Key Points Defining Stress Causes of Stress 3 Symptoms of Distress

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Isolation 
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Compulsive shopping.
A sustained high level of stress is no laughing matter. It can affect every area of your life—
productivity in the workplace and classroom, increased health risks, and relationships, to
name just a few.
Managing Stress
As noted in the Introduction, you can learn to manage stress. The first step is understanding
yourself better—how you react in different situations, what causes you stress, and how you
behave when you feel stressed. Once you’ve done that, take the following steps:
Set priorities. Use the time-management tips you learned in Section 1. Make a To-Do
list. Decide what is really important to get done today, and what can wait. This helps
you to know that you are working on your most immediate priorities, and you don’t
have the stress of trying to remember what you should be doing.
Practice facing stressful moments. Think about the event or situation you expect to
face and rehearse your reactions. Find ways to practice dealing with the challenge. If
you know that speaking in front of a group frightens you, practice doing it, perhaps
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Stress management is key
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with a trusted friend or fellow student. If the pressure of taking tests causes you to
freeze up, buy some practice tests at the school bookstore or online and work with
them when there are no time pressures.
Examine your expectations. Try to set realistic goals. It’s good to push yourself to achieve,
but make sure your expectations are realistic. Watch out for perfectionism. Be satisfied
with doing the best you can. Nobody’s perfect—not you, not your fellow Cadet, nobody.
Allow people the liberty to make mistakes, and remember that mistakes can be a good
teacher.
Live a healthy lifestyle. Get plenty of exercise. Eat healthy foods. Allow time for rest and
relaxation. Find a relaxation technique that works for you—prayer, yoga, meditation,
or breathing exercises. Look for the humor in life, and enjoy yourself.
Learn to accept change as a part of life. Nothing stays the same. Develop a support system
of friends and relatives you can talk to when needed. Believe in yourself and your
potential. Remember that many people from disadvantaged backgrounds have gone
on to enjoy great success in life.
At the same time, avoid those activities that promise release from stress while actually
adding to it. Drinking alcohol (despite what all those TV commercials imply), drinking
caffeine, smoking, using narcotics (including marijuana), and overeating all add to the
body’s stress in addition to their other harmful effects.
Here are some other strategies for dealing with stress:
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Schedule time for vacation, breaks in your routine, hobbies, and fun activities.
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Try to arrange for uninterrupted time to accomplish tasks that need your
concentration. Arrange some leisure time during which you can do things that you
really enjoy.
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Avoid scheduling too many appointments, meetings, and classes back-to-back.
Allow breaks to catch your breath. Take a few slow, deep breaths whenever you
feel stressed. Breathe from the abdomen and, as you exhale, silently say to yourself,
“I feel calm.”
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Become an expert at managing your time. Read books, view videos, and attend
seminars on time management. Once you cut down on time wasters, you’ll find
more time to recharge yourself.
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Learn to say “no.” Setting limits can minimize stress. Spend time on your main
responsibilities and priorities rather than allowing other people’s priorities or needs
to dictate how you spend your time.
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Exercise regularly to reduce muscle tension and promote a sense of well-being.
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Tap into your support network. Family, friends, and social groups can help when
dealing with stressful events.