The power of positive thinking
Students from the University of Greenwich at the Avery Hill campus gave classmates a practical lesson in coping with tension and the power of positive thinking, as part of a national campaign in stress management.
Students from the Stress & Burnout: Managing Change course (a course integral to most of the university’s Health & Social Care programmes) along with course co-ordinator and Associate Programme Leader Josephine O’Gorman taught teaching relaxation exercises last Tuesday (November 3) to over 100 Health and Social Care students who are in their final year of their studies.
Wearing International Stress Management Association T-shirts bearing the message ‘Think Positive’, the volunteers led their fellow students in a short, practical workshop session.
Ms O’Gorman said: “The Health and Social Care students are about to start researching their theses and it’s important that they learn how to cope with stress while they study and for their future careers caring for others.
“Learning to manage stress is something that can be done by all of us. As a consultant I have been working in the community, with businesses and professional carers such as nurses.
She added: “While there are some things in life we can’t change, one thing we can control is how we react. Practising deep breathing exercises, and learning to smile are small but significant steps to feeling calmer and in control.
“The Health and Safety Executive has come up with six factors that can be applied as management policies for all kinds of organisations.”
The six factors are:
• Demand – ensuring people can cope with their workload
• Control – how much say a person has in the way they work
• Support – that they get the encouragement and resources they need
• Relationship – promoting positive behaviour and dealing with negative behaviour
• Role – understanding their role within the organisation
• Change – how change is managed and communicated
For details of courses at the University of Greenwich call 0800 005 006 or visit www.greenwich.ac.uk
ENDS
Photocaption: Julie Tuffield, Rebecca Clack, Natalie Hassan (All 3rd Years on the course Stress & Burnout: Managing Change) and Josephine O’Gorman Course co-ordinator and Associate Programme Leader (Public Health).
For images and information contact:
Nick Davison, Press Officer
University of Greenwich
Tel: 020 8331 8092