated with it.

Using drugs. Drugs also have negative long-term effects. This is truwhether they’re prescription, over-the-counter, or illegal drugs. Mintranquilizers, such as Valium, act on stress by relaxing muscles andducing a temporary state of reduced tension. Still other drugs, suchmorphine and its derivatives and cocaine and its derivatives, produprofound physiological and psychological changes that replace feelof stress with feelings of well-being. Like alcohol, however, drugsdon’t effectively manage stress. They only numb the symptoms stress temporarily.

Compounding the problem. Using alcohol or other drugs to concethe symptoms of stress develops a damaging pattern. When stressreturns, the temptation is to use alcohol or other drugs again to gerid of the symptoms. Repeated substance abuse can have two majnegative effects.

First, it can make problem solving more difficult and thus the stresors grow worse. For example, if alcohol is used to manage work stressors, the root problems in the workplace are ignored. As theproblems worsen, the drinking increases-which makes the probleeven more difficult to solve.

Second, as alcohol or other drugs are used repeatedly, a larger qutity is needed to get the initial effect. The physical and psychologieffects of these increases can be disastrous.

Alcohol and other drugs act like a poison that kills the body’s cellHeavy drinking over a long period of time can eventually destroy

body’s vital organs. Unfortunately, alcoholism usually sneaks up its victims, and before they realize they have a problem, serious dage has already been done. Unless it’s stopped, the destruction wiprogress. The earliest effects of chemical dependency on the bodycur in the brain. There’s a dulling of mental processes, perceptionordination, and motor functioning. Later it increases the risk of heattacks and cancer, and interferes with the immune system. Eventally, the outcome is death from organ failure, accident, or suicide.only prevention is to stop using alcohol or other drugs




dependent thinking is denial-denying that the abuse is a problem orthat any of the problems are caused by alcohol or other drugs.

Distracting Yourself from Noticing the Symptoms

Another harmful strategy for managing stress involves distractingyourself from your problems without solving them.

Using tobacco products. Some individuals light up a cigarette everytime they pick up the telephone to call a client (Figure 3). Being buswith the cigarette is a way of not paying attention to the stresssymptoms. However, the chances are that the more you smoke, themore you’re stressed because nicotine increases heart rate and temprarily raises blood pressure. Nicotine also numbs the taste receptorsthe tongue. Tobacco tar is extremely toxic and is the major contributingingredient in tobacco products that leads to lung cancer andemphysem

Choosing equally stressful alternatives. Some people distract themselves from stress by pushing themselves into other activities that aequally stressful. This is known as the “work hard/play hard” syn-drome. The stressed-out salesperson may take up playing in golf tournaments on the weekends. The demands of the sport might servas a temporary distraction from one area of stress, but the originalstress remains and might even be compounded by the additional rereational stress (Figure 4)


GURE 3—Cigarette smoking oesn’t alleviate stress the long run, it just mporarily distracts you

om a problem.



The next section will introduce you to alternative ways of managistress that have positive health benefits.

Beneficial Coping Strategies

There are two ways to deal productively with stress:

· Alter the sources of stress (stressors) so that stress is reduced

· Reduce your arousal level

It isn’t always easy to alter stressors. For example, if you live nearairport you can’t stop the noise unleashed by the airplanes. This c be quite stressful if the planes keep you from sleeping at night. In

these cases, you’ll need to learn how to reduce your arousal level bpracticing different relaxation and breathing techniques.

Arousal Reduction

The single best stress manager is to use techniques that reduce thearousal level that stressors can create. When you’re stimulated by activity-whether it’s in the environment or only in your mind-youspond to it physiologically. If there’s too much stimulation over to

long a period of time, you risk becoming overaroused, or stressedyou can learn to stay relaxed in these potentially high-stress situa-


GURE 4—A leisurely game golf can be relaxing, but

articipating every weekend a tournament can add ore stress to your life.



Relaxation should be distinguished from distractions or diversionsBoth distractions and diversions can play a legitimate role in a stresmanagement program, but they aren’t replacements for relaxation.Relaxation means the reduction of physiological arousal by actions

such as abdominal breathing or systematic muscular relaxation.

Breathing

Breathing is something that you probably don’t normally think abo because it’s involuntary and a natural part of life. Although it’s autmatic, breathing affects the rate of exchange between oxygen and c bon dioxide. If you breathe irregularly, you disturb this gas exchanrate. This leads to a buildup in the carbon dioxide levels in the body

which triggers a feeling of tightness in your chest and pressure inyour body. This, in turn, makes it difficult to let go of the musclesyou’re trying to relax.

As you breathe, oxygen is distributed in the body and carbon dioxidtransferred out of the lungs. As you inhale, air is drawn in throughyour nose and/or your mouth. The hairs in your nose function to filtout impurities. Your diaphragm, located between your chest and youabdomen, plays a primary role in the act of breathing. It operates autmatically although you can control its movement by expanding and

contracting it. As your diaphragm relaxes, the lungs contract and air pushed out. With each breath you take, your body is working hard tosend oxygen through the lungs and into your veins and arteries (Figure


GURE 5—The Anatomy of reathing



Without a sufficient supply of oxygen to the body, waste productspoison your body because they aren’t properly removed. Your complexion may appear dark or blue because of the lack of oxygen inyour blood. Your digestion is impaired. Your body organs, muscle

and tissues become undernourished and may even deteriorate.With all this activity occurring automatically in the body, it’s easy ttake breathing for granted. Actually, you’re probably too busy to sand think about what your body does with each breath you take. Nmatter how silly it may sound, however, you need to be aware of proper breathing habits and techniques. Breathing exercises can beeffective ways of reducing

· Stress

· Anxiety

· Depression

· Muscle fatigue

· Irritability

· Tension

Abdominal breathing means breathing with the diaphragm. It isn’

difficult to learn because it’s a perfectly natural form of breathing.What you must remember is that in order for it to be beneficial, youshould include a breathing program in your daily routine.

Try holding your breath for a few seconds and see how rapidly thefeelings of tension start to develop in your chest and in the other mcles of your body. An optimal breathing pattern, on the other hand breathing from the diaphragm. This reduces the feelings of tightnein the chest and makes it much easier for the muscles to relax. It alsslows the heart rate and reduces blood pressure.

Try inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouthNotice how only your diaphragm moves; your chest or shouldersshouldn’t move. Have a partner place his or her hands on your shoders to check for any shoulder movement.

Yoga

Yoga, which combines various breathing exercises with certain rela

ing postures, offers some excellent relaxing techniques.The following breathing exercises can be extremely helpful.




Sun breath. Place the thumb and middle finger on opposite sides othe nose. Close off the left nasal passage and inhale through the righnostril. Then press closed the right nostril and exhale out the left. Reverse the order. This exercise is good for clearing the nasal passages

(Figure 6).

The most common posture to use with these breathing exercises issimply lying flat on your back with your arms at your sides andpalms facing up. The Tri-breath, however, may be practiced fromalmost any position.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

To become aware of tension in the major muscle groups, you cansystematically practice contracting and relaxing specific muscles.Your increased sensitivity to changes in muscle tension will helpyou recognize when you’re getting stressed. It will also help you tokeep the muscles in a relaxed state. Progressive muscle relaxation

· Exercises a specific muscle group to encourage relaxation

· Increases your awareness of how the muscles feel whenthey’re relaxed

The combination of these two items both relaxes specific muscled i d t t f li d l ti

0 Time and Stress Managem

GURE 6—The Sun breath is great exercise for relaxing

nd clearing nasal pas-ages.



Begin with one muscle and tighten it until you feel tension in themuscle area. When you’re certain that you feel the tension, slowlyrelax the muscle, paying attention to how the area feels as the tensis reduced. Systematically work your way through all of the musc

groups in the body, contracting and relaxing each one at least twicduring your exercise.

To relax your muscles, lie flat on your back, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Concentrate on the toes and let all the tension go fthem. Then, think about your feet and relax them. Think about yoankles and let go of all the tension there. Work up your body, relaeach progressive part as you come to it. When you reach the headall concerns, thoughts, and pressures fall away and then maintainrelaxed state for 10 minutes.

Autogenic (Self-Generated) Training

You may experience an often-chaotic stream of continuous mentaactivity. Phrases, half-completed sentences, reminders of unfinishtasks, stray words, fleeting images, and even parts of melodies macompete in the background of your thoughts. All of this interfereswith your ability to organize your thoughts coherently and to takeeffective action (Figure 7).


GURE 7—Your ability to ink may be clouded by a haotic stream of continuous oughts such as “I’ve got to o the wash. I’ve got to fix upper. I’ve got to pick-up ommy. I’ve got to get a life!”



One effective strategy for dealing with this psychological aspect ofstress involves disciplining your mind to stay focused on the mentactivities you choose. Mental discipline can be helped by autogenictraining-a technique designed to develop mental concentration in t

face of stressor stimulation. Autogenic training assumes that yourmind forms habits, just as your muscles do. Learning to stay psychlogically focused while enduring stress is an essential component ostress management.

Autogenic training helps control the occurrence of intruding thoug by substituting relaxation-inducing material for stress-inducing mrial. This relaxation method involves the use of repeated phrases toachieve its effects. For example, the phrase “My eyelids are veryheavy” is used to relax the eyelid area. The phrase replaces the

thoughts that usually interfere with relaxation. Make a list of possiphrases to include. Focus on all body parts. Practice using themessuch as heaviness, body temperature, and normalizing activity inaddition to creating your own personal themes. Figure 8 lists somephrases you might consider using.

2 Time and Stress Manage

AUTOGENIC TRAINING PHRASES

Heaviness Theme· My left arm is very heavy.

· My right arm is very heavy.

· My head is very heavy.

Body Temperature Theme

· My arms are getting warm.

· My arms are very warm.

· My legs are getting warm.

· My legs are very warm.

Normalizing Activity Theme

· My heartbeat is calm.

· My breathing is natural, not forced.

Personal Theme

·

I feel at peace.· My mind is at rest.

GURE 8—Autogenic train-g substitutes relaxing hrases for stressful oughts.



Be sure that you say each phrase to yourself slowly. Take yourtime with this technique. The relaxation effect increases with eachrepetition.

Visualization

Your imagination provides a wonderful and powerful techniquefor reducing your stress. You can visualize yourself in a sane andstress-free environment, making your thoughts turn into reality.Essentially, with visualization, you’re daydreaming. You can becowhat you wish to be. For example, if you think unhappy thoughtsyou’ll undoubtedly feel unhappy. In order to overcome your feeliof unhappiness, refocus your mind on happy thoughts and positi

images. Picture in your mind peaceful things and places. Imagineyou’re in the mountains, out at sea, on the beach, in a f ield of flowor any other place that makes you feel good (Figure 9). Picture yoself doing things that you like to do-smelling a flower, hiking in aest, or swimming in the ocean. If possible, try to involve all of yousenses. Picture the scene in your mind and then smell the air, hearsounds, touch the dream, and taste the elements. Create your ownspecial place for escape, rest, and relaxation.

Note: Each of these techniques becomes easier and more valuable

with practice. Try them all to develop your techniques for copingwith stress.


FIGURE 9—Visualizing your-self at the beach can be a great way to reduce stress.



DENTIFYING STRESSORS

Who needs to manage stress? Everyone! Whether you’re falling inlove, buying a new car, applying for a job, preparing for an exam,expecting a promotion, starting a business, getting ready for a trip,or retiring, you’re subject to a bombardment of stress, both goodand bad.

Everyone handles stress differently. Some individuals let stressmount up over time, and wait for a vacation to get away from it all.Others take time each day to relax and unwind.

Before anyone sets out to develop a personal stress management program, he or she should take the following two quizzes. Both quizzetest and identify stressors-the situations and things that create stressfor an individual. The first step is to find out where you stand withrespect to stress and stressors. Complete the “Stress Test” now to determine your stress profile.


Self-Check 1

At the end of each section in Time and Stress Management , you’ll be asked to pause andcheck your understanding of what you’ve just read by completing a “Self-Check.” Writ-ing the answers to these questions will help you review what you’ve studied so far.Please complete Self-Check 1 now.

1. The strategy for managing stress that consists of hiding the symptoms from yourself byreducing your body’s sensitivity to the symptoms is called _______.

2. _______ involves the reduction of physiological arousal by actions, such as abdominal

breathing.3. _______ is a form of daydreaming.

4. Disciplining your mind to remain focused on your mental activities is a form of _______training.

5. Using tobacco products is an example of trying to manage stress by _______.

Check your answers with those on page 59.

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The “Conflict/Stress Questionnaire” focuses on three aspects of stress:

· Stress symptoms

· Stress reduction

· Stressful conditions (stressors)

Take a few moments to complete the “Conflict/Stress Questionnaire”now. Taking this quiz will help you identify the stress symptoms youexperience, the stress reduction methods you’re currently using, andthe everyday conditions that you find stressful. Taking the quiz is the

first step toward designing an effective stress management program.Be honest!

me and Stress Management 15

QUIZ 1: STRESS TEST

Place a check next to those questions that are true for you.

___ 1. Do minor problems and disappointments throw you into adither?

___ 2. Do you find it difficult to get along with people, and arepeople having trouble getting along with you?

___ 3. Do the small pleasures of life fail to satisfy you?

___ 4. Are you unable to stop thinking of your anxieties?

___ 5. Do you fear people or situations that never used to troubleyou?

___ 6. Are you suspicious of people or mistrustful of your friends?

___ 7. Do you feel trapped?

___ 8. Do you feel inadequate and tortured by self-doubt?

The more checks you made, the higher your stress profile. Apply a

stress management technique in those areas you identified.




QUIZ 2: CONFLICT/STRESS QUESTIONNAIRE

STRESS SYMPTOMS

Which of these stress symptoms do you experience?Circle the number that corresponds to the frequency with

which you experience the symptom. The letters P, E, C,

and B in parentheses next to each item indicate whether

the symptom represents physical, emotional, cognitive, or

behavioral stress.

1. Headaches (P) 1 2 3 4 5

2. Stomachaches (P) 1 2 3 4 5

3. Backaches (P) 1 2 3 4 54. Disorientation (C) 1 2 3 4 5

5. Excessive drinking (alcohol) (B) 1 2 3 4 5

6. Crying for no reason (E) 1 2 3 4 5

7. Forgetfulness (C) 1 2 3 4 5

8. Compulsive gum chewing (B) 1 2 3 4 5

9. Compulsive eating (B) 1 2 3 4 5

10. Feeling overwhelmed by tasks (E) 1 2 3 4 5

11. Fatigue (P) 1 2 3 4 5

12. Depression (E) 1 2 3 4 5

13. Loss of creativity (C) 1 2 3 4 5

14. Loss of a sense of humor (C) 1 2 3 4 5

15. Inability to finish started tasks (B) 1 2 3 4 5

16. Constant edginess (E) 1 2 3 4 5

17. Elevated blood pressure (P) 1 2 3 4 5

18. Anger (E) 1 2 3 4 5

19. Difficulty concentrating (C) 1 2 3 4 5

20. Loneliness (E) 1 2 3 4 5

21. Compulsive smoking (B) 1 2 3 4 5

22. Tightness and pain in the neck and shoulders (P) 1 2 3 4 5

23. Inability to learn new material (C) 1 2 3 4 5

24. Teeth grinding (B) 1 2 3 4 5

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Conflict/Stress Questionnaire–Continued

STRESS REDUCTION

How often do you use these measures to relax? Circlethe number that corresponds to the frequency with which

you participate in each activity.

1. Take aspirin 5 4 3 2 1

2. Use tranquilizers or other medication 5 4 3 2 1

3. Drink coffee or soda or eat frequently 5 4 3 2 1

4. Exercise 1 2 3 4 5

5. Talk to someone you know 1 2 3 4 5

6. Leave your work area and go somewhere 1 2 3 4 5

6. (use sick days, lunch away from your organization)

7. Use relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga 1 2 3 4 5

8. Use informal relaxation techniques such as time out for 1 2 3 4 5

6. deep breathing and imagining pleasant scenes

9. Smoke 5 4 3 2 1

10. Use humor 1 2 3 4 5

11. Have an alcoholic drink 5 4 3 2 1Any activity you marked with a 1 or 2 needs to be reevaluated for its effectiveness in reducing stress

STRESSFUL CONDITIONS

The following statements represent day-to-day conditions

that you may find stressful. Read each one and put a

check next to those that apply to you. Then go back over

the checked items and circle the number that corresponds

to the frequency with which you confront the condition. The

letters P, S, O, and ST stand for physical, social, organizational,

and self-taught stressors that are associated with the condition.

___ 1. I am uncomfortable meeting strangers. (S, ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 2. I am uncomfortable speaking in front of a group. (ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 3. I am concerned over my ability to do everything I 1 2 3 4 5

want to do. (ST)

___ 4. Others I work with seem unclear about what my 1 2 3 4 5

job is. (O)

___ 5. I have differences of opinions with my supervisors. 1 2 3 4 5

(O, S)

6 Oth ’ d d f ti t k i fli t 1 2 3 4 5

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___ 8. Management expects me to interrupt my work 1 2 3 4 5

for new priorities. (O)

___ 9. There is conflict between my unit and others I must 1 2 3 4 5

work with. (O)

___ 10. I only get feedback when my performance is 1 2 3 4 5

unsatisfactory. (S)

___ 11. Decisions or changes that affect me are made 1 2 3 4 5“above” without my knowledge or involvement. (O)

___ 12. I have too much to do and too little time to do it. (ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 13. I feel overqualified for the work I actually do. (ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 14. I feel underqualified for the work I actually do. (ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 15. The people I work closely with are trained in a 1 2 3 4 5

different field than mine. (O)

___ 16. I must go to other departments to get my job done. (O) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 17. I have unsettled conflicts with people in my 1 2 3 4 5

department (or family). (S)

___ 18. I have unsettled conflicts with other departments. 1 2 3 4 5

(O, S)

___ 19. I get little personal support from the people I work 1 2 3 4 5

with. (S)

___ 20. I spend my time “fighting fires” rather than working 1 2 3 4 5

toward a plan. (O)

___ 21. I feel family pressure about long hours, weekend work, 1 2 3 4 5

etc. (S)

___ 22. I have self-imposed demands to meet scheduled 1 2 3 4 5

deadlines. (ST)

___ 23. I have difficulty giving negative feedback to peers. 1 2 3 4 5

(S, ST)

___ 24. I have difficulty giving negative feedback to 1 2 3 4 5

subordinates (or children). (S, ST)

(Continue

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In the next section, we’ll give you some stress management tips tokeep in mind. For now, review the material you just studied bycompleting Self-Check 2.



___ 25. I have difficulty dealing with aggressive people. (S, ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 26. I have difficulty dealing with passive people. (S, ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 27. Overlapping responsibilities cause me problems. (O) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 28. I am uncomfortable arbitrating a conflict among

my peers. (S) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 29. I am uncomfortable arbitrating a conflict among 1 2 3 4 5my subordinates (or children). (S)

___ 30. I avoid conflicts with peers. (S) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 31. I avoid conflicts with superiors. (S) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 32. I avoid conflicts with subordinates. (S) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 33. Allocation of resources generates conflict in my 1 2 3 4 5

organization. (O)

___ 34. I experience frustration with conflicting procedures. (O) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 35. My personal needs are in conflict with the 1 2 3 4 5

organization. (O, ST)

___ 36. I am bothered by my noisy environment. (P, ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 37. I have difficulty staying focused on a task. (ST) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 38. My spouse makes too many demands on me. (S) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 39. I have concern over my parents’ health. (S) 1 2 3 4 5

___ 40. I have difficulty communicating with my 1 2 3 4 5

children. (S, ST)

___ 41. I have difficulty saying what I feel. (ST) 1 2 3 4 5

Any condition you marked with a 4 or 5 needs to be addressed in a stress management program.

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DEVELOPING A STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

pecial Tips for Stress Management

Beginning a stress management program is no easy task. Think aball stress management activities as learned responses. You need ptice to get them to work. Be patient. The more you practice, the meffective you’ll be at managing your stress. In the beginning, expeeach change in your behavior to be a little awkward. Take it easy yourself. Begin with small doses of stress management in low-strenvironments. Gradually increase the demands you make on youskills.

Relaxation Training

0 Time and Stress Manag

Self-Check 2

Mark each item with an A for stress symptom, B for stress reduction technique, orC for stressful condition.

_____ 1. Use of tranquilizers

_____ 2. Feeling overqualified for your work

_____ 3. Headache or backache

_____ 4. Conflict with peers_____ 5. Anger or frustration

_____ 6. Exercise

_____ 7. Having too much to do and too little time to do it

_____ 8. Impatience

_____ 9. Drinking or smoking


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· You should be in a semireclined position with your head andneck well supported.

· Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing and shoes when dointhe exercises.

· Practice relaxing in both the seated and standing positions before you implement the techniques in real-world situations.

· After the relaxation exercise, stretch your muscles and riseslowly. This gives your blood pressure the chance to return tnormal.

· Gradually introduce relaxation techniques into your real-woenvironment, starting with easy situations first and then goin

on to more difficult ones.· Persist through your failures until your relaxation training

works for you.

Tips for Managing Emotional Stress

Managing emotional stress will be easier if you keep the followingtips in mind.

· Use kind-hearted humor whenever you can.

· Get a perspective on your problems by talking positively toyourself.

· Recognize that most problems are temporary and manageab

· Remind yourself that you’ve managed problems successfully before.

· Keep a list of your lifetime accomplishments close by. Reminyourself of what you’ve accomplished in the past and what ycan do in the future.

Tips for Managing Social Stress

By practicing the following tips, you can get a handle on managingsocial stress.

· Use low-stress situations (such as talking on the phone with

a demanding person) to practice for more stressful socialsituations.




· Maintain eye contact when you’re being assertive and whenyou’re actively listening. This tells your listener that you haveconfidence in what you’re saying.

· Avoid the appearance of hostility when you’re being assertive.This creates an atmosphere of mutual regard and negotiation.

· Get relaxed and stay relaxed. You’re most effective when you’rcalm and know clearly what you wish to accomplish.

he Four Facets of a Stress Management Program

A good do-it-yourself stress management program focuses on sever

different aspects of healthy living: fitness and exercise, good nutritiorest and relaxation, and high self-esteem.

Fitness and Exercise

Be fit! Exercise rids the body of built-up toxin, depressed feelings, thdesire to overindulge in food or drink, and muscular tension. Stresscauses acid to build up in the body. Exercise activates your endor-phins, which eliminate the acid level. Select a well-rounded, consis-

tent schedule for building cardiovascular endurance, toning andstrengthening muscles, and increasing flexibility. Aerobic workouts,swimming, bicycling, weight training, and jogging are all great waysto approach one or more of these objectives (Figure 10).

2 Time and Stress Manageme

FIGURE 10—Weightlifting is one activity you can use to comply with the fitness and exercise facet of your stress management pro-gram. Pictured to the right

is a weightlifter doing a single arm dumbbell roll.Raising and lowering the dumbbell exercises the muscles in your back.



Good Nutrition

Good nutrition is necessary to fortify the body against stressful timeThere are times-family trauma, job crisis, etc.-when the body must

continue to function without adequate nutrition, rest, and exercise.Therefore it’s imperative that, under normal conditions, you nourishthe body with healthful, natural, and nutritious foods. A sound dietgoes a long way when the going gets temporarily tough (Figure 11)

Rest and RelaxationRest and relaxation teach the body to let go of stress. Probably the


GURE 11—Maintaining sound nutritional habits will help you in times of crisis when you must function without dequate nourishment. Try to follow the guidelines of the Food Guide Pyramid every day.



Long-term relaxation involves planning vacations, spending a fewdays relaxing at home with a book, pursuing a personal hobby, ordoing whatever else is appealing.

Self-esteemSelf-esteem, or confidence and satisfaction with oneself, helps in thmoment-to-moment management of stressful situations. The skillsof active listening, not being so quick to jump to conclusions or takoffense, allow a person to slow down and really look at his or herfeelings. There are many books on the market that give techniquesfor becoming an active listener. Check your library or local bookstfor available books.

Guidelines for Personal Stress Management

Note: The following guidelines for personal stress management areprovided by the National Mental Health Association (NMHA).

These actions are designed to help you manage stress. Rememberthat success won’t come from a halfhearted effort; nor will it comeovernight. Success requires determination, persistence, and time.

The results, however, will certainly be worth your best effort.


GURE 12—Gardening can e a great way to relax at ome after a busy day.



teacher, school counselor, or dean. Talking things out helps to reliyour strain, view your worries in a clearer light, and determine whto do about them.

Escape for a While

Sometimes when things go wrong, it helps to escape from the painproblem for a while. Go to a movie, read a book, play a game, or ta brief trip for a change of scenery. It’s perfectly realistic and healtto escape a painful situation long enough to recover your breath a balance. When you return, you and the involved parties should bea better condition to deal with the situation.

Work Off Your Anger

If you use anger as a general way of behavior, remember that whianger may give you a temporary sense of righteousness or power,will generally leave you feeling foolish and sorry in the end. If youfeel like lashing out at someone who has provoked you, try holdinoff that impulse for a while (Figure 13). Let it wait until tomorrowMeanwhile, do something constructive with the pent-up energy. Dsomething physical like exercising, cleaning out the garage, carpe

or some other positive use of energy. Working the anger out of yosystem and cooling off for a day or two will leave you much betteprepared to handle your problem.


FIGURE 13—Always being angry and lashing out at people isn’t a good way o manage your stress.



Give in Occasionally

If you find yourself getting into frequent quarrels with people, andfeeling obstinate and defiant, remember that that’s the way frustra

children behave. Stand your ground on what you know is right, budo it calmly and make allowance for the fact that you could be wroEven if you strongly believe you’re absolutely right, it’s healthier tgive in once in a while. If you yield, you’ll usually find that otherswill, too. If you can work things out, the benefit will be an immedirelief from tension, the achievement of a practical solution, and agreat feeling of satisfaction and maturity.

Do Something for Others

If you worry about yourself all the time, try doing something forsomebody else. This will minimize your own worries and give youfeeling of satisfaction for having done something nice or kind for aother person.

Take One Thing at a Time

For people under tension, an ordinary workload can sometimes se

unbearable. The load looks so great that it becomes painful to tackany part of it-even the things that need to be done the most. Whenthis happens, remember that it’s a temporary condition and that ycan work your way out of it. The surest way to do this is to take a fof the most urgent tasks and tackle them, one at a time, setting asidall the rest for a later date. Once you dispose of these initial tasks,you’ll see that the remainder isn’t such a horrible mess after all. Yo be in the swing of things, and the rest of the tasks will go much moeasily. If you feel you can’t set any one of these tasks aside, ask you

self if you aren’t overestimating the importance of the things you dMaybe you’re overestimating your own importance.

Try Not to Be a Perfectionist

Some people expect too much from themselves and get into a consstate of worry and anxiety because they think they’re not achieving amuch as they should. They try for perfection in everything they doAdmirable as this idea is, it’s an open invitation to failure. No one

be perfect in everything. Decide which things you do well, and theput your major effort into these. They’re apt to be the things you li




Go Easy with Your Criticism

Some people expect too much of others and then feel frustrated, ledown, disappointed, or even trapped when another person doesn

measure up. The “other person” may be a spouse, child, or closefriend whom you’re trying to make over or fit into a preconceivedpattern. Remember, not everyone has the same value system. Eachus has the right to develop individually. Don’t focus on the real orimagined shortcomings of others. Instead of being critical about thother person’s behavior, search out the good points. This will give both of you satisfaction and help you to gain a better perspective oyourself as well.

Give the Other Person a Break

When people are under emotional tension, they often feel that thehave to “get there first”-to edge out the other person, no matter if goal is as trivial as getting ahead on the highway. Everything thencomes a race in which somebody is bound to get injured-physicallemotionally, and/or mentally. It doesn’t need to be this way. Comtition is contagious, but so is cooperation. When you give someon break, you very often make things easier for yourself.

Make Yourself Available

If you feel that you’re being left out, slighted, neglected, or rejecte just imagine that other people feel this way about you. Instead of shrinking away and withdrawing, it’s much healthier (as well asmore practical) to continue to make yourself available-to make somof the overtures instead of always waiting to be asked. Of course, opposite of withdrawal-pushing yourself forward on every occasi

is equally futile. This is often misinterpreted and may lead to real jection. There’s a middle ground. Try it.

Schedule Your Recreation

Many people drive themselves so hard that they allow themselvtoo little time for recreation-a prerequisite for good physical andmental health. They find it hard to make themselves take time ouFor such individuals, a set routine and schedule will help. The pr

gram should include definite hours when the person will engagesome recreation (Figure 14). In general, it’s desirable for almost ev




he Philosophy of Mental Health

Underlying the guidelines for personal stress management is faith basic philosophy fundamental to good emotional health. You havehave faith in

· Yourself

· Others

· Your ability to improve and grow

· The capacity of human beings to work out their problemscooperatively

· The essential decency of humankind

Emotional difficulties often arise out of problems such as financialdifficulties trouble with work disagreements with a child or pare


SUN. MON. TUES. WED. THURS. FRI. SAT.

7 AM Walk Walk Walk Walk Walk WalkSleep

8 Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast

9 Personal/

Work Work Work Work WorkBreakfas

10 Meditative Exercise

11 Time Class

12 PM Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch

1 Time

Work Work Work Work Work

Chores

2 Spent

3 withRecreatio

4 Family

5 Supper Exercise Supper Exercise Supper Supper Personal/

6 Reading ClassChores

ClassChores

Chores Meditativ

7

TV

Supper Supper Personal/ Time

8 Reading Reading Reading Reading Meditative Visit

9 a Book a Book a Book a Book Time with

10 TV TV TV TV TV Friends

11 Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed

GURE 14—Setting up a schedule is a great way to include relaxation in your life.



helping people work out their everyday problems and emotionalstrains (Figure 15). Such services may be found in

· Family welfare agencies

· Schools

· Churches

· Industrial plants and offices

· Settlement houses

· Public health departments


FIGURE 15—When you have

trouble coping with life’s everyday problems, you should seek help from a counseling or guidance service.



If emotional disturbances go unchecked, they may develop into mentillnesses that require professional treatment. If you’re concernedabout yourself, a member of your family, or a friend who shows sigof severe prolonged emotional disturbance, seek professional help.

Go to a member of the clergy, your family doctor, or your MentalHealth Association. Depending on the nature of your need, they marefer you to a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or other quafied counselor. You may also be referred to a community mentalhealth center where the services of all these professionals may beavailable. If you still can’t locate the proper help, get in touch withyour state health department for information about the mental healtand mental hospital authorities that render assistance and service.

The quest for peace of mind-good mental health-is universal.

Yet, very few are blessed with all the internal qualities and externalcircumstances that automatically assure you peace of mind. You havto work to achieve it. This means striving for a better understandingof yourself and of others, then using this understanding to maintainmore satisfying relationships. It means working out your problems byyourself when you can and seeking the assistance of others when youneed to. It means finding the proper social and health services in youcommunity to help you with the problems you can’t handle alone.

ifestyle Goals

Setting lifestyle goals can be exciting. It’s a chance to set out towardaccomplishing dreams. Whether the dreams actually happen dependupon what sort of plan you have created for yourself. Some peoplemap out very long-term dreams that take years of patient preparationFor example, Mary decided to attend school part-time while raising afamily. By the time her children had grown up, Mary had earned her

master’s degree and was ready to embark on her career.For others, lifestyle goals are made to be adjusted and refined. Forexample, John wanted to become a surgeon but discovered the eduction and training were too overwhelming. Instead, he pursued an alternative medical career that allowed him to still enjoy ski vacationsand an occasional novel on the weekend.

Susan, a successful stockbroker, began to take ballroom dance lessonand discovered a new love for dance. She progressed rapidly, and sand her dance partner began winning many competitions. Susan isstill just as successful as a stockbroker, but she travels frequently tocompete in national competitions and teaches classes twice a week




make new careers happen? How can they create adventures in life?How can they help the person discover who he or she really is? Askithese questions and finding the answers will put you on your way promoting lifestyle change.

Optimizing Stress

By now you should realize that too much stress causes a myriad of problems from insomnia to heart attacks. But do you realize that tolittle stress can be bad for you also? Most people will say they needlot less stress in their lives. But day to day, we need positive stress keep us from being bored and unmotivated. Positive stress can mo

vate you to work harder. To work at your highest levels, at timesyou’ll need to reduce the stressors around you and at times you’llneed to raise your stress levels. You want to strive to be sufficientlyaroused to perform well yet calm enough to produce your best worRemember that everyone is different. What one person needs to bemotivated and energized is enough to make someone else jittery anfrazzled.

When preparing for a key meeting or a sporting event, you want tohave your adrenaline moving and your confidence and morale hig

These are short-term situations, where you want to be at your peakWorking under those conditions long-term, however, can lead to bmental and physical fatigue, decreased efficiency and effectivenessand low morale.

How can you “psyche yourself up” for those confrontations whenyou need to perform at your best? Try some of the following tips.

· Talk to yourself. Use purposeful, positive statements such as, can feel the energy flowing into me,” Or, “I am up for this cha

lenge; I am confident and well-prepared.”

· Focus your concentration on the task at hand. All your energyand resources should be channeled toward this important tas

· Give yourself a challenge. Make a deal with yourself to compthe task in a certain amount of time or up to a certain standar

· Break down a large, complicated task into small, parts and re-ward yourself for being one step closer each time you complea step. This will give you confidence and momentum.

We hear about the negative effects of stress every day. But don’t fort th t d t t t i d d ti t d t f




tress Relief Techniques for the Sedentary Worker

How can you relieve some of everyday workplace stress if you sit adesk most of the day? Here are a few suggestions.

· Make your surroundings as pleasant as possible. Surroundyourself with plants, flowers, or artwork that is uplifting andmakes you feel more at home. If you don’t have your own offior cubicle, you may become irritated and stressed by having nspace to call your own. Perhaps you can arrange furniture orplace screens to create your own personal space. At the least, tto surround yourself with a few plants or photos of your ownthat are comforting.

·

Keep your desk as neat as possible. You might think it doesn’t bother you, but the constant, little hassle of rifling through paperwork is stressing. Also, being able to find your favorite penor supplies such as paper clips, sticky notes, and the like makeyour day flow just a little more smoothly.

· Use the best lighting possible. If you work on paper, use adjustablamps that give you optimum light. If you work at a computer, ulow light that’s about 200-500 lux. Also, try to reduce the glare caonto your monitor from overhead fluorescent lights.

· Avoid sitting directly in drafts. This can cause your muscles totense and your back muscles to contract.

· Make sure that your chair is adjusted to suit you. Your feetshould be able to rest comfortably on the floor or on a footrest

· Place your keyboard directly in front of you and adjust yourmonitor to be at eye level. Your monitor should be about twofeet away from you.

· Don’t always turn to one side to view related materials. Alter-nate placing reference papers on the left and right of your key board.

· If your office air is very dry, make it a point to drink plenty ofnoncaffeinated drinks.

· At your break time, get up, move around, do some deep- breathing-anything that refreshes your body and mind.

Commonly Asked Questions about Stress Management




What if I can’t sleep well at night? You need to prepare to sleep better. Don’t nap too long during the day. A 10- to 15-minute napall most people need to feel refreshed. Engage in a quiet-time activfor an hour before sleep time, such as reading a popular novel, inste

of watching a violent show on television. A warm bath and a cup warm milk are also sometimes helpful. Listen to a relaxation tapewhen you get into bed and use thought-stopping techniques to tuoff intruding thoughts. If you wake up in the middle of the night, out of bed and read until you feel sleepy. Then get back into bed arepeat the sequence of relaxation and thought-stopping.

What if I feel restless most of the time? A combination of relaxatand exercise is a good tool for managing this problem. Whenever

become aware of the restlessness, do 5 minutes of abdominal breathfollowed by a 10- to 15-minute walk whenever possible. Let yoursfeel the relaxation replace the restlessness each time you do it.

What if I feel a loss of interest in my hobbies and sports activitieContinue doing them, but make them more interesting. Vary the ativities a bit. For example, if you usually go fishing alone, try doinwith another person. Set realistic challenges for yourself that you havyet reached. Let other people know what you’re doing, and solicittheir interest and encouragement.

What if I feel tired and lethargic all the time? Activity inducesarousal, which induces more activity. The cure is a sustained, gradexercise program. Begin with 5 to 10 minutes of walking, even if you don’t feel like doing it. Gradually increase this to 30 minutes o

brisk walking every day. At any time, you can shift to any other lamuscle activity, such as bike riding or swimming. The key is to incrthe arousal level in your body on a daily basis so you feel good.

What if I clench and grind my teeth? A muscle-relaxation progra

that’s focused on the muscles of the jaw can be very helpful becauthese muscles control clenching and grinding. Put your fingertipslightly onto the jaw muscles, and gently put your teeth together. Fthe muscles tense. Now relax your lower jaw, and the muscles wilgo. Practice this until you can feel the difference between jaw musthat are relaxed and tensed. Then, each time you become aware oftension, relax it. If you’re having this problem in your sleep, you mneed to see your dentist for a night guard.

What if I’m avoiding my friends? Be sure you’re not making unresonable demands on yourself, such as telling yourself that you mualways be agreeable or funny when you’re with your friends The




What if I tend to withdraw and stay alone at parties? Analyze thdesire to withdraw. Does it feel as if others are making demands oyou or that there’s too much going on? Simplify things for yourselSpend time with someone you know until the atmosphere starts to

feel more comfortable. Then try the same thing with others.

What if I’m having trouble responding to other people’s aggressioYou can often disarm the aggressive person by derailing the angr

behavior. A good question to ask is, “Are you angry with me, or juangry?” Forcing someone to stop and think about the answer to thquestion will often reduce the aggression. You can also assertivelyquest that they address you in a more civil manner and/or withdrfrom the situation.

What if I’m having trouble receiving compliments? Stressed peopare often so full of negative thoughts that they can’t process a posione. Other people may be seeing aspects of your personality andwork to which you’re blind at the moment. Ask yourself whetherwhat they’re telling you is true, accept the compliment, and tell thhow good it makes you feel to hear it. This will encourage them toit again.

What if I’m having trouble enjoying things that normally give me pleasure? Think small. Start with little things, like how your bodyfeels when you’re in a tub of warm water or what the shape of atree looks like in the distance. Let your mind be filled with thatexperience, rejecting thoughts that get in the way of the immediateexperience. Practice doing this until you can easily fill your mindwith immediate experiences and maintain those experiences. Thentry focusing on more complicated things like a favorite piece of muDon’t let any interfering thoughts get in the way of the enjoyment

What if I’m feeling overwhelmed by the demands made on me? Br

things up into smaller, more manageable pieces. Use “to do” lists tseparate your problems and prioritize them. Then break each of thproblems into discrete tasks that can be done in short periods of timputting these down in lists also. Check off each task as you do it. Gyourself lots of positive feedback for what you’ve accomplished anget others to do the same where it’s appropriate.

What if I always have negative thoughts about my life? Everyonelife has positive and negative sides to it. You may be ignoring thegood things in your life. Start searching out the positive instances

in your past, when you overcame obstacles and did good things foyourself and others. Make a list of things to be grateful for. Then




What if I’m always irritable? Irritability often hides unexpresseanger. Ask yourself if there’s someone or something you’re angryabout. If there is, get it clear in your own mind. Write it down if twill help. If the anger is directed against a person who’s available

you, discuss the source of your anger with him or her in an assermanner. Sometimes it helps to write it all out in a letter, even if itnever gets mailed. What’s most important is that you know what

bothering you, so you can take the necessary steps to deal with it

Take a few minutes now to complete Self-Check 3.

HE IMPORTANCE OF TIME MANAGEMENT

How often do you find yourself complaining that you have too mto do and not enough time to do it in? That too many things-yourstudies, family, or leisure-time activities-are competing for your ation?

You’re in good company-most of us would cite “lack of time” as

single biggest complaint in today’s society. There just never seem be enough time in a day to do all of the things we need to do.


Self-Check 3Indicate whether each of the following statements is True or False.

_____ 1. Recreation is essential for good physical health and mental health.

_____ 2. The philosophy of mental health or good emotional health suggests that youshould worry only about yourself and not be concerned about others.

_____ 3. In dealing with your personal stress management, it’s important to strive forperfection in everything you do.

_____ 4. There are four facets of a successful stress management program: fitness andexercise, good nutrition, rest and relaxation, and self-esteem.

_____ 5. A sustained, gradual exercise program will probably cause you to feel tired andlethargic.


4



It’s actually no secret at all: it’s time management. The most successfupeople you meet are generally those that have learned and applietried-and-true time-management principles to their professional apersonal lives.

What are the benefits of time management?

Time management can help you to

· Determine how you’re using your time

· Discover and minimize ways in which you waste time

· Prioritize your tasks and goals

· Reduce your stress level by putting you back in the driver’s you’ll control time, time won’t control you

While learning the principles of time management isn’t difficult-actually, you’ll be amazed at how easy time management really istough part will be applying this knowledge to your life. It will takdiscipline and persistence to break bad habits and self-defeating bhaviors that may be blocking your path to fulfillment and success

Effective time management involves

·

Recording how you’re currently using your time· Analyzing this information to identify where you’re wasting

time

· Eliminating time wasters and learning how to handle “over-load”

· Setting long-term goals for yourself

· Breaking long-term goals down into manageable short-term

goals/tasks

· Prioritizing your goals and tasks

· Concentrating on results

· Doing only one thing at a time

Analyze and Record Your Current Activities

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First things first. How are yocurrently spending your time?





Time Inventory

Date:

Time Activity Comments How do you feel?

7:00

7:30

8:00

8:30

9:00

9:30

10:00

10:30

11:00

11:30

12:00

12:30

1:00

1:30

2:00

2:30

3:00

3:30

4:00

4:30

5:00

5:30

Notes: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________



As part of your course work, you’ll keep a time log for one or twoconsecutive weeks. Select a week or two that are typical of your uschedule. Avoid those that include holidays, sick or personal leavvacation, and so on, as these won’t produce an accurate record of

your regular activities.

Filling in the time log each day is easy. Refer to the sample time loprovided in Figure 16 as you read the following steps.

In the heading area, you’ll indicate the day of the week beingrecorded, along with the month and the year.

The first column in the chart breaks out time in half-hour increme

The second column provides space for you to record the activity otask you perform in that half-hour period.

The third column provides an area for you to include commentsabout the activity. You should include specific details here. For exple, if you had visitors, you might indicate who they were, how lothey stayed, and what you talked about.

The fourth column asks, “How do you feel?” Here you should indicyour energy level during the time period, for example, “energetic,”“tired,” or “neutral.” (We’ll discuss why you’re recording your enelevel a little later in the text.)

In the bottom portion of the chart you’ll indicate how typical this has been for you. You should also include comments about the da

The most important part of the time log is to be honest. This recorfor your eyes only; you need never show it to another human beinHonesty is necessary to produce a realistic picture of how you typicspend your time each day.

of the book and use them to record your activities for the next weeor two. You might want to make several photocopies of the origin before you write on them, in case you want to repeat the exercise the future.

Note: Don’t halt your studies in order to complete the time log.Continue on in this study unit as normal. Then, when you’ve finisrecording one or two weeks worth of activities, refer back to thisstudy unit to analyze your results.


You’ll find a series of time log charts in the Appendix. Tear these o



Analyze Your Time Usage

Once you’ve completed one or two weeks worth of time logs, you cexamine how you spend your time.

Using your completed time logs, answer the following questions.

· Which part of your day seems to be your most productive?Early morning? Late afternoon? Early evening?

· Which part of your day seems to be least productive? Why? Isthis due to environmental distractions? (For example, are youconsistently distracted at this time by a radio or TV show, or binterruptions from others in the workplace?) Or do you seem feel consistently drained of energy at this particular time of da

· Do you see any patterns of behavior that lead to a loss of timeand efficiency? For example, do you spend a lot of time han-dling work interruptions? Waiting for people? Searching for information? Dealing with equipment problems (and so on)?

· What activities are you performing that you think might not bnecessary?

· What activities are you performing that you think might not b

appropriate?· Do you see opportunities for increasing your efficiency?

· Did your sum total of activities for the week result in theachievement or partial achievement of some goal or objectiveyou’ve set for yourself (or which your supervisor has set foryou)?

The answers you give to these questions will help you narrow dowyour time usage. At the very least, you should begin seeing some p

terns of behavior that may be making it difficult or impossible to coplete tasks efficiently or effectively.

liminate Wasted Time

Exactly what constitutes wasted time? The obvious first answer mig be “anything that distracts meand makes meless productive or efficientBe careful though-some activities that at first appear to be time was

ers really aren’t. For example, breaking from work tasks to take a 15minute walk or watching your favorite television program at home




Most time wasters fall into two categories: external , or environmentadistractions, and internal , or self-directed distractions.

External Distractions

External, or environmental, distractions are those present in theenvironment, over which you have little or no control. They includedistracters such as visitors, telephone calls-even those that are work-related-mail, meetings, and time spent waiting for someoneor something. Let’s take a look at each of these.

Visitors. Too many visitors, or visitors who spend too much time inyour work area, can be a big distracter at work or at home. This is often a difficult distracter to deal with, because we want to be liked, anwe certainly don’t want to offend our coworkers, friends, and familymembers by telling them they’re wasting our time. If excessive visitation is a problem for you, it’s important for you to be polite, and usetact and judgment. At work, you can limit visitors by making a poinof going to the other person’s work area when you have a question oneed information. Then you will be free to leave that person’s areawhen you get the information you need. This tactic also works in ahome situation. If possible, turn your friend’s invitation around sothat you do the visiting at a time that’s convenient for you. This al-

lows you to enjoy a short visit and end it when you’re ready.Telephone calls. The telephone can be a source of constant interrup-tion in the home or in the workplace (Figure 17). If you have voicemail at work and it’s allowed, you might try letting your voice mailpick up your calls, and then returning all calls during a designated“telephone time.” If not, you’ll just have to keep your phone callsshort and businesslike. Be careful not to start a social conversationwith the person on the line.

At home, you might consider investing in an inexpensive answeringmachine, and letting it pick up your calls while you’re studying orotherwise involved in a task. If not, you’ll need to find a polite butfirm way to let callers know you’re busy and are unavailable to chatat that time. A simple, “I’m busy studying, but I’ll be happy to callyou back later or tomorrow” should do.

Mail. In the home, the arrival of mail is generally a once-a-day occurence, so you probably won’t find it too distracting. However, in theoffice, mail may be delivered on a continual basis (especially if you

work in a large company with a separate postal area). This can bequite distracting, as it’s tempting to stop whatever you’re doing and

0 Time and Stress Manageme



In addition, you must learn the proper way to handle mail-once.When you open mail, determine what you must do about that piecof mail, and do it. For example, if it’s an informational or news itemyou might place it in a folder you’ve designated for this purpose; ifshould be filed, file it immediately. Don’t leave piles of mail in youwork area, because you’ll only waste time later digging through thor trying to remember what you kept the mail for in the first place.

Meetings. Workplace meetings are one area over which you probabhave relatively little or no control. The most you can do is

· Prepare beforehand for the discussion so that you have theinformation you need to participate

·

Avoid the temptation to take the conversation off-topic· Try not to excessively prolong the meeting’s life span


IGURE 17—A large portion f your day may unneces-arily consist of handling elephone calls.



you have a long commute, you might spend that time listening to“books on tapes” as a means of catching up with your reading. Oryou might dictate your study notes into an audiocassette and listenthe tape during your commute. You can carry your study notes or

work with you so you have something to do while waiting for meings and appointments to begin.

Internal Distracters

Internal, or self-induced, distracters are those which we throw in oown path; these are the distracters over which we have, or shouldhave, complete control. Some common internal distracters includeprocrastination, disorganization, saying “yes” when we reallyshould say “no,” and allowing high personal needs to interfere wiproductivity.

Procrastination. Procrastination is the intentional and habitual deof tasks or activities that we must complete. We usually procrastin because a task or activity strikes us as dull, unpleasant, or overly c

plicated (Figure 19). We continue putting off the task until it becomunavoidable and practically impossible to complete in the manner


GURE 18— Whether waiting r a meeting to begin or aiting for a dentist appoint -ent, it’s helpful to have

hort tasks or reading to do.sing your waiting time isely will not only be pro-uctive, it will reduce the nger and frustration of be-

g kept waiting.



People procrastinate in many ways and for many reasons. A few othe most common:

· Excessive planning-Perfecting plans until it’s too late to implment them.

· Extreme perfectionism-Continually improving on a task or pect although the task or project has reached an acceptable levof completion.

· Crisis management-Being addicted to the physiological rush

of adrenaline produced by making tight deadlines. This typemanagement may work in the short term, but in the long termconstant crises can wreak havoc on your physical health, notmention your personal and professional life.

· Boredom-If a task or activity seems particularly onerous or retitious, it’s easy to keep putting that task off.

· Hostility-If you don’t want to complete a task or activity becayou feel negatively toward the task or the person whoassigned the task to you, you may be strongly tempted to pu

off indefinitely.

A id ti ti b tti d dli f l ( t


GURE 19—When a task rikes us as difficult or over-helming, we’ll often pro-rastinate, which inevitably akes things worse.



Disorganization. Disorganization can take many forms. Our worarea can be so messy that we waste hours each week digging thropiles of papers and other items. Our approach to work might be shaphazard that we start and stop tasks multiple times. This result

wasted time as we reorient ourselves to a project over and over aOur minds might be so overwhelmed that we can’t remember whwe’re supposed to do, or when we’re supposed to finish a particutask or activity. Obviously all of these are problems that result inwasted time and effort.

You may find that you need to take a more organized approach tyour life and work. The obvious first start is the cluttered work arTake the time to carefully organize this area. Take a logical appro

by doing the following.

· Place necessary tools and other items within easy reach, to mmize the amount of effort you’ll have to expend to reach or them.

· Invest in a bookshelf or other organizer, and use this to storeerence works like books, folders, and notebooks.

· Set up separate files for work in progress and completed woand file these in logical places.

· When handling mail or other documents, follow the “handlonce” maxim. Handle each piece only one time-file it or trasDon’t put it down to take care of at a later date, as this invar

bly leads to clutter. (Besides, you probably won’t be able to it again when you need it.)

Secondly, take a more organized approach to your work.

· Set goals and priorities so you always know what’s most imtant to work on.

· Use to-do lists or a notebook to keep track of your projects inprogress.

· Create a to-do list on a daily and weekly basis. Your weeklydo list should indicate what you need to achieve in a particuweek; your daily to-do list will break this large task down inmanageable chunks to be completed on designated days.

· Use a separate notebook as your “phone log”; record the imtant information from all of your work-related telephone co

versations here.“Can’t say no ” Many people have the tendency to take on more




If the person giving you additional work is your work supervisor,politely tell this person that in order to complete the new task, yourcurrent task will be delayed. Ask him or her where the new task falon your priority list-should you complete it before or after your

current project?

If the request is a personal favor, find a friendly but polite way to lethe person know that you don’t have time right now, but you’ll bemore than happy to help the person out in the future. You could alsuggest another person you think may be interested in the task oractivity.

High personal needs. Occasionally our personal needs interferewith our ability to complete tasks in an efficient and timely manner

People with high personal needs tend to fall into one of the followincategories.

Socializers like to spend a lot of time with other people. Socializersgenerally have a high need for human interaction. This results in loproductivity due to too much time spent chatting with others, makplans for after work, and so on. Take a few minutes to honestly analyze your social behavior at work. How much time do you spend inother offices or work areas? Is this amount excessive? If so, you maneed to learn how to discipline yourself to socialize with your col-

leagues only at certain times, say during breaks, lunches, or afterworking hours. It’s okay to have friendships at work, as long as thearen’t interfering with the job you’ve been hired to do.

Approval seekers tend to take on additional work when it results inpats on the back by coworkers, and often complete this work to thedetriment of other, higher priority tasks. Approval seekers often halow self-esteem; they feel the need to seek constant approval and cofirmation of their self worth from others. If this sounds like you, taksome time to reflect on the things that you know you do well, as was past accomplishments. Take pride in yourself and in your work,and feelings of worthiness will soon follow.

Perfectionists have such high standards for work that these standardare rarely, if ever, met. Overly high standards often result in delaystask completion (see Procrastination) as well as continual disappointmefor the person. Continued disappointment can severely impact a perso job morale and overall attitude. Measure your standards against thosegenerally followed in your workplace. Do they seem unnecessarily hig

If so, do you need to rethink them?Risk dodgers avoid innovations and change; they’re afraid to take an




Handle Work Overload

Now that you’ve identified and eliminated the time wasters in youlife, you may still find yourself overwhelmed with all that you nee

to do. Your workload may still be so great that you don’t know howto handle it all (Figure 20). If you have so many tasks or projects thyou’re having difficulty keeping up with them, or if you’re feelingoverwhelmed with any work you’re doing, keep the following tworules in mind:

· Concentrate on results

· Do only one thing at a time

If you’re overwhelmed by your workload at work, ask your boss toprioritize your assignments.

Concentrate on results. Concentrating on results means you aren’t just caught up in a whirlwind of meaningless activity. It means evething you do is involved in a goal; all activity is related to a goal, an

engaging in that activity brings the goal closer to completion. You’learn much more about how to set your goals and carry them throuto completion in the next section of this study unit Many people


FIGURE 20—Whether at work or at home, you must concentrate on what you want to accomplish, why you want to accomplish it,when you want to accom-plish it, and how best to get it done.



Do only one thing at a time. Doing one thing, and only one thing,any given time is a surefire way to complete your tasks successfulland on time. Concentrating on a single task at any given time has tfollowing benefits:

· It builds concentration. Uninterrupted time spent on a task allows you to fully focus on the problem at hand. You’ll be betable to understand its complexity.

· It creates momentum. When you’re working on any project,spending uninterrupted time on that project generates internand external strength or force that allows you to complete theproject.

· It provides insight. Concentrating on the project and creating

momentum gives you great insight into all of the tasks involvin the project. It helps you to intuitively understand all aspecof the project as well as discover new ways to solve any problems in that project.

· It makes you efficient and effective. Concentrated periods of time on a single task allow you to complete the task in an efficient, effective manner. You’ll finish the task in less time thanyou could have thought possible.

Simplify Repetitive Tasks

If you can, use technology to simplify repetitive tasks. Pay attentioto what you do over and over in a workday. Sometimes you can saa substantial amount of time by using available equipment and prgrams. If you’re unfamiliar with the technology available, look formanuals or get help from someone in your office who is proficientusing the equipment available. The shortcuts are amazing and gretime-savers, but we usually don’t take the time to learn them.

If you’re using a computer to input routine information, learn to umacros that will insert blocks of text with a combination of just twthree keystrokes. Also, create templates of commonly written letteso that you don’t have to keep retyping information like your company name and address and your closing signature block.

Sometimes we don’t realize we could do jobs more easily andefficiently-we just do them out of habit. Take a good look at what ydo and how you do it during your workday. How can you stream

the process? How do people around you who do a similar job savetime and effort? The time you spend learning these shortcuts will b




Understand Your Body’s Cues

While doing all that scheduling, planning, delegating, and prioriting, we often forget to eat well. We grab a doughnut here and ham

burger there. But, when you start paying attention, you’ll see thatyour energy levels during the day are very often the results of whand when you ate.

There are many theories about what’s the best breakfast. Some feethat a breakfast made up of complex carbohydrates gives you asteady supply of sugar throughout the morning. Others feel that ahigh-protein breakfast will give up plenty of energy and keep youmore alert. One thing that all nutrition experts agree on is that do

nuts, pastries, and lots of coffee or tea will surely raise your bloodsugar excessively and then lower it dramatically, leaving you feellethargic and unenergetic (Figure 21).

When you eat a large lunch, especially combining protein and carhydrates, you’ll feel sleepy as your body uses energy for digestion

You’ll feel even more lethargic and sleepy when you combine alcowith your midday meal.


GURE 21—Try switching adually from coffee and a to water or healthy,

ecaffeinated drinks.



or take a walk to restore your mind. By taking care of your body,you’ll be better able to manage your time as effectively as possible

When you review your time logs, note your energy patterns. Do y

experience low energy at consistent times of the day? Is this a resuyour eating or rest habits?

Whatever the reason, you should try to perform lower-priority, mnotonous tasks during low-energy periods. Save high-energy perifor difficult or complex tasks.

SETTING GOALS

Now that you’ve spent some time studying the keys to time managem

you’ve probably realized that one of the most important concepts in timmanagement is spending your time on the right activities-those that bryou closer to the fulfillment ofyour goals.But how doyou determine wyourgoals are? If you have many tasks competing for yourattention, hdo you decidewhat shouldyouworkonfirst?This iswhere goalsettincomes in.

Why Are Goals Important?

Determining your goals keeps you on course. Whether looking atgrand purpose of your life or redecorating your bedroom you nee


Self-Check 4Indicate whether the following statements are True or False.

_____ 1. Eating a breakfast high in simple sugars such as a breakfast pastry will give you thneeded energy to last through the morning.

_____ 2. The time spent learning macros and templates is usually not worth the effort.

_____ 3. Learning to say no both in your professional and personal lives is a must.

_____ 4. If you’re putting off a large task, it might be advantageous to break it down intomore manageable parts.


4



Setting goals gives you several important advantages: it keeps youcused on the end result, avoids confusion, and ensures that your tiis productive. Specific goals give you a path to follow and help yousee the progress you make along the way.

How Do You Choose Long-term Goals?

Take time to determine what you want in life. Take inventory of yoneeds, wants, interests, and abilities. Set goals to further your life ppose, needs, and desires. When you choose your goals, it’s importato keep in mind the following criteria. Goals must be

· Specific. Make your goal as specific and positive as you can. Wri

it down! Studies have proven that written goals are obtainedmuch more often than those we just think about (Figure 22).

· Measurable. What results do you want to achieve? We work bter toward measurable goals. For instance, rather than tellingyourself that you’ll read for one-half hour, set a goal of readin20 pages.

· Achievable. Set challenging, but believable goals. If you trulyhave no “ear” for the subtleties of language, it might not be wto set a goal of speaking fluent French in six months.

· Realistic. Choose your goals carefully. Keep in mind other commitments. For example, if you set a goal to start a business, yo

probably shouldn’t commit to heading a two-week, group-travexcursion.


FIGURE 22—As you determine your goals,write them down.



What Are Your Goals?

which you might set goals. This is an exciting process! Avenues to

consider could be

· Physical

· Mental

· Vocational

· Financial

There are many other goal options to consider. Creating a comfort-

able, inviting, secure home environment could be one of your goalA personal goal might be to become more familiar with currentevents or an area such as philosophy or gardening. In Figure 23 , yocan list your goals in these and other areas. It’s exciting to see all thpossibilities and you might be tempted to take them all on at once.However, you must realize that you can’t concentrate on all of themat the same time. Choose three, perhaps four, goals to develop andwork toward now. Each goal deserves your best effort, so choosinggoals that will be compatible is essential. All your goals are impor-

tant, but it might be more advantageous to postpone one goal in orto reach another as efficiently as possible. As you reach a goal, youcan reevaluate your desires and needs, alter your goals, and start oanother one. The sky’s the limit!

How Do You Reach Your Goals?

Short-term Goals

Take a look at the goals you’ve chosen to work on. Each long-termgoal will probably need several short-term goals to break it into maageable projects. Short-term goals are the steps of the ladder thatwork toward achieving your long-range goals. These might includtaking a class, running a marathon, or learning to cook. You mightneed to adjust your short-range goals periodically, but don’t alteryour commitment to your long-range goals. Take time now to breadown your goals listed in Figure 23 into short-term goals, listing adeadline for each one.

Action Steps


Keeping your overall purpose in mind, you can explore areas in



52 Time and Stress Mana

GOAL DEVELOPMENT CHART

GOAL AREA LONG-TERM GOALS SHORT-TERM GOALS

PersonalDevelopment

Exercise

Nutrition

Career

Financial

Community

Service

FIGURE 23—Use this Goal Development Chart to determine your goals.



Self-Check 5

Indicate whether the following statements are True or False.

_____ 1. Short-term goals are like the rungs of a ladder reaching toward your long-termgoals.

_____ 2. Your goals don’t have to be realistic—you can do it all.

_____ 3. It’s important to include deadlines with each goal you develop.

_____ 4. Choosing what not to do is as important as choosing what to do.


4



PLANNING YOUR TIME

So, you have goals to reach. You have action lists and individual tasthat need to be done. You have deadlines to meet. Action steps mus

be integrated and prioritized with other demands. How do you keetrack of what needs to be done, and when?

You’ll find planning aides are a great help in managing your time efectively (Figure 24). You can’t remember everything that needs to bdone on a given project, particularly when you might be working oseveral projects at one time.

Various printed planners are sold in stores. The planner combines both long- and short-range planning. For long-range planning, youwill be able to see major events of the year and/or each month of th

year. For short-range planning, you should have planning pages thpresent either the entire week or separate pages for each day.

A good planner should have enough writing space. Some plannershave dates printed; for others you will have to write in the dates. Yowill have to decide based on your preference. Consider the size of your planner when you purchase one. You want it small enough toeasily carry but not so large that you have difficulty carrying it withother standard-size papers.

If you have access to a computer at work or at home, you might wato consider a computer planning program. There are several availab


GURE 24—Planners range om leather-bound, pre-ated executive planners to expensive daily planners at can be started at any

me because you date the ages yourself.



Regardless of which method you might use, don’t defeat the purpof using these time-saving tools by spending a great deal of time tring to use them.

Weekly and Daily Planners

A weekly plan shows you what you want to get done by the end othe week and the activities required to successfully complete thosetasks. Weekly plans can be made over the weekend or early Mondmorning. If you have family members’ schedules to consider, Sundevening might be a good time to take a look at the week ahead andcoordinate schedules.

Planners usually have spaces for a monthly overview, a weekly paand then a day planner that’s broken down into one-half hour timeslots. Business meetings, classes, and other specific appointmentsshould be recorded as soon as they’re designated. Most daily plannewhether on paper or computerized, have a to-do list on the facingpage.

To-Do Lists

A daily prioritized list is the best way to focus your attention on yomost important goals. Work from the top of your list. If unexpectedemands come up, assess their priority and handle them accordinDon’t use something unexpected as an excuse to distract you. At thend of each day, review what was accomplished and carry forwardany items on your list that need completion. Reprioritize these wittomorrow’s new items.

Unscheduled activities, which include time set aside for studying,paperwork, and planning time, need to be completed during the d

but don’t have a specific time when they must occur. If you have blocks of free time in your daily planner, schedule these tasks in al

Prioritizing Your To-Do List

Much of our day is spent on our regular duties at work and the enless chores necessary to exist. In an earlier section of this study uniyou looked at how you use your time now. You’ll determine when ydo your best work and how much time you spend on the everyday

maintenance chores (Figure 25). Now you’ll see that what’s critical tachieving your goals is to use your time as effectively as possible.




A Priorities. A priorities should further your long-term goals. A porities are such tasks as reading three chapters of your textbook fothe class you’re taking. Or, if one of your goals is to purchase a newhome, an A priority could be picking up a home buyer’s guide at treal estate office. List your priorities is order of their importance. D

the first one and don’t stop or move on until it’s accomplished. Schule your A activities during your peak performance times.

If your job responsibilities are left up to your discretion, use this proritizing system to decide what to do when. You’ll feel a great weioff your shoulders if you can break down the most difficult projectinto doable portions; then get them done first. If possible, work onmost important projects during your high-energy periods, and leathe more routine work for other times of the day.

B Priorities. B priorities are the day-to-day, daily maintenance taskthat none of us can live without. Grocery shopping, bill-paying, laud d h i t ll B i iti A ith A i iti li t


GURE 25—Balancing your veryday duties with tasks at further your goals takes rganization.



benefit. You can also decide by determining what will result in theworst consequence if not done.

C Priorities. C priorities are all those nice, but not essential, things

enjoy doing. Activities like looking through recipe books, reading a best-selling novel, and having lunch with a friend are C priorities.Don’t list your C projects on your daily to-do list. Keep these on aseparate list so that you can refer to it when you have free time.

Getting It Done

One of the most important planning strategies is to spend your bestime on your A priorities. You’ll inevitably spend most of your time on

priorities. Resist the temptation to cram your schedule with more than you reasonably do in a single day. For example, besides your full-time workday,you would like to balance the checkbook, read your study unit and take the amination, pick up groceries, and go to the gym. At the end of the day, youeither be exhausted or frustrated by the remaining things on your list. Cocentrate on the tasks that best further your goals and the most urgent maitenance tasks.

Try breaking down a project in the following way. Your short-termgoal is to produce a report by starting it on Monday and completin

it by Friday of the same week. However, you’ll tackle certain portioof the task each day in order to have the report finished by the deadline. Monday’s objective might be to write the introduction. OnTuesday your objective would be to gather data for the report bodyOn Wednesday your objective would be to write the results andinterpretation portion of the report. On Thursday you would writethe conclusions and recommendations. On Friday, you would typeproofread, and distribute the report. By completing a series of smalsteps or goals, you met your short-term goal in the prescribed time

The information in this study unit can be applied to every area of your life. By using the tools we’ve given you, you’ll be able to blenyour personal, professional, and educational activities more smootthat you thought possible. By systematically accomplishing the tason your daily to-do list, you’ll soon be checking off those short termgoals. Before you know it, one after another of your long-term goalwill be realized. Good for you.





Self-Check 6

1. Although you’ll spend most of your time on B priorities, you should spend your_______ time on A priorities.

2. How should you use your to-do list to most effectively reach your goals?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

3. Should you keep your C priorities on the same sheet as your A and B priorities?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

4. _______ priorities further your long-term goals.


4



1

1. covering the symptoms

2. Relaxation

3. Visualization

4. autogenic or self-generated

5. distracting yourself from noticing stresssymptoms

2

1. B

2. C

3. A

4. C

5. A

6. B

7. C

8. A

9. B

3

1. True

2. False

3. False

4. True

4

1. False

2. False

3. True

4. True

5

1. True

2. False

3. True

4. True

6

1. best

2. Start with your first priority and contto work on it until it’s finished, then pceed to your second priority and so o

3. No. C priorities should be kept on a sond sheet that you can refer to when have the time.

4. A

Self-Check Answers



On the following pages, you’ll find a series of time logs to use torecord your activities for one or more typical weeks in your life.

Refer to the “Analyze and Record Your Current Activities” section othis study unit for instructions on completing the time log.

It’s a good idea to make several photocopies of these documents before you fill them out, in case you want to repeat the exercise inthe future.

Appendix



62 Ap

Time Inventory

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Appendix

Time Inventory

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64 Ap

Time Inventory

Date:


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Appendix

Time Inventory

Date:


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66 Ap

Time Inventory

Date:


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Appendix

Time Inventory

Date:


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68 Ap

Time Inventory

Date:


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Appendix

Time Inventory

Date:


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Notes: _________________________________________________________________________________________

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70 Ap

Time Inventory

Date:


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Appendix

Time Inventory

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72 Ap

Time Inventory

Date:


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Appendix

Time Inventory

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74 Ap

Time Inventory

Date:


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EXAMINATION

01303600

Time and Stress Management

hen you feel confident that you have mastered the material in this study unit, complete the followamination. Then submit only your answers to school headquarters for grading, using one of the

mination answer options described in your first shipment. Send your answers for this examinatioon as you complete it. Do not wait until another examination is ready.

estions 1–20: Select the one best answer to each question.

Relaxation is a state of

A. low arousal. C. increased blood pressure.

B. high arousal. D. rapid thought processes.

To analyze exactly what you do with your time, you need to

A. write down everything that you do in a time inventory.B. videotape 24 hours of a typical day.C. buy a daily planner.D. have a friend observe your work habits.

Having confidence and satisfaction in yourself is known as

A. visualization. C. self-centeredness.

B. self-esteem. D. self-gratification.

Whichever testing option you choosefor your answers, you must use this

EXAMINATION NUMBER:

01303600



Which of the following is an important first step toward developing a personal stress management program?

A. Finding out what creates the most stress for youB. Learning new skills for relaxationC. Displacing unwanted stress onto family and friends

D. Observing the fight-or-flight response

A neat, organized work space

A. can lower your stress level. C. makes it seem like you’re not really working.

B. isn’t really beneficial. D. is nice to look at, but hard to work with.

A sound diet will help your body to

A. sleep less deeply at night. C. ward off the effects of temporary stress.

B. feel more stressed. D. increase flexibility.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique used for

A. falling asleep. C. prepping surgery patients.

B. becoming aware of tension in muscles. D. raising blood pressure.

To achieve a low state of arousal, you need to

A. control breathing, thoughts, and tension within the muscles.B. check your blood pressure regularly.C. seek professional counseling.

D. increase your anxiety and breathe heavily.

Once you’ve determined your long- and short-term goals, you can use a _______ to determine how tuse your time.

A. filing system C. monthly calendar

B. tickler file D. to-do list

A person who drinks a few glasses of wine every day to relax is

A. handling his or her stress very well.

B. distracting him- or herself from the real problem by keeping busy.C. concealing his or her symptoms temporarily.D. not drinking enough to cure the problem.

To limit your telephone time at work, you can

A. ignore your messages—people with important messages will call back.B. have a coworker answer your phone.C. limit the conversation to work-related issues.D. unplug the phone.

A good strategy for managing emotional stress is

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Exam i



A good strategy for managing social stress is

A. avoiding eye contact.B. being hostile to the party involved.C. using low-stress situations to prepare for more stressful situations.D. getting yourself tensed up for a fight.

Which of the following is a direct benefit of practicing relaxation techniques?

A. Less stress and anxiety C. A faster heart rate

B. Cardiovascular strength D. Greater muscle tension

What are the four basic facets to a personal stress management program?

A. Body work, mental work, spiritual work, and vacationsB. Warm-up, cooldown, aerobics, and calisthenicsC. Confidence, dependability, accessibility, and eye contact

D. Fitness, nutrition, relaxation, and self-esteem

Which of the following is an example of concealing symptoms of stress by reducing your body’s sensito the symptoms?

A. Arousal reduction C. Breathing

B. Drug and alcohol use D. Autogenic training

You should complete your A priorities

A. during your peak waking hours.

B. during your low-energy hours.C. only after your B priorities have been completed.D. after everyone else has retired for the evening.

Which of the following statements is good advice to follow when participating in relaxation training?

A. The setting should be a well-lit room.B. Wear tight-fitting clothes.C. Sit in a semireclined position with your head and neck well-supported.D. Have a radio playing softly in the background.

am inatio n

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Training%20-%20Time%20and%20Stress%20Management123456.pdf