| Teachers, job stress reduction is important to your | | | | Distress, like eustress may appear to be an |
| health. You know that. Your physical bodies, | | | | emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical overload. Unlike |
| emotions, minds, and spirits are all involved in school | | | | eustress, distress drains power for anything other |
| work. Even on holiday, you may find yourself | | | | than fight or flight. Distress tires you; freezes the |
| working, or at least thinking about your work. | | | | brain, and makes it difficult to handle the overload. |
| Such dedication need not be negative. A teacher | | | | Teachers' job stress reduction programs should |
| should, above all, be a person who wants to make a | | | | include a presentation of distress and the detrimental |
| big difference in students' lives. The challenge is to | | | | effects it carries. |
| make that difference without permitting stress to | | | | Employ Stress Augmentation! |
| drive you out of teaching. The challenge is to practice | | | | Paradoxically, teachers, job stress reduction can be |
| good stress reduction techniques. | | | | as simple as job stress augmentation. You need to |
| Understanding Stress Reduction | | | | augment, or increase, eustress on the job. |
| An understanding of stress reduction must begin with | | | | Remembering that stress is nothing more than your |
| an understanding of stress. Stress is not that stack | | | | response to the demands placed upon you, recognize |
| of un-graded papers. Stress is not the child who | | | | that you have control over job stress. You may |
| insists on asking endless questions, no matter how | | | | choose to respond positively or negatively; with |
| well you explain. Stress is not a matter of two | | | | eustress or with distress. |
| teenagers leaping into the aisle to fight, while the rest | | | | Look at the following two examples. |
| of the class chants, "Fight, fight, fight." Stress is not | | | | 1. You face a huge stack of un-graded papers at the |
| the parent who calls repeatedly to complain that you | | | | end of the day. |
| are not doing what is best for her child. Stress is not | | | | A distress response is to sigh, and take "flight" down |
| even the principal inviting you to the office for a job | | | | the hall for another mug of stale coffee and some |
| review conference. | | | | small talk. Eventually, you plod back to the classroom, |
| All of the above are stressors, not stress. | | | | "flight" still written clearly on every part of your body. |
| Stressor Defined | | | | You sit down forlornly, and gaze dejectedly at the |
| A stressor is a stimulus that causes stress. The | | | | clock. Your shoulders slump as you reach for the first |
| illustrations above are of stressors. When Job broke | | | | paper. You wish for job stress reduction, |
| that expensive science equipment, his action was a | | | | unconsciously defining it as a magic wand that will |
| stressor. When Betty brought her father's spearfish | | | | make the papers go away. That does not happen, of |
| for show-n-tell - and stabbed it into your right arm - | | | | course, and you begin to reap the detrimental |
| that was a stressor. They were stimuli that caused | | | | effects of distress. |
| stress. They themselves were not stress, but they | | | | A eustress response is to smile, allot 2 hours to finish |
| stimulated stress. | | | | the work, and divide the stack into 8 stacks. Now |
| Stress Defined | | | | you have bite-sized work piles. You set a goal of |
| Stress is your RESPONSE to the above examples. | | | | completing each stack in no more than 15 minutes - |
| "Good stress" or "bad stress" is produced dependent | | | | less if responsibly possible. Promising yourself a cup of |
| on your response. Which calls for job stress | | | | coffee after the first hour, you tackle the first stack, |
| reduction? | | | | eager to meet or beat you goal. Augmenting |
| On the one hand, you respond negatively in | | | | eustress, you enjoy job stress reduction and all of its |
| fight-or-flight mode. Adrenalin floods your body and | | | | healthy benefits. |
| muscles tense. Blood is shunted from extremities to | | | | 2. Betty insists on asking endless questions, no |
| core organs. All systems are "go" for fleeing or | | | | matter how well you explain. |
| fighting the enemy. | | | | A distress response is to "fight" with Betty, stress |
| On the other hand, you respond positively by | | | | reduction hopes shattered. You feel neck and |
| becoming excited and challenged. Endorphins power | | | | shoulders muscles tighten. A frown yanks your |
| happy determination to move ahead. You are flooded | | | | mouth downward as you approach Betty's seat. |
| with a feeling of euphoria, ready to make the best | | | | Unconsciously, you clench your fist. You will not |
| of the stressor. | | | | permit Betty to demand so much attention, and you |
| Stress, negative or positive, is your response to | | | | make that very clear in sharp, "fighting" tones. Betty |
| stressors. | | | | cowers into silence, and you begin to reap the |
| We continue with a brief look at the two kinds of | | | | detrimental effects of distress. |
| stress. | | | | A eustress response is to smile quietly, and see |
| Eustress - Beneficial, Good Stress | | | | Betty as one reason you decided on a teaching |
| Teachers, job stress reduction programs are | | | | career. You want to teach Betty stress reduction |
| unnecessary when the stress involved is eustress. | | | | along with proper listening techniques. You wait for a |
| Eustress is an appropriate, positive response to the | | | | time when the rest of the class is occupied, and then |
| stressors teachers meet. "Eu" means "good" in Greek. | | | | go quietly to Betty's desk. Smiling, you take Betty's |
| Picture joy and laughter. Eustress is pleasant, healing | | | | hand and lead her gently into a quiet, private part of |
| stress. | | | | the room. Relaxed and happy, you set a goal with |
| Eustress may appear to be an emotional, mental, | | | | Betty. You and she will work together to help her |
| spiritual, or physical overload, but it does not drain | | | | listen in such a way that she needs fewer questions. |
| away power. It energizes you; helps you handle the | | | | As she learns to control her response to the stressor |
| overload. Teachers' job stress reduction programs | | | | of listening, she can win small rewards along the way. |
| should begin with a presentation of eustress and the | | | | By the time Betty returns to her desk, you both are |
| benefits it offers. | | | | happy. Augmenting eustress, you enjoy job stress |
| Distress - Detrimental, Bad Stress | | | | reduction again. |
| Most teachers' job stress reduction programs focus | | | | Tip: Teachers, job stress reduction is a choice. No |
| only on distress. Distress is an inappropriate, negative | | | | elaborate stress reduction program is necessary if |
| response to the stressors of a teacher's job. "Di" | | | | you have the backbone to commit to augmenting |
| means "two" in Greek. Picture double trouble coming | | | | eustress and refusing to engage in distress. |
| your way. Distress is often a disabling, crippling stress. | | | | |