I needed extra work to compensate for the absences i incurred in EdH 115. I was stressed with all my commitments that i decided to create a box to help me deal with my stressors. With this, i came up with my stress box.
Every one of us has been stressed one way or the other—may it be school work, office work, peer pressure, identity crises, family problems, love issues, and the list goes on and on. But the question is what exactly is stress?
What is stress?
According to Hans Selye’s Article the nature of stress, stress is a mechanism of complex processes triggered by stressors (agents or demands that evoke these complex bodily processes). . Stress is very real and concrete indeed, and is manifested in precisely measurable changes within the body.
Stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand, whether is is caused by, or results in, pleasant or unpleasant conditions. Stress as such, like temperature as such, is all-inclusive, embodying both the positive and the negative aspects of these concepts.
We now ask, how do we deal with stress?
Two kinds of stress—Eustress and Distress.
Eustress is stress that has a positive effect on person’s life and even health such as stress to win a competition. On the other hand,
is have negative implications to a person such as stress from a death and the like. Two things should be noted however at this point:
1. Both are equally taxing to the body
2. The body cannot differentiate between the two
With this, both stress, when too much is unhealthy to an individual.
We have personal ways and techniques in dealing with stress however not all of them are beneficial and healthy.
Two kinds of stress management—Positive and Negative
Negative Stress management include binge eating, alcoholism, smoking, etc. These ways of coping with stress hurts and damages the body thus, negative. On the other hand positive stress management channels the stress of an individual into productive means such as exercise, mediation, writing. All of these activities help release stress.
With these things in mind, the Stress Box started to take form.
This stress box was designed by a student stressed by school work, part time work, expectations, extra-curricula, family issues and what have you. This was devised to provide a number of ways a person can release and relieve himself of stress. However, this box by no means guarantees a hundred percent stress relief. Rather, this box should be seen as an aide, a tool to help an individual cope with stress and deal with it in a positive manner.
Ultimately, this box aims to make you smile even for just a split second.
Objectives
• to relieve stress of a person
• to provide positive stress management techniques
• to make the user smile
How to Use
• Find a quiet, solitary, tranquil place where you can sit and relax with the stress box
• Open the box and choose from different materials and objects.
• Use any of the materials that you want but make sure to return them to their proper slots.
• Take note of thoughts that came into your mind while using the stress box and the materials in it. This might help you analyze your stressor.
• If possible, write your feelings in a journal or perhaps as a blog entry to further release stress.
Stress Box Materials
Post-its
Writing has always been a way of releasing stress by. A simple paper with the property of being stuck on surfaces provides for reminders of what we may want
Prayer Box & Spiritual symbol
A belief in a Higher Being has been proven scientifically to help people cope with stress. People have survived drastic medical conditions because of a positive outlook brought about by prayers and faith. Prayers and spirituality calls for mediation which clams the mind, heart and body.
Crayons
Scribbling in a colorful manner will allows us to express our emotions. No matter which we choose, there will be a color to represent what we feel at certain times—specially those feelings we cant seem to let go of.
Slinky
Repetitive actions calms for among children it reminds them of what they can do and which probably goes the same way for adults. Repetitive behavior at some point becomes mechanical and thus assures the person of an act that he can perform even without much effort and thinking
Dominoes
Toys will never fail to relax people.
Stress ball
Focusing energy in one’s hands relieves stress for the effort it takes to squeeze the ball gets rid of all the tension or perhaps anger an individual has.
Shoelaces
In Ian’s Shoelace site, which promotes the fun, fashion and science of shoelacing can be found ways of setting up our shoelaces. Using our fingers and our minds, manipulating with shoelaces may allow our minds to focus on the task at hand instead of problems and dilemmas. Thinking games also aide in solving difficult task by giving our brains a break and thus refreshing its take on things.
Clay
Children are naturally amazed and attracted with clay. The feel of clay soothes and relaxes. Paul White, a child therapist uses clay as his main medium for therapy leading him to create CLAYtherapy: A Manual of Therapeutic Applications of Clay with Children which can be found in this website
http://www.playtherapyclay.com/
Sandbox
Based from the Zen way of meditation, the sand is another alternative to scribbling or drawing. Playing with sand relaxes by allowing you to randomly form figures and create strokes. Simply use a finger or a stick and the sand will follow whatever you do with it. The sound of sand’s movement as well as the movement itself is flowing and very calming. Its texture massages the fingers and hands as well.
Origami Papers
is not only a form of art but is also used in physical therapy, mental health programs and is a source of entertainment and enjoyment.
Therapists use paper folding as fun way of exercising and strengthening hand muscles. Psychologists have found out that origami helps in the development of motor skills, as well as attention, memory, and imagination processes. With this it can be used to relieve stress.
I would love to give this box to a special bloke I really care for. He is so stressed nowadays and it makes me sad when he is. Hope he gets back to his equilibrium again speciall y because his laughs and smiles are contagious and we need more happy people in this world
The other night, stressed with all the requirements I have to pass this week until next, i bought strawberry Oreos and a warm cup of French Vanilla at 711 to keep me company. With my bag hung on my shoulder, a hot cup of coffee on one hand and my jacket on the other, I walked to the tricycle terminal andI rode a trike to our house. Silly me. I forgot how bumpy tricycle rides can be, that my hot coffee spilled a dozen of times on my hand, my lap, my shoes.
(with DON, a fellow contestant)
