1 STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 2 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LEARN ABOUT STRESS? Stress is a normal, universal human experience. Stress is a normal, universal human experience. Attendance at college has been recognised as one of the most stressful times in one’s life. Attendance at college has been recognised as one of the most stressful times in one’s life. Successfully completing one’s college degree, and enjoying one’s college experience, requires flexibility, adaptation, and persistence. Successfully completing one’s college degree, and enjoying one’s college experience, requires flexibility, adaptation, and persistence. Learning to effectively manage stress can increase one’s chances of doing well in college and in later life as well. Learning to effectively manage stress can increase one’s chances of doing well in college and in later life as well.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 3 STRESS results when we perceive an imbalance between the demands placed on us in a given situation, and our resources for meeting those demands. This involves 3 key components: The situation and its demands. The situation and its demands. Our subjective appraisal of the situation. Our subjective appraisal of the situation. Our perceived resources for meeting the demands. Our perceived resources for meeting the demands.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 4 Low Stress Boredom High Stress Anxiousness Unhappiness Optimum Stress Area of Optimum Performance Figure 1.: The relationship between stress and performance

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 5 Physical Signs of Stress Racing heart Racing heart Cold, sweaty hands Cold, sweaty hands Headaches Headaches Shallow/erratic breath Shallow/erratic breath Nausea, upset tummy Nausea, upset tummy Bowel problems Bowel problems Shoulder/back pains Shoulder/back pains Rushing around Working longer hours Fatigue Sleep disturbances Weight losses Changes in appetite, alcohol consumption

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 6 Cognitive Signs of Stress Forgetting things Forgetting things Difficulty concentrating Difficulty concentrating Worrying about things Worrying about things Difficulty processing information Difficulty processing information Negative self-statements Negative self-statements

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 7 Emotional Signs of Stress Increased irritability or anger Increased irritability or anger Anxiety or feelings of panic Anxiety or feelings of panic Fearfulness Fearfulness Tearfulness Tearfulness Increased interpersonal conflicts Increased interpersonal conflicts Easily frustrated Easily frustrated

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 8 Demands and Resources Demands or stressors Demands or stressors  External sources  Internal sources Resources for coping Resources for coping

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 9 DIFFERENT SITUATIONS CALL FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF COPING. PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at changing a situation or its accompanying demands and is most appropriate when you have some control over a situation. PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at changing a situation or its accompanying demands and is most appropriate when you have some control over a situation. EMOTION-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at dealing with the emotions caused by a situation and its demands and is more appropriate when you have little or no control over a situation. EMOTION-FOCUSED COPING is aimed at dealing with the emotions caused by a situation and its demands and is more appropriate when you have little or no control over a situation.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 10 COPING RESOURCES Cognitive Strategies Behavioural Strategies

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 11 COPING RESOURCES Cognitive Strategies Cognitive StrategiesReframing Challenging negative thinking Positive self-talk

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 12 COPING RESOURCES Cognitive Strategies Cognitive Strategies Count to ten Cost-benefit analysis See the humour

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 13 COPING RESOURCES Cognitive Strategies Cognitive Strategies Smell the Roses Keep perspective Reduce uncertainty Imagery/visualisation

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 14 COPING RESOURCES Behavioural Strategies Behavioural Strategies Physical exercise BreathingRelaxation Laugh & Smile Healthy Diet & Sleep

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 15 COPING RESOURCES Behavioural Strategies Behavioural Strategies Social support Seek help Worry Time Time management

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 16 Time Management Principles Clarify your priorities. Clarify your priorities. Evaluate how you spend your time. Evaluate how you spend your time. Set goals. Set goals. Develop an action plan. Develop an action plan. Combat procrastination. Combat procrastination. Organise your time. Organise your time.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 17 Time Management Strategies Prioritise Prioritise Specificity Specificity Small bite-size pieces Small bite-size pieces Use all available time Use all available time Schedule Schedule Say no – and mean it Say no – and mean it Use rewards Use rewards

18 Many situations you will face as college students and later, as professionals, are best coped with by a combination of both problem- and emotion-focused coping **Remember, flexibility, adaptation, and persistence will help ensure your success.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 19 RELAXATION

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 20 PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS Most people find performances stressful. However, they need not cause distress. The following tips for managing the stress experienced as a result of performance situations can help you achieve your goals without compromising your health.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 21 PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS 1. Focus on the process, not the outcome. 2. Be aware of the stress/performance curve and your own optimal level of stress. 3. Learn and practice coping skills. 4. Reframe evaluative situations.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 22 PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS 5. Keep and use your sense of humour. 6. Maintain your perspective. 7. Remember that mistakes are part of learning. 8. Separate your self-worth from your performance.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 23 Foundations for Lifelong Health Health Health Nutrition Nutrition Exercise Exercise

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 24 Foundations for Lifelong Health Lifestyle Lifestyle Attitude Attitude

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 25 Survival tips for students: Spend time developing and nurturing relationships. Spend time developing and nurturing relationships. Strive to maintain some balance in your life. Strive to maintain some balance in your life. Aim to keep your perspective. Aim to keep your perspective. Develop tolerance for ambiguity. Develop tolerance for ambiguity. Cultivate optimism. Cultivate optimism.

Gensip Trinity College Dublin Stress Management 26 Survival tips for students: Learn to work with others. Learn to work with others. Learn to break assignments down into manageable tasks, and when ethical, share them. Learn to break assignments down into manageable tasks, and when ethical, share them. Remember that you are at the beginning of a sharp learning curve. Remember that you are at the beginning of a sharp learning curve. Lastly, HAVE SOME FUN! Lastly, HAVE SOME FUN!