Part time student are usually consist the adult which have a much more responsibility such as responsible to their family , to the organization and so on. Obviously, they need to divide their time between study and the existing responsibility. As the long way of their study, they often involved in the situation where they must make a decision between study and family or their duty. This situation will feel depressed and stress. These make sense when a lot of course work to be completing. So, for the part time student especially adult student which have a family and carrier, they must to know how to manage stress.
What Is Stress? How To Deal With Stress.
We generally use the word "stress" when we feel
that everything seems to have become too much - we are overloaded and wonder
whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us.
Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our
well-being is a stress. Some stresses get you going and they are good for you -
without any stress at all many say our lives would be boring and would probably
feel pointless. However, when the stresses undermine both our mental and
physical health they are bad. In this text we shall be focusing on stress that
is bad for you.
The difference between "stress" and "a
stressor" - a stressor is an agent or stimulus that causes stress. Stress
is the feeling we have when under pressure, while stressors are the things we
respond to in our environment. Examples of stressors are noises, unpleasant
people, a speeding car, or even going out on a first date. Generally (but not
always), the more stressors we experience, the more stressed we feel.Fight or
flight responseThe way you respond to a challenge may also be a type of stress.
Part of your response to a challenge is physiological and affects your physical
state. When faced with a challenge or a threat, your body activates resources
to protect you - to either get away as fast as you can, or fight.
If you are upstairs at home and an earthquake starts, the
faster you can get yourself and your family out the more likely you are all to
survive. If you need to save somebody's life during that earthquake, by lifting
a heavy weight that has fallen on them, you will need components in your body
to be activated to give you that extra strength - that extra push.
Our fight-or-flight response is our body's sympathetic
nervous system reacting to a stressful event. Our body produces larger quantities
of the chemicals cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which trigger a higher
heart rate, heightened muscle preparedness, sweating, and alertness - all these
factors help us protect ourselves in a dangerous or challenging situation.
Non-essential body functions slow down, such as our
digestive and immune systems when we are in fight-or flight response mode. All
resources can then be concentrated on rapid breathing, blood flow, alertness
and muscle use.
When we are stressed the following happens:
Blood pressure rises
Breathing becomes more rapid
Digestive system slows down
Heart rate (pulse) rises
Immune system goes down
Muscles become tense
We do not sleep (heightened state of alertness)
Most of us have varying interpretations of what stress is
about and what matters. Some of us focus on what happens to us, such as
breaking a bone or getting a promotion, while others think more about the event
itself. What really matters are our thoughts about the situations in which we
find ourselves.
Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress
Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid
a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the
number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.
Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them.
Whether in your personal or professional life, taking on more than you can
handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently
causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit
the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes
you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but
less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your
grocery shopping online.
Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or
politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about
the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself
when it’s the topic of discussion.
Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule,
responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate,
distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly
necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.
Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation
If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it.
Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present
itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and
operate in your daily life.
Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If
something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and
respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the
situation will likely remain the same.
Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change
their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at
least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life.
Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If
you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up
front that you only have five minutes to talk.
Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a
lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to
stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend
yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.
Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor
If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can
adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your
expectations and attitude.
Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a
more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it
as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station,
or enjoy some alone time.
Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful
situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it
matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer
is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.
Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of
avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection.
Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with
“good enough.”
Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take
a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including
your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep
things in perspective.
Adjusting Your Attitude. How you think can have a profound effect on your emotional
and physical well-being. Each time you think a negative thought about yourself,
your body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tension-filled situation. If
you see good things about yourself, you are more likely to feel good; the
reverse is also true. Eliminate words such as "always,"
"never," "should," and "must." These are telltale
marks of self-defeating thoughts.
Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t
change
Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or
change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a
national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to
accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s
easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.
Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life
are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than
stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way
you choose to react to problems.
Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill
us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as
opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a
stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend face to face
or make an appointment with a therapist. The simple act of expressing what
you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do
to alter the stressful situation. Opening up is not a sign of weakness and it
won’t make you a burden to others. In fact, most friends will be flattered that
you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your
bond.
Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an
imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments.
Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.
Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and
relaxation
Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you
can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make
time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s
stressors.
Healthy ways to relax and recharge
Go for a walk.
Spend time in nature.
Call a good friend.
Sweat out tension with a good workout.
Write in your journal.
Take a long bath.
Light scented candles.
Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.
Play with a pet.
Work in your garden.
Get a massage.
Curl up with a good book.
Listen to music.
Watch a comedy.
Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that
you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity,
not a luxury.
Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in
your daily schedule. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your
time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.
Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who
enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative
effects of stress.
Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure
activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or
working on your bike.
Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh
at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of
ways.
Stress management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle
You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening
your physical health.
Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in
reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30
minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for
releasing pent-up stress and tension.
Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better
prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day
right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with
balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary "highs"
caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By
reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your
diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.
Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with
alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only
temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on
and with a clear mind.
Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as
your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to
think irrationally.
Conclusion. For the part time student especially for the adult which have a family and carrier, it is very important to know to manage stress and if can, try to make a stress are the pushing factors for better result in your study.
Thanks.
Sources:
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.php
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