STRESS-Causes, values, and management.

The stress faced by professional workers is substantial. For many professionals, it is intrinsic to the job itself, where competing demands and pressures cannot be escaped. The sheer volume of work can also be overwhelming at times, whether one is a social worker, teacher, doctor or manager. Anyone in this kind of job knows, either from their own direct experience or from observing colleagues, that stress can have very serious consequences. It can develop into a living nightmare of running faster and faster to stay in the same place, feeling undervalued, feeling unable to say 'no' to any demand but not working productively on anything. The signs of stress can include sleeplessness, aches and pains and sometimes physical symptoms of anxiety about going to work. What is more, people who are chronically stressed are no fun to work with. They may be irritable, miserable, lacking in energy and commitment, self-absorbed. They may find it hard to concentrate on any one task and cannot be relied on to do their share.

And yet, some people seem to have the ability to stay in control of their workload and to handle job frustrations without becoming worn out, irritable or depressed. These people are able to handle stress, having ways of taking the rough with the smooth, keeping a sense of humor and renewing their energy and resources so that working life continues to bring pleasure and reward.

Here's a little story. This story concerns a man (it could just as well be a woman) who is chased by a tiger and falls over a cliff. To break his fall he is lucky enough to catch hold of a small shrub growing on the cliff face, and there he hangs, poised precariously between life and death. Above him the tiger prowls, and looking down he sees another tiger at the bottom of the cliff. Even were he to survive the fall, there would soon be nothing much left to him to be found by his rescuers. As he hangs there, he sees two small mice busily gnawing away at the stem of the shrub on which his life depends. Simultaneously he sees some wild strawberries growing just within reach, plucks them and pops them into his mouth and thinks to himself, 'Ah how sweet these strawberries taste!'

It isn't easy to find a generally acceptable definition of 'stress.' Doctors, engineers, psychologists, management consultants, linguists and lay-person all use the work in their own distinctive ways with their own definition. A useful definition for this handout is that stress is a demand made upon the adaptive capacities of the mind and body. If these capacities can handle the demand and enjoy the stimulation involved, then stress is welcome and helpful. If they can't and find the demand debilitating, then stress is unwelcome and unhelpful. This definition is useful in three ways; (1) stress can be both good and bad, (2) it isn't so much events that determine whether we're stressed or not, it is our reactions to them, and (3) the definition tells us that stress is a demand made upon the body's capacities. If our capacities are good enough, we respond well. If they aren't, we give way.

GENERAL CAUSES OF STRESS AT WORK

# organizational problems insufficient back-up
# long or unsociable hours
# poor status, pay and promotion prospects
# unnecessary rituals and procedures
# uncertainty and insecurity

SPECIFIC CAUSES OF STRESS AT WORK

unclear role specifications
role conflict
unrealistically high self-expectations (perfectionism)
inability to influence decision making (powerlessness)
frequent clashes with superiors
isolation from colleagues' support
lack of variety
poor communication
inadequate leadership
conflicts with colleagues
inability to finish a job
fighting unnecessary battles

TASK-RELATED CAUSES OF STRESS AT WORK

difficult clients or subordinates
insufficient training
emotional involvement with clients or subordinates
the responsibilities of the job
inability to help or act effectively

STRESS AT HOME

stress caused by a partner
stress caused by children
stress caused by domestic arrangements
stress caused by environmental pressures upon the home

EFFECTS OF TOO MUCH STRESS

concentration and attention span decrease
distractability increases
short- and long-term memory deteriorate
response speed becomes unpredictable
error rate increases
powers of organization and long-term planning deteriorate
delusions and thought disorders increase
physical and psychological tensions increase
hypochondria increases
changes take place in personality traits
existing personality problems increase
moral and emotional constraints weaken
depression and helplessness appear
self-esteem falls sharply
speech problems increase
interests and enthusiasms diminish
absenteeism increases
drug abuse increases
energy levels are low
sleep patterns are disrupted
cynicism about clients and colleagues increases
new information is ignored
responsibilities are shifted onto others
problems are 'solved' at an increasingly superficial level
bizarre behavior patterns appear
suicide threats may be made

MANAGING STRESS

learn and utilize relaxation breathing
meditation
water - inside and out
learn relaxation programs
change diet - less fat, more fresh fruits, vegetables and fiber
give your self permission to experience your emotions, cry if you want
began an exercise program
build healthy personal relationships, have someone to talk to
learn to control your displaced aggressions; desire to yell at the kids and kick the dog at home because of stress at work
reappraise your life and priorities
realize that most stress is caused from within, not without; take time to smell the flowers and taste the strawberries



By David Fontana
From Managing Stress, The British Psychology Society and Routledge, Ldt., 1989