How to manage stress at work place

How to manage stress at workplace

with real case study?

Submitted To:

Madam Ayesha Shahbaz

Submitted By:

Nabeel Riasat Nabeelriasat.ali@gmail.com

Azeem shoukat Azeem.ali.1122@gmail.com

Shan ali Shan99691@gmail.com

Sheharyar yousaf Miansubhan8682@gmail.com

1
 How to manage stress at work place

DECLARATION

A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of BS (English) by
coursework and stress case study in the Faculty of Psychology, University of Central Punjab.

I declare that this project is my own, unaided work. It has not been submitted before for any
other degree, part of degree or examination at this or any other university.

Signature ………… Date ……….

Nabeel Riasat

This research project has been submitted for examination with my approval as
University of Central Punjab supervisor.

Signature …………… Date …………………

Madam Ayesha Shahbaz

University of central Punjab

2
 How to manage stress at work place

Acknowledgements
Many persons have supported me in my project to finish this research. Firstly thanks to my
father for giving me the strength the courage and determination to complete this project.
Countless thanks to my entire family for their understanding and support throughout this entire
journey. Thanks to my friends and colleagues from special education for their concern and
encouragement. Many thanks to the administrator and staff of my university for their unwavering
support throughout this research and finally thanks to Madam Ayesha for introducing this
special education program. It is hoped that through this research administration and staff will be
made aware of the challenges teachers experience in teaching students with difficulties in
learning.

God bless you all.

3
 How to manage stress at work place

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION……………………………………………………02

Acknowledge......................................................................................03

Table of contents…………………………………………………….04

Abstract………………………………………………………………05

Introduction…………………………………………………………..05

Objective of study……………………………………………………06

Scope of study………………………………………………………..06

What is stress?......................................................................................06

Types and history of stress………………………………………..06-07

Types of stressors…………………………………………………08-10

Case study…………………………………………………………10-11

Causes of study……………………………………………………12-13

Factors for stress……………………………………………………13

Manage stress at work place………………………………………13-16

Symtoms and remedies……………………………………………..17

Conclusions…………………………………………………………18

Reference……………………………………………………………18

Abstract

4
 How to manage stress at work place

The purpose of the study is to define stress, the causes of the emergence of the stress, the impact
or effects that appear to due to stress. The results of the research shows that the factors triggering
the emergence of the stress : demands and high work pressure ; work overload; the inter-personal
relationship; (including disputes with colleagues);buildup of work; overtime; disagreements
among the leadership; lack of appreciation from the superiors; complexity of the work; the lack
of help from colleagues and superiors; and the discipline of the time. The research is made for
the purpose that how to manage the stress at workplace with a real case study?

Introduction

A study on Stress Management with special reference to Bank Of Punjab Noshahra virka,
Gujranwala Branch (347).

The workplace is a challenging job assignment followed by moderate doses of competing spirit,
constructive and a zeal to get ahead of others and a way in which individual cope, or deal with
stress at work is called stress management.

Employees should provide stress free work environment, recognize where stress is becoming a
problem for staff, and take action to reduce stress. Stress in the workplace reduces productivity,
increases management pressures, and make people ill in many ways, evidence of which is still
increasing.

Work place stress affect the performance of the brain, including functions of work performance,
concentration and learning. Stress at work aslo provides a serious risk of litigation for all
employers and organizations, carrying significant liabilities damages, bad publicity and loss of
reputation. During with stress-related claims also consumes vast amounts of management time.
So, there are clear strong economic and financial reasons for organisations to mangage and
reduce stress at work, asid form the obvious humanitarian and etjical considerations.

Objectives of Study

1. Access current stress level of employees at workplace.

2. Identify the situations that cause stress.

5
 How to manage stress at work place

3. Be more knowledgeable on techniques/methods to lower stress.

4. Apply various stress reduction techniques to alleviate stress.

5. To know the stress of the employee.

6. Identify emotional, physical, and mental effects of stress.

Scope of the Study

The scope of the study is extended only to the employees working in the BOP. It does not
cover employees working in other branches of BOP. To fulfill the objectives of this research,
the study is undertaken to analyze the stress management at Bank Of Punjab.

what is stress?

 Stress is a word used in biology and medicine to describe changes that can be seen

in organisms. Stress can be physical or mental. Stress can describe a pressure, like the
pressure of a person's upper teeth on their lower teeth while chewing. Stress can also
describe an impact, when one object hits another.
 Stress describes a living thing's response to a threat or some other change in
its environment. This change can be called a "stressor." Stressors can vary in size and
impact. A stressor can be internal and come from inside the living thing - like an illness. 
A stressor can be external, coming from outside the living thing - like an attack.

 In psychology, stress is a feeling of strain and pressure. Stress is a type

of psychological pain. Small amounts of stress may be desired, beneficial, and even
healthy. Positive stress helps improve athletic performance. It also plays a factor
inmotivation, adaptation, and reaction to the environment. Excessive amounts of stress,
however, may lead to bodily harm. Stress can increase the risk of strokes, heart
attacks, ulcers, and mental illnesses such as depression and also aggravation of a
preexisting condition.

 Stress can be external and related to the environment, but may also be caused by internal
perceptions that cause an individual to experience anxiety or other negative emotions
surrounding a situation, such as pressure, discomfort, etc., which they then deem
stressful.

 Humans experience stress, or perceive things as threatening, when they do not believe
that their resources for coping with obstacles (stimuli, people, situations, etc.) are enough

6
 How to manage stress at work place

for what the circumstances demand. When people think the demands being placed on
them exceed their ability to cope, they then perceive stress.

Types of Stress:

1. Negative stress (Distress)

2. Positive stress (Eustress)

 Negative Stress:
Negative stress (called DISTRESS) occurs when a person feels unable to perform or to cope with
a situation. This feeling can be short or long term. It causes anxiety or concern and can lead to
mental and physical problems. The causes (called STRESSORS) for the negative feelings of
stress do not always lie with external situations. Internal feelings (i.e. fear of doing something),
thoughts (i.e. continuous worrying) and certain behaviours (i.e. procrastination) can also lead to
negative stress.

 Positive Stress (Eustress):

it is in reality a positive driver. In order to perform well, a certain degree of positive stress (called
EUSTRESS) is needed. Positive stress can be experienced when someone is well focused on a
specific task, motivated, feeling confident and also excited about the result he/she is hoping to
achieve. It is a typicalshort term feeling.

History Of Stress:

The term stress was borrowed from the field of physics by one of the fathers of stress
research Hans Selye. In physics, stress describes the force that produces strain on a
physical body (i.e.: bending a piece of metal until it snaps occurs because of the force, or
stress, exerted on it).
Hans Selye began using the term stress after completing his medical training at the University of
Montreal in the 1920’s. He noticed that no matter what his hospitalized patients suffered from, they
all had one thing in common. They all looked sick. In his view, they all were under physical stress.
He proposed that stress was a non-specific strain on the body caused by irregularities in normal body
functions. This stress resulted in the release of stress hormones. He called this the “General
Adaptation Syndrom” (a closer look at general adaptation syndrome, our body’s short-term and long-
term reactions to stress).

7
 How to manage stress at work place

Feelings of Stress:
Most people experience stress and anxiety from time to time. Stress is any demand placed
on your brain or physical body. People can report feeling stressed when multiple
competing demands are placed on them. The feeling of being stressed can be triggered by
an event that makes you feel frustrated or nervous. Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, or
unease. It can be a reaction to stress, or it can occur in people who are unable to identify
significant stressors in their life.
Stress and anxiety can produce both physical and psychological symptoms. People
experience stress and anxiety differently. Common stress feelings are as follows:
 Worry

 Tense

 Tired

 Frightened

 Elated

 Depressed

 Anxious

 Anger

Types of Stressors:
1. External stressors
2. Internal stressors

External stressors:
External stressors are events and situations that happen to you. Some examples of
external stressors include:

 Physical Environment

8
 How to manage stress at work place

 Social Interaction

 Organisational

 Major Life Events

 Daily Hassles

Physical Environment:
Pysical environment includes noise, bright lights, heat and confined spaces.
The input from the world around us can be a source of stress. Consider how you
react to sudden noises, such as a barking dog, or how you react to a bright sunlit
room or a dark room.

Social Interaction:
Meeting new people can be stressful. Just think about going on a blind date, and
you probably start to sweat. Relationships with family often spawn stress as well.
Just think back to your last fight with your partner or child. Its include:

 Rudeness

 Bossiness

 Aggressiveness by others

 Bullying

Organisation:
Common stressors at work include an impossible workload, endless emails, urgent deadlines and
a demanding boss.

 Rules

 Regulations

 Deadlines.

9
 How to manage stress at work place

Major life changes:

These changes can be positive, such as a new marriage, a planned pregnancy, a
promotion or a new house. Or they can be negative, such as the death of a loved one or a
divorce.

Internal stressors:
Not all stress stems from things that happen to you. Much of our stress response is self-induced.
Those feelings and thoughts that pop into your head and cause you unrest are known as internal
stressors. Examples of internal stressors include:

 Fears:
Common ones include fear of failure, fear of public speaking and fear of flying.

 Uncertainty and lack of control: Few people enjoy not knowing or not

being able to control what might happen. Think about how you might react when waiting for
the results of a medical test.
 Beliefs:
These might be attitudes, opinions or expectations. You may not even think about how your
beliefs shape your experience, but these preset thoughts often set us up for stress. Consider the
expectations you put on yourself to create a perfect holiday celebration or advance up the career
ladder.

Case Study:
When Arham Ali joined in BOP in 2012, he had one clear goal to prove his potentiality. He did
prove that and had been promoted 4 times since his entry into the bank. Compared to others, his
progress has been the fastest. Currently his job demands that Arham should work 10 hours a day
with practically no holiday. At least, 2 days in a week Arham is required to travel.
Peers and subordinates at the bank have appreciation for Arham. They don’t grudge the success
achieved by Arham, though there are some who wish they too had been promoted as well. The
post of General Manager fell vacant. One should work as a GM a couple of years if he were to

10
 How to manage stress at work place

climb up to the top of the ladder. Arham applied for the post along with others in the bank. The
chairman has assured Arham that the post would be his.

A sudden development took place, which almost wrecked Arham’s chances. The bank has the
practice of subjecting all its executives to medical check up, once a year. The medical reports go
straight to the chairman who would initiate remedial measures, where necessary. Though Arham
was only 32, he too, was required to undergo the test.

The chairman of the bank received a copy of Arham’s medical examination results, along with a
note from the doctor. The note explained that Arham was seriously overworked and
recommended that he be given an immediate 4 weeks vacation. The doctor also recommended
that Arham must take physical exercise, everyday. The note warned that if Arham did not care for
the advice, he would be in for heart trouble in another 6 months.

After reading the doctor’s note the chairman sat back in his chair and started brooding over the
situation. Three issues were the uppermost in his mind:

Questions:

1. How would Arham take this news?

2. How many others would have similar fitness problems?
3. Since the environment in the bank helps create problem, what
could he do to solve it?

Stress Managemengt Programe:

The idea of holding a stress management program is flashed in his mind and
suddenly, he instructed his secretary to set up a meeting with the doctor and some
key members at the earliest.

If the news is broken to Arham, how would he react?

 Blame
 Anger
 Ruin his dreams
 Depression
 Anxiety

What wold he do if the news is broken to him, he would blame someone for that, he
become anggressive, he would be depressed or simply shows the anxiety.

11
 How to manage stress at work place

Causes Of Stress:
 Life events such as divorce or separation, death of a loved one, the birth of a child,
moving, a major financial setback, employment changes or becoming the victim of
a crime or natural disaster.
 Daily events such as traffic congestion, long commutes, working overtime,
deadlines, personal conflicts, car trouble, job stress, and juggling household chores
and childcare.
 Environmental stressors such as pollution, weather extremes or excessive noise.
 Physical stressors such as physical injury, chronic pain, tiring physical activity
(such as traveling), and unsatisfied physical needs such as hunger, thirst or lack of
sleep.

 Death of a spouse
 Divorce
 Marital separation
 Death of a close relative
 Personal injury or illness
 Marriage
 Change in sleeping habit
 Fired from a job
 Retirement
 Illness of a relative
 Illness of A relative
 Pregnancy
 Business readjustment
 Change in financial status
 Death of a close friend
 Change to different work.
 Loan for major purchase.
 Change in job responsibilities
 Problem with your boss.
 Change in living conditions.

Sometimes the stress comes from inside, rather than outside. You can stress yourself out just
by worrying about things. All of these factors can lead to stress:

 Fear and uncertainty. When you regularly hear about the threat of terrorist
attacks, global warming, and toxic chemicals on the news, it can cause you to feel
stressed, especially because you feel like you have no control over those events.
And even though disasters are typically very rare events, their vivid coverage in
the media may make them seem as if they are more likely to occur than they really

12
 How to manage stress at work place

are. Fears can also hit closer to home, such as being worried that you won't finish a
project at work or won't have enough money to pay your bills this month.

 Attitudes and perceptions. How you view the world or a particular situation
can determine whether it causes stress. For example, if your television set is stolen
and you take the attitude, "It's OK, my insurancecompany will pay for a new one,"
you'll be far less stressed than if you think, "My TV is gone and I'll never get it
back! What if the thieves come back to my house to steal again?" Similarly,
people who feel like they're doing a good job at work will be less stressed out by a
big upcoming project than those who worry that they are incompetent.

 Unrealistic expectations, No one is perfect. If you expect to do everything right all

the time, you're destined to feel stressed when things don't go as expected.

 Change. Any major life change can be stressful -- even a happy event like a
wedding or a job promotion. More unpleasant events, such as a divorce, major
financial setback, or death in the family can be significant sources of stress.

Your stress level will differ based on your personality and how you respond to situations.
Some people let everything roll off their back. To them, work stresses and life stresses
are just minor bumps in the road. Others literally worry themselves sick.

Factors For Stress:

Some people are more prone to stress and the effects of stress than others. Personality
traits that may increase the risk for stress include over-competitiveness, excitability,
impatience, aggression, and pessimism.

How To Manage Stress:

Following strategies are used to manage one’s stress:

 ABC Technique
 Change your Thinkking
 Change your Behavior
 Be Assertive
 Get Organised
 Time Management
 Mood
 Diversion and Distraction
 Change your Lifestyle
13
 How to manage stress at work place

ABC Technique:
Employees needs to gear themselves with the ABC strategies of dealing with stress.

A – Awareness:
 This is the knack of discerning what causes one’s stress. Take the time to realise at what
point you are stressed and the factors that push you to this point.

B – Balance:
 There is a fine line between positive stress, known as eustress, and negative stress known
as distress. Eustress motivates and focuses energy, while distress causes anxiety and
decreases performance. Employees need to attain a balance. Know how much of the
eustress you can cope with before it turns into distress.

C – Control: 
Ask yourself: “What can be done to combat the negative causes of stress?” Research
ways of dealing with your stress. Speak to your office.

Change your Thinking:

Re-Framing:

 Change the way you look at things in order to feel better about them.

 There are many ways to interpret the same situation so pick the one you like.

 Helps you view things in a different

 light and less stressfully.

Positive Thinking:

 Forget failure, powerlessness, dejection.

Focus on Positives.

 Focus on your strengths

 Look for opportunities

14
 How to manage stress at work place

 Seek out the positive - make a change.

Change your Behavior:

 Be assertive(self assured)instead of aggressive.

 Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming, angry, defensive

or passive.

 Eliminate as many sources of stress as you can.

 If you can’t remove the stress, remove yourself.

 Don’t compete with others be happy with what you have.

 Remember, sometimes it’s okay to do nothing.

Be Assertive:
 Helps to manage stressful situations, and help to reduce their frequency.

 Lack of assertiveness often shows low self - esteem and low self - confidence.

 Express your thoughts, feelings and beliefs directly, honestly and

spontaneously in ways that don’t go against the rights of others.

Get Organized:
 Poor organization is one of the most common causes of stress.

 Structured approaches.

 Priorities objectives, duties and activities

 Don’t overload your mind.

 Try doing only one thing at a time.

Time Management:
 Make a list what must be done what should be done what would you like to do.

 Cut out time wasting.

15
 How to manage stress at work place

Mood:
 Good stress - reducer

 Applies at home and work

 Relieves muscular tension

 Improves breathing

 Pumps endorphins into the bloodstream - the body’s natural painkillers.

Diversion And Distraction:

 Get away from things that bother you

 Reduce stress level

 Calm down

 Avoid predictably stressful situations.

Change your Lifestyle:

 Healthy diet

 Exercise regularly

 Sleep

 Leisure time

 Relaxation

 Avoid smoking &

 Alcohol

 Make time for Hobbies and interests.

How to manage work stress:

 Develop new skills. Improving your skills can help strengthen you.

16
 How to manage stress at work place

 Employ a sense of humour. Share a joke or laugh with your colleagues.

 Think positively. Stop negative perceptions and overanalysing.

 Change your lifestyle. Keep fit and active, and change your diet.

 Pause to take a break. Take your leave, regular walks at work or entertain a
hobby.

 Have your own time. Meditate, relax your body and have silent self-moments.

 Engage your manager. Relate your work stress to your employer for remedy.

 Pursue assistance. Make use of your Employee Assistance Programme or

consult your medical caregiver.

Stress Symtoms:
 Emotional Symptoms

 Physical Symptoms

 Behavioral Symptoms

Emotional Symptoms:
Moodiness, Irritability or short temper, Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed
Sense of loneliness and isolation,Depression or general unhappiness.
Physical Symptoms:

Aches and pains, Diarrhea or constipation, Nausea, dizziness,Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
Loss of sex drive, Frequent colds are included in pysical symptoms.

Behaviioral Symptoms:

Eating more or less, Sleeping too much or too little,Isolating yourself from others
Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities, Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).

17
 How to manage stress at work place

Stress Remedies:

 Express and embrace your feelings; find a good friend and try to express your
problem or ask for a remedy.
 Enjoy the outdoors or go for a long drive
 Brighten up your home
 Spiritual living & spiritual thinking
 Slow down and enjoy your meals

Conslusion
In conclusion, managing anger and stress can seem very hard and overwhelming at
times. Stress and anger are sometimes very hard to overcome and defeat, but there are
ways and this website contains some of these methods are discussed in that study.

After conducting this research we can conclude that regardless of the employee’s job
level, position or belongings of the department at any place, employees or
management feel stressed of different kinds. Employess feel stress because of various
factors we have discussed in this study.

Then we discussed about the different symptoms of the stress and their remedies in
this study so that by following these strategies one can overcome his or her stress
level. We also discuss steps for the stress management and we add our concluding
finfings in this study, regarding the stress management at workplace, employees stress
can be manged by proper time management, seeking help from Arham’s case study.
18
 How to manage stress at work place

Emotion focused strategies like leisure activities, companionship and exercise can
also be used to releive stress.

References
1. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_(biology)#Types_of_stress
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_stress#Types
3. https://humanstress.ca/stress/what-is-stress/history-of-stress/
4. http://www.scribed.com
5. https://www.study.com
6. https://www.slideshare.net/akhileshpadiga/stress-management-
16505056
7. https://www.slideshare.net/hemanthcrpatna/a-study-on-stress-
management-of-employees-at-syndicate-bank
8. https://www.slideshare.net/alshafipdk/stress-management-presentation-
4267473
9. https://managingstressandanger.weebly.com/conclusion.html

19