Stress is not inevitable or required. Seriously.
Mar. 18, 2008 by Lisa Currie
While we can not completely eliminate stress in our lives, excessive stress does not have to be the standard by which you live. How we choose to respond to our stressors can actually be more important to how we experience stress than what the stressor itself is. But having the supports, tools and skills necessary to respond more effectively can be a challenge.
As stated on the College Behavioral Wellness Program website at CampusBlues.com, the four steps to stress control are:
- Discovery: Take the Personal Stress Navigator, our interactive online assessment. Identify your sources and symptoms of stress and those personal resources and health behaviors that predict resiliency to stress and its consequences. Get a clear picture of the problem and you are on the way to fixing it.
- Engagement: Read your personal report that highlights high-risk areas. The report steers you to extensive Recommended Resources that give you solutions tailored to your unique problems with stress.
- Action: When you are ready to take action on one or more identified issues, we guide you through a process of writing down the benefits, barriers, supports and next steps necessary to reach your goals. We make action easier by providing you with model action plans you can tailor just for you.
- Reward: This is what it’s all about – a healthier, happier, more productive life for you, increased productivity and lower benefits costs for your employer, and fewer and less expensive claims for the health insurer. The employer receives (1) a more productive work force, (2) identification and resolution of organizational inefficiences, (3) coordination with Disease Management programs, and (4) lower-health care costs. The combined savings mean a win, win, win for all the stakeholders in your behavioral health.
Complete the College Behavioral Wellness Program to see what you’re doing well on and what areas could use some work. While this online assessment takes about 30 minutes to complete, you can stop and start at your convenience. Good luck!