The process of stress management is one of the keys for teachers to have a successful professional life. Although professional life provides numerous demands that can provide difficulties to handle, stress management provides a number of ways to manage anxiety. A number of stress situations which teachers have to face are: children negative attitude towards study, little authority to carry out their responsibilities, too heavy work load, feel dissatisfaction of the conflicting demands of the colleagues and pupils, unfamiliar of the evaluation method of teaching and tutorial work, poor working conditions i.e., badly constructed building with inadequate sound proofing, high noise level and lower level of expenditures on educational equipments.
Fortunately there are lots of stress management techniques which are helpful for teachers to improve their performance. Here are some stress management tips.
1. Avoid over work, particularly when tired
2. Maintain social contacts outside the educational institutions
3. Think positively (how can I do it better next time) rather than negatively (that was terrible, I’d better quit)
4. Learn quickly by mistakes
5. Good communication with other staff particularly those with whom you work most closely
6. Learn how to say “no”: Refuse to accept added responsibilities
7. Refuse people who stress you out: If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can not turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely
8. Take control of your environment: If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the T.V off. If going to market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
9. Avoid hot button topics: If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation lists, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it is the topic of discussion.
10. Pare down your to-do list: Analyze your schedule, responsibilities and daily tasks. Avoid to being involved in too many extra-curricular activities. Distinguish between the “should” and the “must”.
11. Do not try to control the uncontrollable: Many things in our life are beyond our control, particularly the behaviour of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react the problems.
By: CHARINA C. DIZON | T-I | Mariveles NHS Poblacion Mariveles, Bataan
