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Mastering Stress

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The objective of 10 Steps to Mastering Stress: A Lifestyle Approach is a practical self-help method of learning how to reduce stress and improve wellbeing. Despite having no reference list, the authors are accredited professionals in the field of psychology with years of experience and psychological research at leading universities located in the United States and Australia. This group of authors has scientifically developed and extensively tested their practical stress reducing techniques. The usefulness of this program is illustrated throughout the ten chapter’s worksheets covering different objectives. Being dedicated by keeping one’s progress tracked in writing and giving the timespan allotted to work through the program, those seeking …show more content…

“Feelings of stress come from a combination of two different sources: the world around you and your way of dealing with that world” Barlow, et al (2014). Understanding stress and its sources is the basis of which to begin to get it under control. The book further explains the physiological, mental and behavioral aspects of the stress response. The methodology is explained regarding recognition of physical signs of muscular tension before becoming overextended, mental thoughts that may be unrealistic threats, and behavioral reprogramming to respond to stressful situations. Identifying the triggers that cause stress is listed in order to gain objectivity. The program states that “keeping records will help identify various ways one reacts to stressful situations” and provides worksheet forms for accurate record keeping. The initial worksheets provided are a “daily stress record, stressful events record and a progress chart” and is recommended that they are kept for two to three weeks or …show more content…

The daily stress record scale is 0-none, 2-mild, 4-moderate, 6-much, and 8-extreme. Each day entered, contains the average stress level, the highest stress level reached and the stressful event that caused that level is recorded. Each stressful event is then recorded on the stressful events record noting the date, starting and ending time, the level reached triggers, symptoms and thoughts. The progress chart is a line graph to keep track of stress levels over time and provides a visual pattern of the increase or decrease of stress levels. For example, every morning I engage in my everyday routine of feeding the animals, taking the dog out, washing my face, brushing my teeth and then sit down at my desk to start my schoolwork. This was rated as no stress. As the morning progresses and I look at my to do list (of which composing is part of my morning routine) depending what day it was, this is the point where the stress levels would vary dependent on the tasks that needed to be accomplished on that particular day such as errands, household chores, administrative paperwork or school assignments. I found that the tasks that involved leaving the house were a bit higher than household chores and school assignments if close to the due date would be considered a stressful event that needed to be

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