Like you said Joseph, no one does it all alone. It's ok to reach out and lean on others when you are overworked and there's too much on your plate.
Wow...stress...where do you start...just needing to make a list to cover this topic could be a stressor. Ok but seriously, Traffic both coming into work and going home is always somewhat stressful...Now that it is the holiday season adds another dimension of stress...class dynamics can be a stress producing source, home life with children in College and paying those bills...I like the idea of listing them...Then they can be looked at in a real sense and sorted to importance. I think sometimes we add stress by just ignoring those little items as if they will go away or if we don't look at them realistiacally. When driving, I imagine that the rest of the drivers on the road are a bit challenged...and they probably are...so when I see the traffic bind up and people are jockeying lane to lane I just think, oK they are not thinking clearly, I slow down, put on some soft music and relax...I used to get wound up of it but it doesn't solve anything. Getting more organized and placing priority on tasks can help remove stress. Keeping school records and grading papers...keeping the shop supplies up to date...delegate is the word that will assist here....No one does it all alone...
A very good stress reducer, indeed: putting oneself first. Thank you.
Logistical/organizational stressors are facing different teaching schedules each 10 week term, which places new stressors on one's professional and personal requirements. Depending upon class assignments, each new term can bring students who choose not to accept ultimate responsibility for their learning no matter how much extra time and input they are given, which adds to student need stress. A college may also enact a new policy in midterm declaring its always been a policy and thereby requiring instructors to perform added tasks, which adds to college requirement stressors.
Lately doing the drive to work I ask GOD for guidance in servicing and meeting the needs of all people I come into contact with at work . Now doing my drive there is no radio, no phone calls, etc.
I focus on the likely stress events and then mentally form a proactive plan that will reduce the stressful event if it should occur. It been working rather well.
stress is a strange beast. A lot of times the one stressed out can not recognize the symptoms. It usually is someone else recognizing the symptoms. Our bodies adapt to stress to continue with daily functions and we can all suffer greatly if not caught.
Being organized and talking about feelings is the best way to calm the nerves.
I love working in fast paced world and can also let something go if it is not working. The thing that stresses me out is when there is not enough family time and money. I feel working more will solve the money issues, but causes less time spent with family. A well balanced lifestyle is difficult but must be managed. Separation between work and family is difficult in this face lane society, and I see more individuals not able to separate the two
stress is a strange beast. I was extremely stressed out over a trip to L.A. to sell a screenplay. I was very calm for weeks up to the trip, but started to notice smalle chages. rapid heart beats. I started getting soars in my mouth.
I couldn't sleep for more than an hour and wouldn't eat.
all these signs started escalating the closer I got to my trip to L.A.
I went to the doctor not even sure why these symptoms where happening.
the doctor asked me couple questions and realized that I was nervous and stressed about my trip. It is so obvious for a person to see someone else stressed out, but impossible for that person to recognize their own stress.
Noticing suttle changes in routine or daily operations helps me understand now that something is causing me stress and that I have to talk or deal with the subject straight on
That sounds really touch Sherilyn! It's hard when we are hired to do one thing but end up being asked to do another.
The school I work at is piling more and more "admistrative" work on the instructors. This causes great stress because we don't have time to teach AND do all the paperwork (that used to be done by an admin asst.)
Yes, there are so many individual differences. What one person considers stressful can have no effect on another.
Stress effets us all in different ways, identifying these areas and dealing with them accordingly can lead to a good healthy life.
Logistical Factors: An ever changing schedule, a company who is constantly taking different directions, having to work late at night.
Student Needs: Students who don't take class seriously or pay attention to demo's and assignments, students who need more help than I can give them when I have a whole classroom of other students who need help as well
College Requirements: Having to follow syllabi which are not always complete, have conflicting information and also some who don't have enough content to fill the class time.
Conflict resolution is actually a stressor that many instructors deal with Robert. Some get better at resolving conflict through increased experience. Others always seem to experience a challenge with it no matter how much experience they have.
Interesting, I like your approach Garrett. It's unique to what I've heard before. Dedicating an entire day to a task and really focusing on it seems like a great way to give it your all.
Bike riding is great relaxation and great exercise too Jay! Some instructors use their bike to commute to their schools when they are close enough to do so.
I always relax and un-wind when I ride my bike!
Stressors - College requirements:
Constant changes (not always logical) to curriculum; new technologies to learn; stepped up deadlines
Stressors - Logistical:
Lack of proper storage space for product needed; too much sitting in front of a computer screen
Juggling both home life and your career is stressful, but add on the finite requirements of your employer, spouse, child, friends, ect. And it can seem overwhelming! Personally I have found that devoting extra energy to these areas of my life independently of one another on a daily basis has been a good way to spread out the stress load. For example, on Mondays I always make sure my son and I do something fun, on Tuesday I do my on line training or in house training for my employer, on Wednesday I like to make sure my wife and I have a movie recorded or a babysitter on standby.
By alternating that extra energy in small portions it seems to reign in the feelings of being overwhelmed.
Professionally speaking, my greatest sources of stress are 1) Feeling unprepared and 2) Dealing with conflict or confrontation.
Feeling unprepared stresses me on a couple different levels. First, I don't feel I am giving my best to the students. Second, I feel inadequate because I could be doing better.
Dealing with conflict or confrontation is stressful to me because of my personality type. I am a peacemaker and I tend to want to avoid conflict and confrontation at all costs.
Both of these stressors are, in my opinion, personal. Eventually I will be able to reduce and/or eliminate the preparation stressor by managing my time better. Dealing with conflict and confrontation is a stressor that I will not be able to eliminate. Confronting inappropriate behavior and resolving conflict are both necessary parts of my job. Therefore, I need to find effective ways to become more comfortable dealing with conflict and confrontation. I think if I can gain an undrestanding of WHY I get stressed by conflict and confrontation I will be well on my way to reducing the stress they cause me.
