Arizona State University Stress Management Page 1 of 5Joana PabedinskasNow that you understand stress and it’s causes better, I want to provide you specific waysto apply this understanding. In Part Two, you are provided with a basic overview of stress management. In this section, you will learn about skills that can help you set the stage for successful stress management.My name is Joana Pabedinskas. I am a health educator senior for wellness and health promotion at ASU in Tempe. I will be your instructor for Part Three of this course.You have learned that the top stressers of ASU students include academic responsibilities,being overcommitted, financial concerns, romantic relationships, and work commitments.You have also learned that academic success is impeded by these and other stress related factors including over commitment, sleep difficulties, concern for a troubled friend or family member, relationship difficulties, depression and related disorders, and financial concerns.Information about what causes stress can provide insight in how to prevent, manage, or overcome stressful situations. The skills covered in this section set the stage for stress management. These skills provide support for a variety of common stressers. Like with any skills, the more you practice, the better prepared you will be to use these skills different or in any situation where they are needed.Becoming more mindful can help reduce stress, help you to think more positively, and reduce worry. Keep in mind that most of what people worry about never happens. The book The Present by Spencer Johnson is a good resource for those who would like to read further about staying in the moment or staying in the present. The Present is an engaging story of a young main striving to obtain happiness and fulfillment in his life. His search for these elusive gifts is told in an insightful story of discovery. View the notes page if you would like information about this book.Maintaining a positive outlook can help you to succeed. When success is frustrated, it can be a source of stress. Please repeat these positive statements, and think about what they mean to you. It might be helpful to say these statements when you are starting something new.Belief at the beginning of anything is the one thing that will ensure success.What the mind can see and believe, it can achieve.If it is up to me, it will be.Do you dream about your life after you graduate? What do you need to do to accomplish your dreams? In order to succeed, it’s helpful to start with a picture in your mind of whatyou would like to be or do, and keep that picture in mind as you work toward your goals.Picture yourself already being successful at what you would like to do after you graduate.Belief is a very important thing in helping people to reach their goals. Life may present obstacles and challenges that your beliefs will help you to overcome.www.escriptionist.com Page 1 of 5Arizona State University Stress Management Page 2 of 5Joana PabedinskasIt is also important to establish goals and a plan for how to fulfill your dreams. This can reduce stress. This can be compared to taking a cross country trip from Phoenix to New York City. Before you start, you need to plan and map out the route that you would take. This will increase the likelihood of reaching New York City in a timely manner. In the same way, when you plan how you will reach your dreams and goals, you are more likelyto achieve them.For example, Ashley is an 18 year old C student who dreams about getting into the college of nursing and becoming a registered nurse. She plans to study to improve her GPA during her sophomore year. It may also help Ashley to divide her plan into management steps like joining a study group, getting assistance from a tutor, and spending a set amount of time studying each day. In addition, since Ashley is a C student, a realistic goal might be to achieve B grades during the next semester.Why do you think setting high but realistic goals is important? What are some other manageable steps that Ashley could take to help her meet her goal of making good gradesnext semester?By dividing your plan into manageable steps and daily tasks, your ultimate goal will seem easier to reach. Inch by inch is a cinch. Yard by yard is hard.People are more likely to accomplish what they would like to when they set and write outtheir goals and make realistic plans. This activity is designed to help you develop this skill. With practice, this skill will become a positive habit.Please complete the steps to creating a goal worksheet. This worksheet is available as an attachment in this module. Please pause the audio and print it if you have not already done so. Once you have it printed, please press play and complete the following steps:Step one, write down a dream for yourself that you would like to accomplish in the next one or two years.Step two, write down weekly goals and tasks that would help you to achieve that dream.Step three, answer the following questions:What barriers or things might prevent you from achieving your goal?What things can you do to overcome those barriers?Next I will discuss the role that developing positive habits plays in helping to reach your goals. Whether positive, negative, or neutral, a habit is an action that is done routinely without thought. Habits take time to develop and time to change. The earlier habits are made, the more likely they’ll be a part of your life as you grow older, and it is easier not to start a negative habit than it is to stop it once it is started. Or in other words, it’s easier to establish positive habits from the start.www.escriptionist.com Page 2 of 5Arizona State University Stress Management Page 3 of 5Joana PabedinskasRemember that the top stressers reported by ASU students include academic responsibilities, being overcommitted, financial concerns, romantic relationships and work commitments.What choices could you make to contribute to or reduce your stress in these areas? Most people if asked could list examples of positive and destructive behaviors. Take a momentto think. What does it mean to you to make choices that reflect this understanding? What difference does that make in regards to your stress levels?Habits that can have a positive effect on these common stressers include getting adequate sleep, scheduling time for relaxation and responsibilities, self discipline, spending within
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