1. Performance Standard
MSCM8-2: Students will develop management skills that lead to academic and career success.
Analyze the impact of stress and the importance of time and money management skills for academic, social, and career success.
Written by Barbara Mackessy

2. Oral Pre-test on Stress
What is stress?
What causes stress?
How can people deal with stress?
Is stress good or bad?
Does everyone have stress?
Is stress the same for teenagers and adults?
What are the types of stress?
What is the biggest cause of stress?

3. Stress Word Wall Stressor Adolescence Emotional Mental Stressful
Forget it
Physical
Management
Problems
Prioritize
Fix it

4. Let’s Not Stress Out About It!
Stress Management for Middle School Students

5. What is Stress?
The inability to cope with a perceived or real threat to one’s mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being
Physical, mental or emotional tension or strain
A response to a demand placed on you.

6. People and events do not cause stress
People and events do not cause stress. Your reaction to people and events is what causes stress. You allow stress to happen! You allow things to bother you!

7. Key Points Stress is a fact of life.
Stress is the response to the demands placed on us in our lives.
Stress can be positive/good.
Can serve as a motivator
Can help us reassess our lives
Can help us look at and reorganize our thoughts and plans.
Keep us at our best game plan

8. Key Points Stress can be negative/bad!!! Can cause health issues
Can cause persons not to perform at their highest potential
Can cause a person not to reach his/her goals
Can cause a person to give up

9. Stress and Adolescence
Adolescence represents the potential to be one of the most stressful developmental phases in life.
Physical changes
Emotional changes
Influence of peers and friends (peer pressure)
Feeling of wanting to belong
Transition from childhood to teenage years and then on to adulthood

10. Causes of Stress Among Adolescents
Problems with peers (friendships; bullying, not fitting in, relationships with boyfriends/girlfriends)
Family issues or problems with parents
School related pressures (grades, school work, organization, time management)
Personal thoughts, feelings, behaviors (getting into trouble, being depressed)

11. Other Causes of Adolescent Stress
Grades
Not making a team
Illness or family health issues
Death of a loved one
Moving to a new school/community
Trying to do too many activities
Financial problems
Unsafe living/learning environment

12. Adult Stress-Major events Below are the top events that cause adult stress (based on Holmes-Raye scale)
Divorce
Death of a spouse
Marriage
Pregnancy
Purchasing a home
Christmas
Jail term
Death of close relative
Injury or illness
Being fired/terminated from a job
Marriage reconciliation
Retirement

13. Internal Causes of Stress
Not all stress is caused by external pressures or demands. Some times stress is self-generated. Some internal causes of stress include:
Uncertainty
Pessimism
Self-criticism
Trying to always be perfect
Having a low self-esteem
Having unrealistic expectations of oneself
Frustrations
Decisions
Social life

14. Stressful Jobs Five Most Stressful Jobs President of the United States
(based on Jobs Rated Almanac)
President of the United States
Firefighter
Senior corporate executive
Race car driver
Taxi driver

15. (based on Jobs Rated Almanac)
Stressful Jobs
Least Stressful Jobs
(based on Jobs Rated Almanac)
Medical records technician
Janitor
Forklift operator
Musical instrument repairer
Florist

16. Signs of Stress Mental Symptoms Emotional Symptoms
Inability to concentrate
Constant worrying
Having trouble thinking clearly
Memory problems
Having trouble making decisions
Poor judgment
Academic pressures
Emotional Symptoms
Restlessness
Short temper
Impatience
Feeling overwhelmed
Feeling lonely or isolated
Being moody
Being easily agitated or frustrated

17. Signs of Stress (cont’d)
Behavioral Symptoms
Change in eating habits
Change in sleeping habits
Isolation
Procrastinating
Using alcohol/drugs
Grinding teeth
Picking fights
Crying
Irritable
Fatigued
Depressed
Physical Symptoms
Headaches
Backaches
Muscle tension
Diarrhea or constipation
Dizziness, nausea
Chest pains
Increased heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Weigh gain/loss
Skin breakouts
Rapid heartbeat

18. Knowing your learning style can help to reduce your stress level
Knowing your learning style can help to reduce your stress level. What is your learning style?
verbal/linguistic
logical/mathematical
visual/spatial
physical/bodily kinesthetic
auditory/musical

19. Fight or Flight (the body’s biological response to stress)
The body often goes through biological changes to prepare us for emergency action during stressful situations.
When danger is sensed, the hypothalamus (a small part of the brain) sets of a chemical alarm.
The nervous system then releases stress hormones, including adrenaline.
These hormones quickly move through the bloodstream preparing us to either flee the scene or fight it out.
Heart rate increases and flow of blood to the muscles increase.
The digestive and reproductive systems relax because they are not essential to immediate survival in most of these situations.
It is not healthy to stay in this state for extended periods of time—may cause long term shut down of some of bodily functions and/or other major health issues.

20. Stress Management—How to Cope
Change the situation
Avoid the stressor
Alter the stressor
Change your reaction
Accept the stressor
Adapt to the stressor

21. Stress Management Strategy #1
Work on time management
Avoid unnecessary stress
Learn to say no
Avoid people who cause you stress
Cut down on your “to do” list
Learn to prioritize

22. Stress Management Strategy #2
Alter the situation
Change things so the problem may be avoided in the future
May involve changing the way you communicate with others
Express your feelings rather than letting things build up.
Be willing to compromise
Be more assertive
Manage your time better.

23. Stress Management Strategy #3
Accept the things you can’t change
Don’t try to control things that are out of your control
Look at the bright side
Share your feelings
Learn to forgive
Reframe problems
Adjust your standards
Adjust your attitude

24. Stress Management Strategy #4
Adopt a healthy lifestyle
Exercise regularly
Eat healthy
Reduce sugar and caffeine intake
Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs
Get plenty of sleep
Decrease negative self talk and conversations with others
Take a break from stressful situations

25. Stress Management-The bottom line
Learn to love yourself and to have respect for yourself and others.

26. Stress is response to demands placed on us in our lives.
Identify the source of stress
Learn to Prioritize
Change how you handle things - Fix it or Forget it (you do not have control over all things)

27. Things that you do not control
What other people say
What other people do
Race
Death
Gravitational Pull
Wild animals
Birth defects
Day/Night
Plant rotation
Sun
Ocean
If other people like you
The past
History
Tides
Terrorist
Floods
Clouds
Events planned by others.
How tall you will be
Facial features
Weather
Time
Your parents
Your family
When and how much you grow
Your name
Location of your home
Accidents
Natural disasters
Wars
Riots
Gas prices
Laws
Regulations
DNA

28. REMEMBER What we need to face stress is to think clearly.
The biggest cause of stress is you!
Different things cause stress for different people.

29. Remember
Some stress is alright, but too much can hinder your performance.
Five stress control techniques are
Breathing
Muscle relaxation
Think positive
Accept and express feelings
Fix it or forget it!

30. Ways to Manage Stress Add balance to your life
Don’t overdo any one part of your life
Accept who you are
Take “time outs”
Exercise regularly
Watch your breathing
Walk more
Practice relaxation activities
Study daily in each subject
Discuss problems with others

31. Let’s Review 1. What is stress? 2. What causes stress?
3. How can people deal with stress?
4. Is stress good or bad?
5. Does everyone have stress?
6. Is stress the same for teenagers and
adults? Why?
7. What are the types of stress?
8. What is the biggest cause of stress?

32. Our Stress What are the biggest causes of stress for this class?
Students need to make a list of what has caused stress for them this year.
The student’s list will be put together to form a long list that represents the class to see what the biggest cause of stress is for all of you right now.
What can you do about that stress?

33. Causes for Middle School Students
Grades
After school activities
Competitions
People watching you work
Messing up in front of others
Doing something new
Moving to a new school
Parents fighting
Girl/boy friend problems/situations
New experiences
Sibling rivalry
Saying no to friends
Peer pressure
Getting into trouble
What you look like
Having to work faster
No living up to expectations
What others can you add?