Managing Stress Exercise & Action Plan

Managing Stress Exercise & Action Plan

04/17/19 Laura Gibbons

Identify the perceived threat
• What situations are you finding stressful?
• Is it a real or perceived threat?
• Reframe the stressor in your mind.

Start by knowing yourself
• How do you know when you are stressed?
• How do you act/react when stressed?
• Create a list of the positive and negative ways you deal with stress.

Ask for feedback
• Ask a few people that you trust how they see you coping with stress.
• What are some areas you can improve?
• What are some positive behaviors you can continue?

Looking outside of you
• Identify a few people that you see coping with stress.
• What are the positive ways they cope with stress?
• Which, if any, of these positive coping skills can you imitate?

Create a plan
• Choose one behavior that you would like to change.
• Identify two opportunities to implement the behavior each week.
• Discuss your plan with a trusted co-worker, family, or friend so that they can help you stay accountable to the change.

Re-evaluate
• After practicing your positive behavior for a couple of weeks, what went well?

What can you continue to work on?
• Did you identify new opportunities for change?
• What were barriers to your success?
• Repeat positive behaviors.

Self-care
• Be patient with yourself, change can be hard.
• Be persistent. Re-evaluate and try again.
• Take care of yourself—body, mind, and spirit.

Help is available
If you want to learn to cope better with stress, your Employee Assistance Service (EAP) is a great place to start.