Management of Stress

Modern world, said to be the world of achievements, is

also the world of stress

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Nobody really cares if you’re miserable, so you might as

well be happy

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Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn’t we?

Options

T

There is no escape from stress in modern life. We need to find waysof using stress in a productive way, reducing dysfunctional stress and

dealing with it effectively

Relaxation is an ongoing process

We can relax and calm down while driving to work,

making a routine phone call, picking up groceries,

shaving, showering, applying make up or

playing with our pets. We can turn these mundane moments into a personal

time out and bounce back, feeling good and

de-stressed

Frustration

• Frustration is the blocking or slowing down of a goal directed activity. It is caused by a sense of privation (lack of something –student working hard to get into MBA but does not have the finances) , deprivation (blocking or interference with goal – student falling seriously ill before an important examination) or conflict in relation to goal (career advancement options).

• The reaction to frustration / disappointment is dependent on the personality type, work and social environment and the attitudinal disposition of the individual. The resultant cycle of hope and frustration, like all continuous cycle are self perpetuating; with the passage of time they become stronger and tends to repeat itself.

Stress

• Stress is the interaction between the situation and the individual. It is the psychological and the physical state that results when the resources of the individual are not sufficient to cope with the demands and pressures of the situation. It upsets the equilibrium between mind and body.

• The magnitude of response to stress is dependent on the individuals• Signs of stress is reflected in the changes in people’s reactions. Response

areas are feelings (anxiety, depression, irritability, fatigue), behavior (withdrawn, aggressive, tearful, unmotivated, eating/sleeping disorders) thinking (loss of concentration, hypersensitive to criticism) and physical (palpitations, nausea, headaches, sweating, asthma).

• It is natural and healthy to maintain Optimal Stress Level (OSL). Success, achievement, higher productivity and effectiveness call for stress.

• When stresses are left unchecked and unmanaged, they create problems and require specialist’s intervention may lead to BURNOUT stage.

• Like feeling, stress is experienced.

Approaches to Stress

Following approaches are in vogue to understand STRESS1. Stimulus – Oriented : Stress is regarded as an external force

which is perceived as threatening. Any external event or internal drive threatening to upset the organic equilibrium of the mind and body is stress

2. Response – Oriented : The way people perceive and ascribe meaning to stress producing situations, the value they attribute to actions and the way they interact with events.

There are four phases to the reaction to stress viz (a) initial phase of anticipatory threat, (b) the impact of stress, © the recoil phase and (d) post traumatic phase

3. Psychodynamic : This approach considers events (external and internal) which pose a threat to the integrity of the organism leading to the disorganization of personality. Stress may be induced by the interpersonal (external) or intra-psychic (between impulses and ego) factors resulting in anxiety.

Lev

el o

f re

sist

ance

Duration of exposure to Stress

Alarm stage Resistance Stage Exhaustion stage

Normal level of resistance

Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) has been widely accepted as the most comprehensive model to explain stress. The three stage model is as follows

Initial shock stage

Counter shock phase

Resistance level begins to decline irreversibly

Stress Tolerance Limit

Any discussion on stress process and its effect will have to take into consideration the individual resilience to stress, called the “Stress Tolerance Limit” (STL). It is made up of four vital components

1. Depression Proneness: Depression is an emotional state of dejection, feeling of worthlessness, guilt and apprehension. Two types (a) Endogenous, largely of one’s own making and (b) Exogenous due to external factors beyond the individual’s control

2. Anxiety: Emotional tension characterized by apprehension. Harmful stress is so crippling that it stops us from doing anything constructive.

3. Anger: Chronic anger (trait anger) wears down the body by overtaking its systemic resources.

4. Personality Types: A types are more prone to be stressed than the B types.

Differential Response to Stress

Keeping in view that stress is a personal response to the variations in the environment, different persons would react differently to the external stimuli. It will be dependent on

a. Nature and magnitude of the stressb. Importance of the stressor to the individualc. Perception of the threat element of the stressord. Personal and social support system available to the

individuale. Personality Type of the individualf. Willingness of the individual to ‘do something’ about the

stress

Sectors of Stress

• In view of the different STL, individuals would respond differentially to Stress.

• There are three important sectors in life where stress originates.

a) Job and Organization (totality of work environment –task, atmosphere, colleagues, compensation, policies)

b) Social Sector (social/cultural context – religion, caste, language, dress)

c) Intra-psychic Sector (things which are intimate and personal – temperament, values, abilities and health)

Burnout

Burnout is defined as the end result of stress experienced but not properly coped with, resulting in symptoms of exhaustion, irritation, ineffectiveness, inaction, discounting of self and others, and health problems (hypertension, ulcers, heart ailments etc)

Burnout Stress Syndrome (BOSS), the consequence of ‘BURNOUT’; have major personal, organizational and social costs. These costs are increasing.

BOSS is a debilitating psychosomatic condition and can lead to

a. Depletion of energy reserves

b. Lower resistance to illness

c. Increased dissatisfaction and pessimism

d. Increased absenteeism and inefficiency at work Burnout occurs at individual level and is a negative psychological

experience. It is known to have devastated lives and ruined careers.

Stages On Way To Burnout

1. Honeymoon Stage: Euphoric feeling with the new assignment; dysfunctional features emerge in two ways (a) energy levels gradually gets depleted coping with the demands and challenges and (b) habits and strategies for coping with stress are formed at this stage and are not adequate to meet future challenges.

2. Fuel Shortage Stage: Vague feeling of loss, fatigue, sleep disturbance and confusion; leads to escape activities as increased eating, drinking, smoking. Signals future difficulties.

3. Chronic Symptom Stage: Anger, depression, physical illness, sense of fatigue and exhaustion overtakes the individual. Expert attention and help needed at this stage.

4. Crisis Stage: When the psychological and physiological symptoms persists over a period of time the individual enters the crisis phase

5. Hitting the Wall: The stage of BOSS may mark the end of one’s professional career. The recovery from this stage is dependent on the individual and the support system that he commands.

Honeymoon Stage

Fuel Shortage Stage

Chronic Symptom Stage

Crisis Stage

Hitting the Wall StageBOSS

Preventive Strategy for Burnout

Wilder and Plutchick have suggested a preventive recipe for burnout through training in “Need Assessment and Coping Methodology”. The following steps are suggested:

Sensitize the individuals to their own needs (personality needs and work place related needs)

Help the individuals to assess the need fulfilling characteristics of a potential job

Increase the probability of appropriate match between an individual and the job

Focus individual attention on the areas they should work on to provide maximum satisfaction on the job

Organizational StressThe Concept of Role Stress

One of our important goals in life is the pursuit of happiness, peace and stress free life. The process has led us from stage to stage till we found ourselves caught in the dynamic whirlpool of ‘micro’ ‘macro’ and ‘inter / intra’ organizational systems, goals, strategies, cultures, structures, and styles of performance. In the process, we generally get reduced to an insignificant cog in the total organizational infrastructure. This tends to generate a feeling of powerlessness, meaninglessness, norm-less-ness and consequent stress.

Roles

• Role can be defined as the position a person holds in a system (organization) as defined by the expectations of various significant persons, including himself / herself for that position

• The definition of role indicates inherent problems in the performance of a role (subjective assessment) and, therefore, stress is inevitable.

• The related concepts of ‘Role Space’ and ‘Role Set’ have built-in potential for conflict and stress

Role Space / Role Set

• Role Space: Each individual occupies and plays several roles simultaneously (son / daughter, father / mother, executive, club member etc). They constitute ‘Role Space’. It is, therefore, defined as ‘the dynamic interrelationship between the individual and the role demands’.

• Role Set: Individual role in an organization is an amalgamation of expectations. It is therefore, the pattern of relationship between the role being considered and other roles.

Role Conflicts

Role Space conflict: There are three variables viz. self, role under question and other roles. The conflicts may take place due to:

Inter Role Distance (IRD) Role Stagnation (RS) Self Role Distance (SRD)

Role Set Conflict: The conflicts are a result of incompatibility amongst the expectations of stakeholders. They are :

Role Ambiguity (RA) Role Expectation Conflict

(REC) Role Overload (RO) Role Erosion (RE) Resource Inadequacy (RIn) Personal Inadequacy (PI) Role Isolation (RI)

PersonalityExternalityWithdrawalMachiavellians

ClimateHigh controlLow achievement

High alienation

Low roleefficacy

Low jobsatisfaction

Low effectiveRole behavior

Role stress

Model of Organizational Role Stress

Role Stress Consequences

Role based stresses affect

• Pleasantness on the job

• Increases general fatigue of the employee

• Reduces potentiality to perform effectively

• Immobilize the person to use available resources effectively

This can be effectively countered if the organizations assist individuals to define their roles and the individuals are willing to share this concern through strategies like proactivity, confrontation, creativity and bonding (Role Efficacy) and switching from reactive to proactive role.

Intrinsic to the jobBoredomPhysical working conditionsTime pressure and deadlineExorbitant work demandsInformation overloadJob design and tech problems

Role in organizationRole conflict / Role ambiguityJob responsibilities / boundaries

Career DevelopmentUnder / over promotionSuccess / thwarted ambitionLack of job securityRelationships at workPoor interpersonal relationshipsThreats from subordinates

Org. structure & climateAutocratic, Non participative,Bureaucratic pettiness

Sources of stress at work

GenericMid life crisisFamily problemsFinancial probs.Communication handicap

IndividualLack of meaningin lifeWork obsessionAnxiety / emotionsSTLPersonality type

HypertensionDepressionDrinkingSmokingDrugsCholesterol

Coronary,PsychosomaticailmentsMental healthPsychiatric issues

Personal Stressors Symptoms ofexcessive stress

Disease

Sources of stress at work & effect on individuals

Counteracting Stress

Stress is an inevitable part of our social functioning. It can be prevented and effectively managed through planned efforts. The two segments are:

1. What the organizations can do

2. What an individual can do

Coping Strategies

Folkman et al have proposed eight coping strategies:

1. Confrontive coping

2. Distancing

3. Self control

4. Seeking social support

5. Accepting responsibility

6. Escape avoidance

7. Planned problem solving

8. Positive reappraisal

Coping Styles

• The anecdotal research points at “self regulating” our emotional responses. However, the macho model should be discouraged.

• Passive or dysfunctional styles (Avoidance, putting the blame on others)

• Proactive or functional styles (Approach, active approaches to dealing with the situation)

• People generally use a combination of the styles (situational determinant). More of the resources one has, greater is the buffering against stress.

• In general the dysfunctional style could be damaging when they prevent direct action, but can be otherwise helpful to prevent psychological degeneration

Moderators of Stress PERSONALITY VARIABLES:i. Needs (personal growth, achievement and self actualization)ii. Locus of control (synergy of physiological, psychological & social

needs)iii. Personality type (careful placement and monitoring of Type A

individuals)iv. Coping strategies (approach strategy increases immediate but reduces

long-term stress; avoidance does the opposite)v. Efforts (doctrine of ‘Karma’; efforts important and not the outcome);

Culture.ORGANIZATIONAL VARIABLES:i. Organizational Climateii. Job satisfactioniii. Occupational Stressiv. Hierarchical Levelv. Psychological Participation (feeling of involvement)

Organizational Response

• Stress Audit: It is an OD intervention, designed to assess stress and suggest mitigating measures. It also includes collection of data pertaining to organizational climate, role stresses, job satisfaction, job anxieties etc and fits them into an analysis matrix to arrive at appropriate interventions.

• Use of scientific inputs: Dissemination of information on how to face stressors within the organization and outside. One may derive immense benefits from a knowledge of fundamentals of stress, appropriate response, dietetics, exercises and meditation.

Organizational Response Contd.

• Check with company doctors: Doctors are valuable resource in helping members of the organization in coping with identified stress. They also have valuable information about interpersonal and organizational conflicts. It is a pity that doctors are treated only as clinicians.

• Spread the message: The importance of the regular habits of work, leisure, proper diet, exercise and mental peace should be emphasized at the organizational level.

Individual Response -1

Individuals can develop certain temperamental qualities and adopt specific behavior patterns or habits which could help in preventing , mitigating or effectively coping with stress. Some are

Increase self esteem, tolerance and patience (10 – 90 law) Avoid rigidity in functioning, attitudes and decisions Avoid ‘Multitasking’; prioritize (Parkinson’s law) Share your problems with friends and peers (introvert / extrovert) Be Sincere and not try to be a Perfectionist (Murphy’s law) Do not be always over enthusiastic; beware of your constraints and

limitations (chill) Be a Realist in your aspirations Maintain good interpersonal relations; ignore minor irritations Manage time pragmatically Work on you strengths

Individual Response II There are two streams of coping with stress; (a) drug

therapy and (b) non drug methods. The latter are advantageous and safer. Some of them are:

Recreation (music, painting, fishing, hobbies, trekking) Acupuncture Exercise (walking, games) Yoga, Relaxation and Meditation Specialized stress management technique viz. SMET (Self

Management of Executive Tension) Technique, QRT (Quick Relaxation Technique), IRT (Instant Relaxation Technique), Art of Living (Ravishankar), Biofeedback, Vipasna, and many other de-toxing and de-stressing programs

Spiritual inclinations; spirituality

The Comprehensive Stress Protection Plan

Individual Level Organizational Level Societal Level

Cultivating self belief Support to reduce conflict between home and work life

Inculcating self belief by facilitating interaction

Develop / Cultivate appropriate personality traits

Improved communication to ensure one’s identity in the organization

Larger movement to discourage drug dependence

Develop / Cultivate stress coping strategies

Management support to reduce psychological baggage

Adopting appropriate life style change

Keep away from self medication, drug addiction

Develop mechanism to foster positive inter personal relationships

Community festivals, annual picnics, get together

Extra curricular activities, positive attitudes, hobbies, yoga, meditation

Provide regular medical check up and support in cases requiring psychiatric attention

Provide means for relaxation

(amusement parks, movies, parks, fairs)

Physical exercise Provide gym facilities in office

Laughing clubs

Peaceful home / family environment

Compulsory annual holidays Healthy and peaceful environment

Nine Easy Ways

To avoid Stress at Home To relieve stress To live a stress free life

Stress free home contributes to overall happiness and success

Sky gazing, Be blank for sometime

Adjust with circumstances on which you have no control

Avoid bringing work from office

Avoid “Always Winner” syndrome

Say ‘NO’ without feeling guilty

Do not carry foul mood from office

Appreciate natural beauty Look for positives, avoid jealousies

You are not the Boss at home; play your role

Hum your favorite tune Forget and forgive, avoid arguments

Do not let discussions turn into arguments; patch up

Wear smile, enjoy pleasure, express gratitude

Learn to say sorry even not at fault

Reciprocate goodwill gestures, be appreciative

Do not let the clock chase you

Ignore inconsequential remarks

Avoid fault finding, Spend regular quality time with spouse

Learn to unlearn bad habits

Avoid comparisons Be reasonable with your ambition

Learn to lose gracefully

Plan your budget Delegate Laugh at yourself

Epilogue

The organizational role stress is not as important for an individual’s mental

and physical health as the way he copes with stress. For managers the

most effective amongst the strategies and approaches is the one in which the individual shares with other significant persons, friends and jointly finds a way

of managing it.

Suggested Reading

• Stress and Coping by Dr. D.M.Pestonjee

• Studies in Stress and its Management , Edited by

D.M. Pestonjee

Udai Pareek

Rita Aggarwal

• Stress Management Walt Schafer