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2002 Volunteer Leader Training Guide
Stress Management
Printer Friendly Version (PDF)
Including Handouts
Introduction
• Objectives
• Target Audience
• Suggested Activity
• Major Teaching Points
• Closing
• Optional Fact Sheet
• References
Introduction
Stress is with us all the time. It comes from mental, emotional
and/or physical activity. It is unique and personal to each one of us. So
personal, in fact, that what may be relaxing to one person may be stressful to
another. Appropriate stress is healthy and useful; it's only when that stress
becomes overwhelming does it become distress. This session will focus on what
causes stress and different ways we can learn to cope with it.
Objectives
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To provide participants with information on the
stages of stress and how our bodies react differently to stress.
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To provide participants with different ways to
cope with stress.
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To provide participants with ideas for time
management skills and easy relaxation techniques.
Target Audience
Suggested Activity
Pass around a sheet of paper and a pencil/pen for each
participant. Ask participants to make a list of all the stress they have in
their lives. This is for their eyes only. When they are finished, have them
study their list. Then crumple the paper into a ball and throw it over their
shoulder. Did that relieve any of your stress? Maybe, but probably not. Your
stress is still there; you've done nothing to eliminate it.
It is very difficult to balance all the stress in your life. The
effects of stress can affect your physical, mental, emotional and social
functions. Knowing what causes the stress in your life will help you to better
manage it.
Suggested Activity
Fill a large plastic tub full of warm water. You will need 15-20
ping pong balls for the activity. You will need one volunteer from the group to
help you with the activity. The object of the activity is to ask your audience
to call out different stresses they have in their lives. Each time you hear a
stress called from the audience, you place a ping pong ball in the water. Your
volunteer is to try and hold all of the ping pong balls together and under
water. Continue until all of the ping pong balls are in the tub of water.
This can be very overwhelming, just like all the stress we face
in our lives. You must find a way to balance all of the activities that may
contribute to your own stress.
How might our volunteer have been more successful at this task?
When feeling overwhelmed, we must 1) get help from others and 2) not take on
anymore. Where do most of the balls (stress) come from - work or personal life?
Remember that "when it rains in the workplace, people get wet at home." Are all
balls (tasks) equally important to keep control of?
Major Teaching Points
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Stress is defined as our body's physical and
emotional reaction to circumstances or events that scare,
aggravate, confuse, excite or endanger us.
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Your body creates extra energy to protect you
when you are stressed. This additional energy can build up and
create an overload. When the additional energy is not used, it
creates an imbalance within your system.
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Research has divided the body's reactions to
stress into three stages.
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Stage 1: Alarm Stage - Certain hormones are
pumped into the bloodstream, which speeds up the heart rate,
increases respiration and slows down digestive activity. The
body is ready for either fight or flight. Such a situation can
lead to stress-related illnesses such as ulcers, headaches,
backaches, palpitations of the heart, rashes and various other
ailments.
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Stage 2: Resistance and Adaptation - The body
tries to repair the damage caused in stage one and bring the
body back to a "normal condition." It is only when stress
is not positively dealt with that the third stage occurs.
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Stage 3: Exhaustion: A person's body cannot be
stressed all the time. Release must occur or illness may result.
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It is important to learn how our body reacts to
stress and how it responds to the demands. Recognizing the early
signs of stress and then taking action can make an important
difference in our quality of life.
-
Handout 1: Personal Stress Symptoms - Take a few minutes to
check your own personal stress symptoms. This will help you
become aware of what your body is trying to tell you. Once you
know what these symptoms are, you can begin to listen to your
body and take better care of yourself.
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In a study conducted by Raymond Flannery, he
found that people who seldom become ill, rarely miss
appointments and seem to be in control of their lives do the
following things:
- Take personal control and responsibility over events in
their lives.
- Are committed to a goal.
- Use few substances and/or
chemicals.
- Are active.
- Had strong bonds to other people.
These people are known as stress resistant or the "unbreakables."
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Now that we've defined stress and it's three
stages and what our own personal stress systems are, let's
examine some ways to cope with stress.
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Learning to cope with stress is the key. No one
can do anything else about your personal stress but YOU!
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Handout 2: Coping With Stress - This handout provides you
with some examples of ways to cope with stress. This is not a
comprehensive list. There are many different things that may
help reduce your stress that are not on this list. What do you
do that helps you deal with your own personal stress?
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Time management is another way to help you cope
with stress. Learning how to manage time means determining what
is most important and learning to balance all the different
roles you have each and every day.
Handout 3: Time Management will provide you with useful tips.
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Handout 4: Easy Relaxation Techniquess - Try these easy
relaxation techniques when you're stressed. These relaxation
techniques do not require a lot of time, but a nice quiet place
where you can get comfortable is best. Just finding a few
minutes to relax can help you reduce your stress.
Closing
There is no one remedy or method to reduce stress that will work
for everyone. You must decide what works best for you. Remember to find coping
techniques that meet your own personal needs. Robert Frost said, "In three words
I can sum up everything about life. It goes on."
In closing, on your second sheet of paper, write down one to two
techniques you plan to try when you are stressed. Put this somewhere where it
will help you to remember to take care of yourself.
Optional Fact Sheet
Managing Stress, FSHEI27, by Dr. Betty Youngman, Extension
Specialist-Family Life, and Charlotte Mills Fant, Extension Health Education
Specialist. 1999. University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
References
Managing Stress, FSHEI27, by Dr. Betty Youngman,
Extension Specialist-Family Life, and Charlotte Mills Fant, Extension Health
Education Specialist. 1999. University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension
Service.
Traci A. Johnston, Child Care Assistant
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