People react to external stimuli internally. Stress is an emotional and/or physical reaction to environmental activities and events. Some stress helps improve performance by challenging and motivating us. Many people perform best under some pressure. When deadlines are approaching, their adrenaline flows and they rise to the occasion with top-level performance. In order to meet deadlines, managers often have to apply pressure to themselves and their employees. This is called eustress. However, too much stress or chronic stress is often harmful to the individual and to the organization.

Situations in which too much pressure exists are known as stressors. Stressors are situations in which people feel anxiety, tension, and pressure. Stressors are events and situations to which people must adjust, and the impact of the stressor and how people react depend on the circumstances and on each person’s physical and psychological characteristics. Stress is an individual matter. In a given situation one person may be very comfortable while another feels stress. Too much stress over an extended period of time can have negative consequences.

Balancing Act – Worksheet

Since stress is a fact of life, we must all learn how to cope with it. Each of us can help maintain good physical and mental health by learning how to balance the negative stressors in our lives with stress reduction techniques. These techniques involve both positive behaviors and positive attitudes. Picture your life as a seesaw. Too many negative stressors can pull you close to the ground. Positive stress reducers keep us in balance – or even lift us high in the air. Respond to the following true or false questions as honestly as you can.

1. True___ False ___  I set unrealistic goals for myself.
2. True___ False ___  I feel rested when I wake up in the morning.
3. True___ False ___  I am anxious about my personal finances.
4. True___ False ___  I have a support network of co-workers, friends and family.
5. True___ False ___  I eat foods that are high in calories, saturated fats and low in fiber.
6. True___ False ___  I set my priorities and pace out my day.
7. True___ False ___  I suffer from low self-esteem due to the way I perceive my physical appearance, education, family background, job skills, etc.
8. True___ False ___  I follow a prescribed exercise routine.
9. True___ False ___  I drink, smoke or take other drugs.
10.  True___ False ___  I practice relaxation techniques – yoga, mediation, self-hypnosis, visualization, etc.

SCORING: Odd numbered statements, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, indicate negative stressors in your life. For each of these that you marked True, give yourself minus 10 points. Add up the score to get your total minus points.

Even numbered statements, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 indicate Stress Reducers in your life. For each of these that you marked True, give yourself plus 10 points. Add up the score to get your total positive points.

Add your minus points and your positive points together (Example: -50 added to a +40 equals a –10). See whether you came in on the plus side or negative side of the balance. A high positive score means you’re ahead of the game in reducing stress. A high negative score indicates a red alert. You need to start practicing stress reduction techniques now. A low negative score, low positive score or a zero means there is ample room for improvement in your stress reduction techniques.

Our next post will give you some ideas on how to address these negative stress factors