APrincipal’sGuidetoStressRelief-NAESP.pdfVIP

NAESP : A Principal’s Guide to Stress Relief Page 1 of 3 A Principal’s Guide to Stress Relief When principals and teachers find ways to alleviate job-related stress, their performance improves. Leadership Compass » Vol. 5, No. 1, Fall 2007 by Mike Caywood Principals and teachers face stress every day. We often talk about it, but do we think about what stress really is? Stress can be defined in several ways: The body’s physiological reaction to any demand; A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in causing disease; Anything that stimulates you and increases your level of alertness; or The result of how we respond to events. Whether it is a student discipline problem, a parent problem, or all of the pressure that comes from the No Child Left Behind legislation and the efforts to make adequate yearly progress, stress is a major cause of mental distress and physical illness for educators today. Stress can show up as minor, short-term physical signs such as faster heart beat, rapid breathing, tensed muscles, or “butterflies” in your stomach. These symptoms can be associated with a confrontational phone call from a parent, an unpleasant conversation with a colleague, or a call from the superintendent. Exposure to stressors over a longer period of time can result in more serious symptoms such as digestive problems, change in appetite, frequent colds or other illnesses, headaches, or long-term fatigue. Long-term exposure to stress can also result in behavioral issues such as mood swings,