Strategies for Managing Stress for Optimal Job Performance

Studies have shown that stress is an inevitable part of life. It is the inability of individual to cope with threat (real or imagined) which results in series of responses and adaptations. It can lead to feelings of depression, frustration and anxiety. As much as the physical effects of this ‘epidemic’ are often emphasized, the economic consequences are also alarming. It has been discovered that not all stress are bad, some are actually needed to move forward in life. Thus, stress can be seen as a friend and foe; it is found among the rich and the poor. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of stress and its causes, how to identify the signs and symptoms and the strategies for eliminating it.