Monday, August 1, 2011

Release Yourselves from the Bondage of Stress, Part 2


Although stress is a real problem for many nurses, it can be controlled and managed. The first step is to learn what the personal stressors are and why they stress you. This can be accomplished through a process that is termed Meditation Moment, which only takes a couple of seconds to complete, however, it provides an immediate strategy to emotionally deal with the stressful situation. It includes the concepts of assessment, analysis and strategy. To begin incorporating this discipline in your life, a template is included to chart out your stressful experiences and plan to deal with them real-time. Once you are comfortable with the process, this can be accomplished through conscious 
thought processes at the time of the incident.

Steps in the Meditation Moment Process

Assessment
      
Steps in the Meditation Moment include first of all an assessment of what just happened to create stress, or in other words, a quick evaluation of the situation at hand. Rush hour traffic is very stressful for some people as evidenced by an increase in road rage. During stressful situations such as rush hour traffic, the first step is realizing that the rush hour traffic is the event that is causing the stress.

Analysis
          
The next step in the Meditation Moment process incorporates the concept of analysis or why is this event causing stress. In this example, it may be being late for an event or work, or excessive fatigue resulting in your desire to move more quickly. This could relate also to your ego in relation to the desire not to look irresponsible. Regardless of the cause of the reaction, the key to minimizing stress is the understanding of the source so that you can adapt your attitude appropriately for the situation.

Strategy
Lastly, the next step is to develop a plan for the stress and enact the plan which allows for you to emotionally release the stress. For instance, in this case, a call to the boss or reorganization of schedules may be the answer. Once the experience is shared and dealt with, you can get on to the rest of your life.


Conclusion
The lives of nurses continue to become more complex every day. The economic environment will continue to be a challenge for most people for times to come. Global forces and concerns will also continue to contribute to the litany of issues the nation faces on a day-to-day basis. Many of these issues are reasons for concern and stress. The goal should be to control the personal emotional response to the stressors in the best possible way. It can be done with a little discipline and planning. Controlling stress can tremendously improve the health, mental fortitude, and have positive effects on people around us. 


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