Textbook Chapter 4

fear of failure

refers to the disposition to avoid an undertaking because of the anticipation of shame and humiliation upon failing. -Current research reveals that fear of failure develops when individuals perceive others as treating them with high levels of criticism, attack, and neglect, and then treat themselves with correspondingly high levels of self-blame and self-neglect and less self-affirmation and self-love. -High levels of fear of failure have been linked with health problems includ ing headaches and eating disorders as well as reduced motivation and poor job perfor- mance.

cognitive strategies

are designed to influence our thinking, emotions, and well-being. -This approach can include identification of negative thoughts, positive self- talk, and a focus on beliefs and attitudes.

social skills

interacting smoothly, managing interpersonal relationships, handling emotional responses to others, influence, communication, the ability to build bonds with others.

self-awareness

emotional awareness, accurate self-assessment, self-confidence, ability to recognize emotions and their effects on you and others.

bad fear

- is a misreading of a situation. It holds you back instead of propelling you forward. It keeps you from applying your full energies to a situation. -Some of the reasons for this are concern about rejection, making mistakes, taking risks, and failure. Negative fear stifles learning and interferes with decision making; it also prevents you from being yourself and discovering new talents and interests

What are the 2 broad categories of stress management strategies?

-Cognitive strategies -Behavioral strategies

What are some strategies for managing stress?

-Identify your stressors and stress levels. A stressor is a situation, activity, or per- son that causes you to feel stressed, out of control, or frazzled. Stress levels refer to the degree to which you let the source of the stress affect you. It is crucial to understand exactly what your stressors are; in other words, what your "hot buttons" are. What causes you to tense up, feel aggravated, or be angry or resentful? What causes you to get a head- ache or your blood pressure to rise? What causes you to think no one understands you or that there's no way out of a problem you're facing? It's also important to understand your own unique stress levels. How stressed do you get? What causes a severe versus just a regular headache? You cannot manage stress unless you know what causes stress and how those causes are impacting you psychologically, physiologically, and organization- ally. Look at the chart in Figure 4-4 and see if any of these signs of stress look familiar to you. Understanding your stressors—and being able to recognize them before they occur—is an essential skill in stress management. Understanding your stress levels—the degree to which you react to certain stressors—can help you manage your response to stress effectively. -Implement time management skills. For some, feeling a lack of control over a situ- ation causes stress. When this occurs, try to exert some influence over those aspects of a situation that are within your control. Making a change in your environment that reduces the impact of the offending stressor can often do this. For example, if you are feeling work, organize your work space by using files or piles for the various sections of the paper, or play soft music. These changes can help reduce stress levels. -Learn to share and disclose. Being open about your thoughts and feelings—with yourself and with others—is a surprisingly effective technique for reducing stress levels. Sometimes just being able to talk out loud about a situation and how it's affecting you can help you process aspects of the situation in such a way that you develop a new at- titude about or outlook on it. This changed understanding can result in a more positive perspective on the situation. For example, receiving a bad grade on a paper can be viewed negatively—as a disappointment—or positively—as a chance to get some useful feedback from the instructor that could improve your writing in the future. -Keep a journal. Journal writing involves setting aside some time on a regular basis to reflect on what's happening in your life. By writing your thoughts and feelings about and reactions to certain events and people, you can air your emotions about something of significance to you, enabling you to acquire a new perspective on the situation. -Talk to a trusted friend, relative, co-worker, or professional helper such as a resi- dent advisor, counselor, physician, or minister. Talking to someone you respect can be enormously helpful in reducing stress levels. We all get upset at times, making it difficult for us to see things objectively. An empathetic set of ears can help you view things dif- ferently and adopt a perspective you might not have imagined on your own. Counseling and advisory services at work can have a positive impact on understanding and dealing with stress. Saying you could use help does not mean you are ineffective at work. Seek ways to improve your stress management, and as a manager, be aware of when others need help -Use visualization and mental imagery, increasingly popular techniques for reduc- ing stress. "See yourself making the perfect putt on the green." "Picture where you want to be in five years." "See yourself finishing school and driving a new car." These are all examples of visualization and mental imagery—imagining yourself in a situation, playing out how you ideally see yourself behaving and looking, creating a mental picture of your- self and how you'll feel by achieving a goal you've set. The theory behind visualization is "success breeds success." By thinking positively you can at times will yourself to act and behave in a way that gets you where you want to be. -Try mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a relatively new technique for miti- gating the effects of stress. Central to the concept of mindfulness is paying attention, re- ducing distraction, and holding an intended object in mind.34 MBSR is a highly structured educational approach that combines meditation and yoga exercises to help people achieve a greater sense of control, reduce their day-to-day stress, make choices with clarity and awareness, and promote healthy living. This process focuses on what is right in your life and aims at reinforcing human capacities for relaxation, awareness, insight, and behavior change. >>>>Take one or more slow, deep breaths >>>>Practice yoga or meditation >>>>Try progression muscle relaxation (PMR) and guided imagery >>>>Consult an online stress resource -Eat healthy food and exercise regularly. Most scientists and nutritionists agree that proper nutrition and eating habits play a big role in keeping our systems fit. Here are some tips to consider: 1. Try to avoid or restrict consumption of alcohol and caffeine, both of which de- plete the system rather than replenish it. Most nutritionists who treat clients for a variety of stress-related ailments agree this is a top recommendation for stress relief. 2. Eat for energy throughout the day, rather than simply eating for the sake of eating; this can also help you cope with stress. Comfort eating involves eating foods that bring immediate pleasant sensations yet yield little value over the long term. Comfort eating is hard to avoid since many of us find the process so, well, comforting! Unfortunately, comfort eating usually results in indulging in unhealthy foods and in undesirable quantities. Eating for energy is an entirely different mindset. It involves asking yourself throughout the day: How am I doing right now (physically, mentally, and emotionally), and what foods would be helpful? Which foods will help sustain me, and even help me thrive, versus which ones will drain or fatigue me? An example is the midafternoon slump many of us face. Your first choice might be to eat a candy bar, although it would be better to eat a piece of fruit. Not only does fruit supply more energy over a longer period of time, it also provides valuable nutrients and fiber. 3. Create time for relaxation. This might seem impossible to the overworked stu- dent, the multitasking manager, the harried new parent, or the caregiver of an aging parent or ill significant other. Taking at least some time out for you each day, away from the demands of others and the environment, can be rejuvenating and stimulating.

What are some time management strategies?

-Plan and prioritize. Planning is essential to effective time management. The minutes you spend organizing your schedule can save you hours of time during your week. Heed the words of Benjamin Franklin: "Failing to plan is planning to fail." -Get in the habit of preparing "to-do" lists. Make a list of everything you need to do for that day and prioritize the list according to the importance of completing each task. Bear in mind that most people will not complete every item on to-do lists; however, you will accomplish more with a list than without one -Follow the "80/20" rule. An estimated 80 percent of results are achieved from 20 percent of focused time. This includes spending more time doing useful activities, tracking what makes that 20 percent so productive, and making the transition to devoting more time to productive work. -Plan for your time-specific activities and non-time-specific activities. For "time- specific" activities, develop an estimate of the length of time it will take you to complete a certain task, and plan accordingly. This requires self-discipline and allows you to budget your time and accomplish more than you would in a non-time-bound scenario. Also, plan your downtime. Everyone needs a break to rest and recharge. You can actually get more work done if you take several short breaks than if you don't. -Find your optimal working time—referred to as your biological "prime time"—and plan to maximize use of this time by scheduling and doing demanding jobs during these peak periods and less demanding tasks at other times. -Control e-mail. When possible, get key priorities done first, before you check your e-mail. This way you accomplish some important things before being sidetracked with others' priorities. -Prioritize tasks by level of importance: vital, important, should be done today, or can be done tomorrow. Break down complex tasks or projects into manageable steps and set up a time line for completing each step. -Organize. Choose or set up the right environment for the task. This may require you to clear away unnecessary materials, reduce distractions (turn off the phone or close the door), and eliminate environmental interference (heavy traffic or neighbor's music). If all else fails, go to a place such as a library where you can work without distractions. -Delegate. Determine what tasks and activities would be possible to allocate to others. Clearly specify the task and the expected outcomes to ensure they will complete the task without requiring periodic coaching or redoing. -Differentiate between what's urgent and what's important. Most of us expend time on what's urgent—those unplanned events that are often thrust on us by others and beg for your immediate attention. Yet not enough of us invest time on what's important— those priorities that are meaningful and to which we are committed to spending time. Figure 4-2 illustrates the intersection between task and event importance and urgency. Be careful in deciding here. The interruption from one of your children or a roommate—a quadrant activity—might be an investment if you are committed to spending time with your family and friends. The frequent interruption by a co-worker who likes to chat—also a quadrant 3 activity—is probably an expenditure. Responding to that person every time she or he comes in unannounced takes time from the priority on which you're working and sends the message that it's okay to continue interrupting. Often when something comes up that was unplanned, it takes away from what is important. The more time spent on important but not urgent activities (quadrant 2), the better you will be able to manage your time. If you devote time to the important, the urgent will often take care of itself. Learn to focus on the important and manage your ability to keep to the deadlines you have set; this will prevent the important from becoming urgent. -Avoid postponing. Procrastination is one of the biggest time wasters. Unfortunately many times we "put off until tomorrow what we could be doing today." While some people enjoy the adrenaline rush this produces (e.g., waiting until the last minute to write a paper and having to stay up all night to get it done), you will rarely produce your best work operating this way. By waiting until the last minute, many procrastinators find they have been unrealistic about the time required to do the job right. For example, when writ- ing a paper at the last minute, you're likely to have difficulty finding resource materials that are necessary to do a quality job. >>>>Waiting until the last minute leaves you no time to review work, polish it, or ensure that it is accurate >>>>Another consequence is alienating co workers >>>>>>>for example, your co-workers might think of you as one who always waits until the last minute. This not only causes stress for you but also for your co-workers, many of whom might try to avoid working with you again. Avoid this situation by planning and being realistic about what you can and want to achieve

stressor

is a situation, activity, or per- son that causes you to feel stressed, out of control, or frazzled.

behavioral strategies

focus on changing behavior to improve one's situation and can include time management, problem solving, goal planning, and healthy lifestyle adjustment

What does EQ look like?

high -Is self aware of impact on others -Controls emotions -Concerned about others -Optimistic low -Not aware of how impacts others -Moody -Concerned about self -Pessimistic

procrastination

intentionally deferring or delaying work that must be completed -can also cause an internal conflict over what a person should do and what he or she wants to do. -Although common, with 95 percent of us procrastinating sometimes, for the 25-40 percent of people who routinely procrastinate, the practice of doing so can create serious problems. -It is usually associated with avoidance behavior—avoiding necessary action to complete a task—and can be used as a type of coping mechanism to delay an unpleasant task.

stress

is an upset in the body's balance in reaction to an adverse or disturbing event. -Hans Selye, a pioneer in stress research, defines stress as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it. -Stress comes about not from an event, such as failing an exam or winning the lottery, but from how we respond to it. -The sources of stress vary from person to person. >>>>Stress can be derived from external factors such as traffic jams or an ineffective or inefficient work environment. >>>>Stress also stems from internal factors such as our emotional state, our perspective on life, or the way we choose to respond to various situations or demands.

distress

is negative and results in debilitat-ing effects. -Aka bad stress

fear

one of the most basic of human emotions. -It is part of your body's natural alarm system that helps you react physically and mentally to danger and threat or the anticipation of danger and threat.

stress tolerance

our ability to cope with changing conditions and unexpected negative events. -For example, One person might be elated upon being promoted, while another might be traumatized at the prospect -Regardless of level of tolerance, it is important to realize that negative stress can do harm and may manifest itself in physiological, psychological, and social disorders.

stress management

refers to your efforts to change perceptions and behavior when external and internal demands exceed personal resources. -Stress, when not understood or managed, can result in a variety of responses, including physiological, psychological, and organizational.

eustress

stress that generates enthusiasm and productivity

self-management

the effort to exert control over your decision making and behavior by assessing problems and developing specific goals and strategies to structure your environment to address those problems. -Because self-management is a learned rather than an innate trait, you have the opportunity to enhance your individual performance through self-management training -Being able to manage yourself is a lifelong process. It requires self-awareness and a continued willingness to make changes in your attitudes and behavior. In order to be an effective manager, it is important to be an effective self-manager -Requires a strong degree of emotional intelligence

worry

the internal struggle to devise a strategy to escape the threat.

self-regulation

the long-term commitment to control and regulate your impulses, emotions, performance, and other behaviors, is critical to reap the benefits of any stress management approach. -Pursuing long-term strategies, as opposed to responding only to the immediate environment, can produce significant benefits.

self-regulation

self-control, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, adaptability, innovation, ability to manage disruptive emotions and impulses.

80/20 rule

An estimated 80 percent of results are achieved from 20 percent of focused time. This includes spending more time doing useful activities, tracking what makes that 20 percent so productive, and making the transition to devoting more time to productive work. -Method for managing time

distress

a form of stress that is counter productive and dampens your spirits and negatively impacts mental or physical health

eustress

is positive, presents opportunity for personal growth or satisfaction, and pushes people to higher performance.

time famine

the feeling we have too much to do and not enough time to do it, is prevalent in a work environment that has increased employee responsibility through empowerment and autonomy. -managers who are able to stay current with these changes and adopt appropriate response strategies to these changes are more likely to succeed—and to help their employees succeed as well. -if you're constantly running from one high-priority task to another, it's likely you'll soon be either suffering from burnout (when you're too fatigued to have an interest in the things on which you're spending time) or doing everything only marginally.

important

those priorities that are meaningful and to which we are committed to spending time -Not enough people invest time in this

True or false? One of the most common barriers to interpersonal effectiveness is fear

true

Describe an organizational response to stress:

--Stress takes a toll on organizations in many ways, including decreased performance, low morale, resistance to teamwork, absenteeism, theft, sabotage, burnout, higher health care costs, and high employee turnover. -At an extreme, stress filled organizations may experience rage and violence -Some studies have tried to as- sign a dollar value to the impact of organizational stress on the economy, with some estimates at around $300 billion a year. -the goals should be made clear to all concerned. The link between the intervention being suggested and the individual's situation should be assessed at the outset. The organization should identify those most at risk, and success should be determined in the context of the organization's environment -Some organizations have developed stress man-agement programs for their employees. Most stress management programs fall into one of four categories. >>>>Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) generally involve offering profes- sional counseling services to employees. >>>>Stress Management Training (SMT) focuses on preventive courses or programs offering employees training in stress reduction skills such as mediation, relaxation procedures, and stress awareness and understanding. Stress Re- duction Intervention >>>>(SRI) programs attempt to change the intensity and type of stressors impacting employees and may include job rotation, job enrichment, employee empower- ment, goal setting, and regular feedback. >>>>Health Promotion Programs (HPPs) are gener- ally designed to educate employees about the physical and mental benefits of leading a healthier lifestyle and often include medical screening, exercise and fitness programs, and health club memberships.

What are some key impacts of EQ in leadership?

-Reduced depression, greater optimism, and less impulsiveness—These behaviors help managers deal with difficult situations, improve decision making, and positively affect employees' work attitudes. -Increased concern for mastering skills and tasks—Conscientious leaders strive for personal improvement and facilitate and develop that capability in others, ensuring that people are challenged to develop their own solutions to challenges and that they are supported in doing so. -Improved facilitation of adaptation and change—Emotional intelligence allows leaders to gain power and become catalysts for change. -Increased influence on positive teaming—Emotionally intelligent individuals utilize social skills and can moderate their behavior and influence others to collaborate, build bonds, and communicate on team-based efforts. -The development of transformational leadership—Leaders who have a strong sense of self and strong convictions in their beliefs are able to provide vision and encourage development and motivation in others

What are the 5 components of emotional intelligence?

-Self-awareness -Self-regulation -Motivation -Empathy -Social skills

What are the benefits of emotional intelligence?

-People who successfully apply EQ create win-win relationships and outcomes for themselves and others, and can develop growing networks of healthy social relationships and emotional support structures. >>>>In some interesting recent research, EQ is calculated to account for 58 percent of workplace performance in all types of jobs and is the "single big- gest predictor of performance in the workplace and the strongest driver of leadership and personal excellence. -EQ helps us to understand our levels of key emotional responses such as self-control, zeal, and persistence, and the ability to use our emotions, feelings, and moods and those of others to adapt and navigate in society. >>>>A guiding principle of emotional intelligence is that having and expressing emotions is a good thing >>>>expressing emotions, especially in the business world, requires an innate sense of what's appropriate to say, when, where, and with whom. -EQ allows you to develop an awareness of your feelings and emotions and use them in appropriate ways. >>>>Your level of emotional intelligence—the degree to which you are savvy about the use of emotions when communicating with others—is a huge factor in your ability to be successful. >>>>EQ is considered by some to be just as important as or even more important than IQ, one's "intelligence quotient." IQ and EQ involve different parts of the brain. IQ affects our ability to reason, to process information, to think analytically. >>>>EQ affects our ability to use emotions in relating to others at work and in our personal lives. Important criteria for professional success in any field are the "people" skills that are derived from understanding our emotions and responses to working with others. >>>>This type of self-knowledge is critical to your ability to relate to others and make decisions about your life and work. >>>>EQ is a quality you can actually learn about and improve. -An enhanced EQ is also a positive factor in being able to work cross-culturally. >>>>EQ requires a high degree of self-monitoring, which as we learned in chapter 2 is an individual's ability to adjust his or her behavior to external factors. >>>>High self-monitors are more willing and able to adapt their behaviors to those of a host country than are low self-monitors. -Understanding your levels of emotional intelligence is essential for self-awareness. By knowing how you presently function when dealing with your emotions in situations with others, you can develop new goals, behaviors, and attitudes toward yourself as well as others. >>>>Working to increase your emotional intelligence can help you do this. In the process, you can become a better manager as well as a better person

What are some strategies for increasing EQ?

1. Be candid—assess yourself realistically. Think of situations when you've been at your best—and your worst. What can you do to acknowledge your weaknesses and work on them? How can you place yourself in activities that play to and help foster your strengths? 2. Ask for feedback. At the conclusion of a class or work project, ask a classmate, teammate, or supervisor to let you know what you did well, and what you can improve. 3. Be self-confident. Know your abilities. Stretch—but don't overstretch by taking on tasks for which you lack the necessary skills. 4. Don't overreact when things don't go your way. Objectively look at the situation, gather the facts, and determine rationally the best way to approach the situation or present a solution. 5. Take time to choose an appropriate course of action. Don't react impulsively. 6. Accept and develop skill in coping with ambiguity and change. These are hallmarks of most successful organizations and managers today. 7. Be motivated by a strong internal desire to achieve for the sake of achievement, not (just) for material success. 8. Track your progress. Always be aware of the results you are seeking; don't simply focus on the task itself. 9. Consider others in all of your decisions. "No man is an island." Understand others and take their needs into account when you make decisions. 10. Take time for people. Some of the best managers are known for "walking around" on a regular basis. Take time out from studies or work to develop a rapport with your classmates or colleagues. Time spent cultivating friendships with others at schools or work is time well spent.

motivation

zeal, achievement drive, commitment, initiative, optimism, and the ability to remain persistent in the face of adversity.

time management

the ability to allocate your time and resources to accomplishing your objectives. -Skill in managing how you spend your time allows you to prioritize and accomplish more goals in life, resulting in a sense of well-being because you are able to see the fruits of your labors. >>>>It gives you a chance to achieve a balance between work and personal life that can be more satisfying, as opposed to restricting your activi- ties to one arena at the expense of the other. -Effective managers find that time management increases productivity. >>>>The popular saying "Work smarter, not harder" applies here. >>>>By focusing your energy on well-chosen activities, you can actually see your results. >>>>This in itself can be motivating, which can then increase your drive to achieve even more. -Managing our time also reduces stress levels. >>>>Taking control of your time means taking control of your life. >>>>This results in a feeling that you are in charge. -Time management gives you more time to enjoy the activities that are important to you, such as spending time with family, socializing, reading, exercising, and doing favorite hobbies. >>>>This means you are better able to enjoy a varied, textured life. >>>>As human beings, we have many dimensions. >>>>We are not meant to simply work. Most of us have the need to be many things—a friend, a partner, a family member, part of a community. As you incorporate many elements of life into one, each of those elements is enhanced by your involvement in the others.

True or false? Too little stress can be detrimental as too much stress

true

empathy

understanding others, service orientation, developing others, leveraging diversity, political awareness, the ability to read and respond to others' feelings.

urgent events

unplanned events that are often thrust on us by others and beg for your immediate attention -What most people expend time on

How is being able to understand and harness emotions important for improved workplace performance?

-EQ to be twice as important as IQ and technical skills at all job levels. Without it, a person can have the best training in the world, an incisive, analytical mind, and an endless supply of smart ideas, but he or she still won't make a great leader.5 Goleman also concludes that EQ plays an even more substantial role in success at higher-level positions -On an individual level, self-regulation, self-awareness, and motivation have been posi- tively associated with concern for quality, problem-solving ability, and ability to manage conflicts. -Ranking high on these dimensions suggests an individual will exhibit effective behaviors at work. Being able to interpret the emotions of others, empathy, social skills, and group work skills increase the effectiveness of organizational managers and leaders. In today's organizations, it is important to be flexible, responsive to change, and able to react quickly by sizing up people and situations and being decisive. -Developing these skills will result in you becoming an "involved employee"6—one who is empowered and equipped to be effective in your role and to help others with theirs

What are the 4 categories of stress related programs put on by orgs?

-Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) generally involve offering profes- sional counseling services to employees. -Stress Management Training (SMT) focuses on preventive courses or programs offering employees training in stress reduction skills such as mediation, relaxation procedures, and stress awareness and understanding. Stress Re- duction Intervention -(SRI) programs attempt to change the intensity and type of stressors impacting employees and may include job rotation, job enrichment, employee empower- ment, goal setting, and regular feedback. -Health Promotion Programs (HPPs) are gener- ally designed to educate employees about the physical and mental benefits of leading a healthier lifestyle and often include medical screening, exercise and fitness programs, and health club memberships.

What are some hints for overcoming fear of failure?

-Look at failure as an event, not a reflection on you personally. -Remind yourself that everyone experiences failure. -Look for the "why" and find a solution. -Ask yourself what you learned. -Associate with positive people and abolish fear and failure statements. -Create a new environment. -Access new information; let adversity become advantage. -Create a new perspective or mindset—develop new "self-talk"—for instance, background thoughts. -Take one step at a time; keep moving forward

So how can you overcome procrastination?

-You must first be aware of your tendency to procrastinate and evaluate the reasons for avoiding the necessary task. -You can then work on changing your behavior by making the task more pleasant or less threatening. -Planning and directing action to the long-term outcome may redirect your energy. -Commit to evaluating periodically how you use your time. -Do time audits—reexamine your goals and whether you allocate time appropriately to achieve them. -To keep your schedule organized, reasonable, and attainable, incorporate tasks that are important to you. -A balance between discipline and flexibility is key. Stay focused on your overall pri- orities (remember the 80/20 rule), while continually monitoring your progress and revis- ing your plans as necessary.

Describe the manager's role in EQ:

1. Assess "emotional impact" of jobs—Managers need to be aware of the emotional pressures associated with particular jobs when designing job assignments. 2. Create a positive and friendly emotional climate—Managers need to recognize that workers need a supportive environment; work should not be a cold place devoid of concern for its members. 3. Properly reward and compensate—Through appropriately developed reward and compensation systems, managers can encourage a positive emotional climate. 4. Select appropriate employees and team members—Managers need to base selection of employees and team members on their record of utilizing a positive emotional attitude. 5. Provide EQ training—Managers need to develop training to increase employee EQ and encourage positive emotional responses.

anxiety

a preoccupation with an anticipated threat

psychological response

are not always as readily identifiable as physiological responses. -Depression, sudden bursts of violence or anger, anxiety, chemical dependency, alcohol abuse, overeating, withdrawal, and phobias are examples of psychological reactions to stressful situations

emotional intelligence

commonly referred to as EQ, helps us to use emotions as guiding tools for interpersonal effectiveness in social environments. -EQ involves using your mental capabilities to understand your own and others' current emotions correctly and to use those emotions wisely to produce personally and socially desirable outcomes. -Has 5 parts -Is integral for self-management

anticipatory fear

describes fear and worry around bad things that could happen. It can happen in a lot of different contexts, but it commonly focuses on things you can't predict or control. -Has 2 components: anxiety and worry -The body's reaction to fear, while perfectly normal, can be unpleasant and can include a racing heart, hyperventilation, dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, and a change in blood circulation that can send a chill down the spine. Fear can also weaken our ability to concentrate and cause anxiety disorders.

physiological response

is one in which physical problems develop as a result of mental anguish. -Many occupations are high-stress and have negative effects on employees. -For example, job stress detracts nurses from qualitative working lives, enhances physical morbidity, and contributes toward physical illness, such as musculoskeletal problems and depression -Heart disease, high blood pressure, bulimia, anorexia nervosa, migraine headaches, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, asthma, diabetes, allergies, skin disorders, high cholesterol levels, and weakened body defenses are some examples of physical condi- tions that are often brought on by mental stress. -The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recognized stress-related physiological disorders as the leading cause of worker disability in the country today. Forty percent say their work load is excessive and they have too much pressure at work

good fear

maintains your alertness and vigilance. -Based on knowledge, reason, and instincts, good fear keeps you from danger or harmful situations. -Sometimes good fear can actually "adrenalize" you. -For example, in public speaking, a little nervousness is actually good—it can enhance your vitality and enthusiasm.

organizational stress

or work-related stress is the "adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed on them -effects include job dissatisfaction, absenteeism, turnover, accidents, low morale, poor in- interpersonal relations, low productivity, and poor customer service. -Stress caused by organizational problems is often difficult to manage, as the factors causing the stress are rarely under our control. -Some jobs are highly stressful because of the nature of the work—the jobs of air traffic controllers, dentists, and coal miners are examples. -Even businesses that are not commonly viewed as stressful are now prone to high-stress levels, especially after so many businesses have experienced drastic downsizing. In addition, employees are working more hours now than they were in the 1960s. High e-mail volume is also a factor. -Business e-mail users now send and receive an average of 71 e-mails per day, with some receiving upwards of 200, and these numbers are only expected to rise -Irrelevant e-mails currently waste three and a half years of a manager's work life.1 -Work-family conflict is another area associated with stress. The belief that we must "do it all" has led to high levels of stress. >>>>The changes in the U.S. labor force, with an increase in dual-worker families and single-parent families, have given rise to conflict over balancing the demands of work and the needs of the family. >>>>Over half of high-level executives surveyed ranked feeling "overextended" and concern for work-life balance as the top causes of stress.Finding a balance between the roles of the family caretaker (which includes taking care of a spouse, parents, children, and/or siblings) and the worker is necessary to reduce stress and its potential consequences (absenteeism, turnover, job dissatisfaction, family conflict, and life dissatisfaction). >>>>Individuals, as well as the managers and organizations for which they work, must address eliminating the potential for role conflict.

Describe some of the physiological, psychological, and social disorders that result from stress:

physical disorders to which stress can contribute are: -high blood pressure, migraine headaches, heartburn, frequent illness, insomnia, persistent fatigue, and binge eating and drinking. psychological disorders -including anxiety, depression, anger, feelings of loneliness and inadequacy, chemical dependencies and abuse, and lack of concentration. -If the negative stress in your life outpaces your coping skills in stress reduction and weakens your resilience, you should not hesitate to seek professional assistance -Psychological problems are much better understood today than in the recent past. Various drugs and other therapies are available for treating a wide variety of problems. -Psychological prob-lems are best dealt with by consulting a professional such as a counselor or therapist. These professionals can help individuals suffering psychological effects of stress by helping them understand these situations and manage their response to them more effectively

stress levels

refer to the degree to which you let the source of the stress affect you. It is crucial to understand exactly what your stressors are; in other words, what your "hot buttons" are. -What causes you to tense up, feel aggravated, or be angry or resentful? What causes you to get a head- ache or your blood pressure to rise? What causes you to think no one understands you or that there's no way out of a problem you're facing? It's also important to understand your own unique stress levels. How stressed do you get? What causes a severe versus just a regular headache?