bc,Living with Stress,December 1998,Copyright 1998 Bain & Company, Inc.,Author:,Contributor:,Steven Anderson,Dianna Magnani,2,LivingwithStress,Agenda,What is Stress? Negative Stress Overload Symptoms Managing Stress Defining Your Life Purpose Conducting a Personal Inventory Minimizing Vulnerability to Negative Stress Identifying Stress Trigger Events Stress Management Techniques Key Takeaways,3,LivingwithStress,Definition of Stress,Stress is a normal and natural phenomenon in our lives. It is the natural conflict, opposition, or resistance that occurs in our body as we continually adjust to our changing environment and life.,4,LivingwithStress,The Role of Perceptions,Perceptions,Internal Demands,responsibilities obligations self criticism,External Demands,work family social,environment financial,Attitudes, values, and beliefs,Stress response,Past experiences,Stress results from our perceptions of an event. An event, in and of itself, is not stressful. It is our perception of the event that activates our bodys stress response.,5,LivingwithStress,The bodys normal physiological reaction to stress is as follows:,Stress Response,Event,Perceptions,Body releases stress hormones causing the “Fight or Flight” response,Body discharges energy by fighting, fleeing or expressing emotion,Body induces relaxation, reversing previous reactions,6,LivingwithStress,Personal Integrity and Life Purpose,Positive stress is healthy and results from events that are in alignment with our personal integrity and/or our true purpose in life. Negative stress is destructive and results from events that are not in alignment.,Personal integrity:,Life purpose:,Having personal integrity means living true to a set of values, beliefs, and principles that give direction, balance, and focus to your life.,Every individual has a purpose in life that is completely unique. Our most important job in life is to discover and then fulfill our personal purpose. Some people know what their purpose is early in life; others discover it over time - their purpose is revealed to them very much like the clues in a treasure hunt, one clue at a time.,7,LivingwithStress,Positive vs. Negative Stress,Positive and negative stress impact us very differently.,Positive Stress,Negative Stress,Provides the tension necessary to make us stronger Gears us up to meet the demands of a situation Compels us to action,Wears us down Can lead to feelings of mistrust, anger, rejection, or depression Can lead to minor or serious illness,Deadlines, competition, confrontations, and even our frustrations and sorrows, can add depth or excitement to our lives,Doing things that we dread to do can sap our energy and cloud our judgment,8,LivingwithStress,Signs of Stress,Signs of Positive Stress,Signs of Negative Stress,Sense of excitement,Ability to get a lot of things done and be naturally charged to take on more,Feeling that time is passing by quickly because you are fully engaged in the activity,Belief that things happen with ease,Feeling that extraordinary results are produced, almost as if by magic,Feeling healthy,Sense of dread, resentment, anger or frustration,Feeling drained of energy,Feeling that time drags on. You are aware of time ticking away or you are watching the clock as you laboriously work on an activity,Belief that almost everything is a struggle, a fight,Feeling that predictable results are produced and only after much suffering,Feeling lethargic, sickly, or depressed,Ability to experience a full range of emotions,Feeling stuck in one type of emotion,Sense of peace and rightness with life,Sense of chaos and confusion in life,Here are some common signs of positive and negative stress.,9,LivingwithStress,Agenda,What is Stress? Negative Stress Overload Symptoms Managing Stress Defining Your Life Purpose Conducting a Personal Inventory Minimizing Vulnerability to Negative Stress Identifying Stress Trigger Events Stress Management Techniques Key Takeaways,10,LivingwithStress,Most people can deal with a small amount of negative stress regularly or a large amount for a short time. If you are experiencing the following negative stress overload symptoms, you may have gone beyond your optimal level.,Negative Stress Overload Symptoms (1 of 2),Many colds Frequent bouts of flu Allergies Many low grade infections Hives Feeling generally unwell or sick Sores in mouth Strep throat Mononucleosis,Poor memory Daydreaming Indecisiveness Mental confusion Racing thoughts Conviction that everything turns our for the worst Difficulty falling asleep Poor judgment Difficulty concentrating Preoccupation,Feeling that things are getting out of control Anxiety or panic Frustration Anger and irritation Feeling desperate, hopeless Feeling trapped, helpless Feeling blue or depressed Feeling guilty Feeling self-conscious Feeling restless,Immune System,Cognitive System,Emotional System,11,LivingwithStress,Negative Stress Overload Symptoms (2 of 2),Sympathetic Nervous System,Muscula