Week 8 Juggling Stress, Money, Family and Work

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Living with Stress Almost anything is capable of producing stress –Stress is the physical and emotional response to events that threaten or challenge us 3 main types of stressors –Cataclysmic events –Personal stressors –Daily hassles 10-2

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Living with Stress 10-3

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Stress Stress brings on physical ramifications –Heart beats faster –Breathing becomes more rapid and shallow –Produce more sweat –Our internal organs churn out a variety of hormones These symptoms wear down our immune system and leave us open to disease –Common cold, heart disease, headaches, strokes 10-4

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Handling Stress – Coping Ready yourself physically The stronger you are physically, the less toll stress will take on you –Vigorous exercise produces endorphins, providing a natural feeling of happiness “Runner’s high” Exercise can help our bodies naturally cope with stress Reduce caffeine intake Deal with obesity 10-5

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Identify your stressors –School-related? –Relationship-related? –Work-related? Simply listing stressors will give you a sense of control and help you devise strategies for dealing with them Handling Stress – Coping 10-6

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Effective Coping Strategies A variety of tactics can help you deal with your stressors: –Take charge of the situation –Don’t try to change the unchangeable –Look for the silver lining –Use social support from friends and family –Relax, using techniques such as meditation or progressive relaxation –Escaping is not coping and doesn’t relieve stress 10-7

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Placing Stress in Perspective Don’t sweat the small stuff –Put your circumstances into perspective Make peace with stress –A life with no challenges would be boring 10-8

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Juggling Your Responsibilities Identify your priorities –Childcare, school, work are all equally important and demanding responsibilities Use proven time management techniques Communicate with others about your obligations Multitask Don’t put your own needs last 10-9

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Keeping Well Eating right Eat a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, and grains Avoid processed foods Avoid foods high in sugar, fat, cholesterol and salt Don’t eat until you are stuffed Schedule three regular meals a day Beware of eating disorders If you wish to lose weight, follow a sensible diet – fad diets don’t work 10-10

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Keeping Well Make exercise a part of your life –Choose a type of exercise that you like –Incorporate exercise into your daily schedule –Make exercise a group activity –Vary your routine 10-11

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Keeping Well Get a good night’s sleep –Exercise more –Have a regular bedtime –Use your bed for sleeping and not as an all- purpose area –Avoid caffeine after lunch –Drink a glass of milk at bedtime –Avoid sleeping pills –Don’t try to force sleep upon yourself 10-12

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Managing Your Money Develop a budget –This is a formal plan that accounts for expenditures and income –A budget helps to prepare for the unexpected –A budget provides security 10-13

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Managing Your Money – Prepare Identify your financial goals –You will need to determine short- and long- term financial goals –Determine why you want more money to spend Education Vacation Paying off debt Material goods 10-14

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Managing Your Money – Organize Determine your expenditures and income –Keep track of how you spend your money –Make a list of things you will need to spend money on in the coming year –Determine your income sources Jobs Income from family members Financial aid 10-15

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Managing Your Money – Work Make a budget that adds up If you spend more than you make, you must: –Decrease spending Control impulse buying Make and take your own lunch Read newspapers and magazines online Check bills for errors 10-16

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Managing Your Money – Work –Decrease spending continued Cut up your credit cards and use cash Make major purchases only during sales Share and trade Live more simply –Increase income Carefully consider taking a job 10-17

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Managing Your Money – Evaluate Review your budget monthly –Your budget does not need to be set in stone –Keep your expenditures under control –Consider how any change in circumstances affects your budget –Revise your budget as needed 10-18

© 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill Managing Your Money – Rethink Money problems need to be addressed head-on –Assess the problem –Contact creditors Show them your plan to pay off your debt to them –See a credit counselor –Stick to your plan 10-19