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Stress
and Burn Out
Dealing
with Stress: Get Better Not Bitter!
Beatrice
L. Logan and Annie
Turman
Student Advisement Center
Georgia
State University
Is
your job a source of stress in your life? Do you feel overworked
and unappreciated? Do you feel irritable about minor things at work,
or need a huge effort to complete the simplest tasks? Does it seem
like you are always GEARED UP, need to HURRY UP, CATCH UP, or SHUT
UP. Are you FED UP? If you answered yes to these questions, you
could be the victim of too much stress.
In
the advisement profession, seldom a day passes in which someone
doesn't make a stress-related comment, such as "I'm burned out,"
or "I'm under too much stress." While few of us, if asked, can
provide a formal definition of stress, most are all too familiar
with how it feels. Simply stated, stress is the physical and emotional
condition felt when we are excited, face change, feel powerless,
or feel threatened.
Let's
face it, everyone gets stressed out, but it doesn't have to take
over our lives. Can we eliminate job stressors? No, --and it's
a good thing we can't. A certain amount of stress is required
in our lives to motivate us to reach new levels of performance.
What we can do is recognize that we have the power to choose our
actions.
We
don't have to become upset, tense, or irritable. These reactions
often make situations worse, and can have harmful effects. Choose
to positively manage stressful situations. Although the choice may
be different depending on the situation, realize that we can control
our reactions.
Listed
below are some stress management techniques that can help minimize
the negative effects of stress. Since no single technique is
ideal for every situation, try each technique, deciding which
is the best to manage the stress of a particular circumstance.
Realize that the success of a technique is determined by the commitment
to change and the regularity with which the method if practiced.
DAILY
REFLECTION
Each
day is a special gift, an opportunity to serve and be a catalyst
for change. To create a link between your spirituality and the
job, start each day with 15 minutes of quiet reflection time.
Visualize a positive day and go forth with an unrelenting commitment
to exercise a positive attitude, fairness, patience, honesty, and
integrity.
DEEP
BREATHING
Sitting
upright, close your eyes, relax and focus your mind on an object.
Inhale slowly through your nose; hold your breath and count to eight.
As you exhale slowly through your mouth, repeat "Re---LAX
" four times.
IMAGERY
Close
your eyes. Imagine a calm, beautiful scene. Picture yourself
at that location. Repeat affirmative phrases.
NECK
ROLLS
Sitting
erect with your shoulders level let your chin drop forward. Slowly
roll your head in a full circle. Repeat five times, alternating
directions.
SELF-MASSAGE
Tightly
cup your hands and apply firm circular strokes to your forehead,
cheeks, neck, shoulder and other body areas that are tense.
HUMOR
Laughter
is FIRST AID for the soul. You cannot laugh and hold tension at
the same time. Whatever makes you laugh, cultivate it. Start a
personal humor collection file of your favorite comic strips, jokes,
e-mails, etc.
CHANGE
YOUR ATTITUDE
What
messages are you sending to yourself? Some stress comes from negative
thoughts - grudges, hurt, and anger. Look on the bright side and
lighten your load. Repeat affirmations like, " I am filled
with inner peace."
SHRED
LIST
Write
down names of people, worries, pressures and concerns that contribute
to your stress. When your list is complete, S-H-R-E-D it.
MANAGE YOUR TIME
In
descending order of importance, make a list of the things you need
to do each day. Complete each task, one at a time. Learn to set
limits for yourself and say "no" to others. At the end
of each day, reflect on your accomplishments, not the unfinished
tasks.
TALK
IT OUT
You
do not have to cope alone. Sometimes just talking about concerns
can help put them into perspective. Find an objective person whom
you trust and vent your worries and frustrations.
CONCLUSION
Stress
is inevitable, but it doesn't have to make you tense, irritable,
upset, and unhappy. You have the choice to GET BETTER or BITTER.
Be productive, GET BETTER! Make the commitment to manage stress
and enhance your health and happiness.
For
additional stress management techniques, attend the What's an Advisor
to Do? Coping with Job Stressors session at the NACADA National
Conference in Dallas.
Suggested
Reading
Carlson,
Richard. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. New York: Hyperion,
1997.
Hill,
Napoleon, and W. Clement Stone. Success Through a Positive
Mental
Attitude. New York: Simon
& Schuster, 1992.
Johnson,
Spencer. Who Moved My Cheese, New York: G. P. Pitman's
Son, 1998.
Coping
with Burn Out. Suggestions from ACADV
electronic mailing list.
Cite
the above resource using APA style as:
Logan,
B. L. and Turman, A. (2003). Dealing with stress: Get better not
bitter! Retrieved -insert today's date- from the NACADA
Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Stress.htm
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