{"id":10422,"date":"2016-09-27T15:40:11","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T15:40:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clonlara.org\/hu\/2016\/09\/27\/mindset-an-effective-stress-management-tool\/"},"modified":"2016-09-27T15:40:11","modified_gmt":"2016-09-27T15:40:11","slug":"mindset-an-effective-stress-management-tool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clonlara.org\/hu\/2016\/09\/27\/mindset-an-effective-stress-management-tool\/","title":{"rendered":"Mindset: An Effective Stress Management Tool"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Shari Maser, Off-Campus Program Advisor<\/em><\/p>\n

Many students and parents have shared that stress has a major impact on their lives. I have found that stress itself is not inherently problematic; the problem arises when you have a negative, destructive, or unproductive response to stress. One simple solution: change your mindset. This strategy is effective in all aspects of life, including education, sports, childbirth, and the workplace.<\/p>\n

The Power of Mindset<\/h3>\n

Angela Duckworth and her colleagues’<\/a>\u00a0research\u00a0demonstrates that grit\u2014the ability to focus on long-term goals instead of worrying about roadblocks to meeting them\u2014has a positive impact on student success. Students who face severe stressors (such as homelessness, language barriers, and physical abuse) can become successful if they focus on overcoming these obstacles instead of staying focused on the stress caused by the obstacles themselves. The Mindset Works\u00a0website<\/a> cites extensive research by Carol Dweck and Lisa Blackwell, who demonstrated that if students are given the tools to develop a growth mindset that focuses on the belief they can get\u00a0smarter through effort, they can achieve greater academic success than students with a fixed mindset that fosters anxiety about their potential lack of intelligence.<\/p>\n

Using Mindset to Manage Stress<\/h3>\n

Mindset can alter the effects of stress in sports too. In his 2010 book\u00a0Just Listen<\/em>, Mark\u00a0Goulston\u00a0describes Tiger\u00a0Woods\u2019 successful response to stress thus: \u201cinstead of becoming distressed, he becomes…more focused. Tiger goes from stressed to alert to determined.\u201d Tiger and his coach have identified certain mindset-changing phrases that, whenever he thinks or hears them, have the power to prevent his mind from reaching the point of \u201cchoking.\u201d In a post on improving your soccer game<\/a>, sports psychologist Dan Abrahams suggests athletes also try picturing their best games and\/or their dream games to reduce performance anxiety.<\/p>\n

When I was a childbirth educator, I taught women to practice saying personalized affirmations that could then be counted on to have a calming, focusing effect when verbalized during labor.\u00a0Ray Williams cites research supporting self-affirmations<\/a>\u00a0on his blog, although he notes they must be accurate and resonate with the individual in order to be effective stress reducers; otherwise they can create new anxieties by \u201cprovoking contradictory thoughts.\u201d For example, one step closer to meeting my baby<\/em> might be an effective affirmation during labor but this is easy<\/em>\u00a0might be ineffective. Positive thoughts, when specific and appropriate to the individual, are powerful stress management tools.<\/p>\n

Author Shawn Achor’s post titled “Make Stress Work for You<\/a>” describes a study in which his research team shared with business\u00a0managers \u201cscientific findings that stress enhances<\/em> the human brain and body…. The findings were significant: once an individual thought about stress as enhancing, instead of debilitating, they embraced the reality of their current stress level and used it to their advantage\u201d at work. They felt less distress, fewer negative physical symptoms, more energetic, and more satisfied with their lives. In addition, their work productivity increased dramatically.<\/p>\n

Resources for Students and\u00a0Parents<\/h3>\n

If you or your student wants to experience the benefits of stress instead of the drawbacks, try changing your mindset! The following resources can help families explore the power of mindset as a stress management tool:<\/p>\n

Books<\/strong><\/p>\n