Stress Management

Stress Management

Finally! We are at the end of your administrator survival guide. We have mastered many subjects during our journey; however, we have one last important item to discuss—how to take care of yourself and relieve stress during your workday.

I have never, nor has anyone I know, perfected a way to avoid stress in daily activities. Stress relief and stress management are both subjects on which a plethora of information exists, perhaps too much information. I am going to stick to basics because you can take these and build upon them and create your own stress management/stress reduction program tailored to individual needs. I suggest everyone read Life Management Skills by Joan Driggers. Many instructors I know use it in such classes as “Becoming a Master Student” or “Life Skills 101.” The tenets in this interactive textbook are things we can all follow. Driggers has this to say about stress: “Stress is a physical and psychological reaction to events, people and our environment. Notice that definition tells us the cause of stress is not the event, such as a divorce, but our response to the event. Knowing this, we can find ways to understand the event and change our response to it.” Driggers’ textbook has an entire interactive chapter dealing with stress and identifying symptoms and relief mechanisms. If you will take time to complete the exercises in this chapter you will not only understand what causes your stress but, more importantly, how to deal with it before stress damages your physical and mental well-being.

Here are a few stress-relief tips by Driggers that you can start practicing now:

Rest, adequate sleep, and leisure give your body a chance to restore your ability to handle stress. You will not be of much use to others if you are irritable or sick. Do everyone a favor, and take a break when you begin to feel stress. You will then be able to return to your usual productive self.
Exercise and recreation reduce stress and increase the body’s ability to handle stress. It makes you feel better both psychologically and physically, because it can bring fun and joy into your life as well as cardiovascular benefits. Include activities that provide a change of pace from your usual routine and that have meaning for you.
Relaxation techniques abound and should be a regular part of your life. Some examples include deep breathing, yoga, tai chi, meditation, listening to relaxation tapes, and hot bubble baths (yes, even for men).
Seeking support from others is an example of using your resources wisely. The value of support should not be underestimated. Friends and family members may be able to take on a few of your responsibilities or brainstorm with you on ways to solve a problem. Use your resources wisely.

These simple tips, if put into practice, will help you reduce your stress and allow you to operate at your maximum potential. We all have stress triggers in our lives; we need to identify methods to reduce this stress and keep us productive and having fun in the workplace!