Module 4: Time and Stress Management

What are common external and internal causes of stress?

External: work, major life changes, financial problems, etc. Internal: negative self-talk, pessimism, perfectionism, etc.

T or F: Most people respond to stressful situations in a similar manner.

False

T or F: The goal for managing the stress in our lives should be to eliminate it.

False

What are the two types of activities that can be both urgent and important?

The two types of activities that are both urgent and important are activities that may have not been foreseen, and activities that have been left to the last minute.

Describe three common reasons for why people procrastinate.

Three common reasons people procrastinate are lack of relevance, ambiguity, and the inability to handle the task.

What role can prioritizing play in helping one manage their time effectively?

allows you to see what tasks are more important at each moment and to give those tasks more of your energy, attention, and time

What are some strategies for dealing with activities in each quadrant?

avoid having last minute activities, set a time to work on things that are not important, leave plenty of time to do tasks properly so that they do not become urgent, avoid activities that are a distraction

What are the 4 As?

avoid the stressor, alter the stressor, adapt the stressor, accept the stressor

What are the 6 stress management strategies?

avoid unnecessary stress, alter the situation, adapt to the stressor, accept the things you can't change, make time for fun and relaxation, adopt a healthy lifestyle

What are strategies for managing your time appropriately?

be realistic in categorizing your time; personal time spent in relaxation is as important as the rest of your day; break times at work are personal times; delegate some daily chores to the weekend; learn to multi-task; divide large tasks into small ones; don't be afraid to ask for help; mark your place; start making lists

What is time management? Why is it important for both a person's personal and professional life?

Time management is the ability to recognize and solve personal time management problems; allows you to be in control of your time and life, and your stress and energy levels.

What are the physical and psychological effects of chronic stress on the body?

it can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase risk of heart attack or stroke, lead to anxiety or depression

What is a stress journal?

journal that can help you identify the regular stressors in your life by writing down the stress when it occurs

What time management strategies that are specific for college students?

keep long-term goals in sight, schedule everything you know about, start tomorrow at the end of today, work your plan, do the tough stuff first, break things down to the ridiculous, rules were made to be bent, there is always tomorrow

What are some ways a person can identify their true sources of stress?

look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses; i.e. looking at stress as temporary (even though it is not), describing it as an integral part of your environment or part of your personality, blaming stress on others or outside events

T or F: Peer pressure can be a highly effective strategy for combating procrastination.

True

T or F: Stress can be a positive influence in our lives.

True

What is stress? What is the body's stress response?

physical response to events that make you fell threatened or that upset your balance in some way. "Fight-or-flight" reaction; it helps you stay focused energetic, and alert

What steps can you take to help you deal with and control procrastination?

recognize that you're procrastinating, figure out why you are procrastinating, adopt anti-procrastination strategies

What are unhealthy coping strategies that people commonly use to deal with stress?

smoking, drinking too much, overeating or undereating, zoning out for hours in front of TV or computer, using pills or drugs to relax, etc.

The "Urgent/Important Matrix" is a tool that can help a person:

Prioritize their activities

One of the most important aspects of successful time management is:

Prioritizing

What is procrastination? How is it related to effective time management?

Pushing things off that you should be focusing on in the present; this can disrupt time management as it results in tasks being put off to the last minute

What are some typical work or personal activities that could fall into each of the four quadrants?

Quad 1: paying rent Quad 2: trim dog/cat nails Quad 3: limited event Quad 4: watching TV

When it comes to the urgent/important matrix, people who manage their time appropriately will spend the majority of their time in:

Quadrant II

Time-wasting activities typically fall into _______________ of the time management matrix.

Quadrant IV

How can stress be both positive and negative?

Stress can compel us into action or motivate us to get work done; it can also result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression.

What are factors that influence our ability to tolerate stress?

your support network, your sense of control, your attitude and outlook, your ability to deal with your emotions, your knowledge and preparation