Knowing Your Goal on Stress Managements
Stress Management
The goal of stress management is not merely stress reduction. After all, wouldn’t life be boring without stress? As mentioned earlier, there is a tendency to think of stressful events or stressors as negative (such as the injury or death of a loved one) but stressors are negative (such as the injury or death of a loved one) but stressors are often positive. For instance, getting a new home or a promotion at work brings with it the stress of change of status and new responsibilities. The physical exertion of a good workout, the excitement of doing something challenging for the first time, or the pleasure of watching a beautiful sunset are all examples of positive stress. Distress or negative stress occurs when you perceive that the challenge facing you is dangerous, difficult, painful, or unfair, and you are concerned that you may lack the resources to cope with it. You can actually increase your ability tı deal with distress by integrating into your everyday life positive activities such as solving challenging problems, practicing regular exercise and relaxation, keeping enjoyable social contacts, following sensible dietary practices, and engaging in optimistic and rational thinking, humor, and play.
Research shows that the performance and efficiency actually improve with increased stress, until performance peaks as the stress level becomes too great. Stress management involves finding the right types and amounts of stress, given your individual personality, priorities, and life situation, so that you can maximize your performance and satisfaction. By using the tools presented in this workbook, you can learn how to cope more effectively with distress as well as add more positive stress or stimulating challenges, pleasure, and excitement to your life.
