Sample Stress Management Questionnaire

How do you handle an excessive workload?

* I prioritize my work and go ahead to meet my goals

* I slowly begin to tackle my work

* I become frustrated and irritable

When you are faced with financial challenges, how do you react?

* I come up with ways to overcome my financial challenges

* I take time to recover from the financial challenges

* I stay home and worry endlessly

How would you describe your life in general?

* Interesting

* Challenging

* Miserable

How do you handle problems?

* I try my best to sort them out

* I enjoy the challenge that problems present

* I get angry and find someone to blame

When a person makes you wait for too long, what do you do?

* Try to keep busy while I wait

* Find something else to do

* Become angry and leave

What is your perception of change?

* I do not like change in my life

* I accommodate change

* I am unwilling to change my life for anything or anyone

Please answer yes or no to the following.

When I am stressed I feel

Pain ___________

Anger _______________________

Embarrassment _______________

Exhausted _________________

Headaches ________________

Tense __________

1. When forced to work overtime, how do you deal with it?

A: I start working on the things that need to be done.

B: I think first, and then I take my time doing what I need to do.

C: Get annoyed and bored with work.

2. If you suddenly find yourself in debt, you...

A: Try to settle all your financial problems as soon as you can manage.

B: Assess the situation and gradually recover from your financial losses.

C: Brood over the problem.

3. If you were asked to describe your life in one word, it would be?

A: Progressive.

B: Stable.

C: Difficult.

4. When you encounter a problem, you...

A: Take it as a challenge.

B: Think about what necessary steps to take to deal with it.

C: Blame others for the problem.

5. If a person you are waiting for is late, you?

A: Find something to distract myself with while waiting.

B: Read a good book or take in the sights and relax.

C: Get annoyed and angry.

6. When you're given more work than you can deal with, you?

A: Redouble your efforts in order to make ends meet.

B: Trace a course of action and slowly but surely adapt to the pressure.

C: Complain about it.

7. During a vacation you?

A: Go everywhere I can go to.

B: Relax.

C: Find it difficult to relax.

8. You find work?

A: Engaging.

B: Amusing.

C: Difficult.

9. You feel like you're?

A: Ready to tackle anything that comes my way.

B: Calm and open-minded.

C: Not able to make things go my way.

10. When something forces you to change your lifestyle, you?

A: Accept the changes.

B: Learn how to deal with the changes.

C: Complain about it.

If most of your answers are "A," it means that you're a very active and reliable person. You
address problems by either dealing with them directly instead of letting things resolve
themselves. It's most likely that your stress coping mechanism is turning stress into positive
stress (eustress) which allows you to benefit from it while dealing with it at the same time. You
usually achieve this by distracting yourself with a hobby or resorting to some form of exercise.
The combination of your sound mind and healthy body will enable you to withstand a good
degree of stress.

If the majority of your choices end up as "B" you're most likely a very relaxed, laid-back and
logical individual. You take your time with things, minimizing the chances of error on your part.
It is also this very methodological approach to things that allow you to root out most problems
before they even become problems. Chances are you rarely deal with problems, and when you
do, it doesn't affect you as much as it normally should, and you perform as though nothing
happened. The only drawback to all these traits is you are prone to becoming too passive. You
run the risk of overlooking problems or giving yourself too long a time to deal with things and
thus you may find yourself facing a problem that you could have nipped at the bud.

Mostly "C" answers would reflect your relatively poor coping mechanisms. You're probably
irritable and always want things to go your way, which is never the case in life. You become
frustrated because of this and you end up putting unnecessary tension on yourself. Your nature
could also be attributed to some life-changing event that may have happened recently. It might
be advisable to seek professional help and start changing the way you see problems when they
come. It would also be a good idea to start getting into shape, as a physically healthy person will
receive stress much more favorably than one in poor health.

Stress is Your Response

We respond to unusual demands placed on us, and that response is stress. It may be beneficial
stress (eustress), which makes us happy. It may be detrimental stress (distress), which causes
anger, tension, and illness.

How do you respond? Do you need stress management to learn how to respond better?

Stress Management Questionnaire

This stress management questionnaire is about you and your responses to the demands made on
you – stressors. Give each question a “yes” or “no” answer. Be honest in your answers if you
sincerely want stress management.
1. Do you have the time you need to do work without interruption?

2. Do you have the time you want with your family each week?

3. Do you have the personal time you would like each day?

4. When you are interrupted at an activity, do you respond with anger?

5. When you are asked to do something unplanned, do you respond angrily?

6. When you are given an unexpectedly large project, do you get tense?

7. Do you respond in a positive manner when asked to do something for which you lack training?

8. Do you accept with a healthy attitude circumstances that cannot change?

9. Do you proactively respond with positive power to stressors?

10. Do you plan your life each day, and work out that plan?

Stress management goes much further than a simple stress management questionnaire, but your
answers will give you an indication of where you stand right now.

In all probability, you answered “no” to questions 1 through 3. Many answered “yes” to
questions 4 through 6. Most answered “no” to the remaining questions.

Correct Answers

With proper stress management, you should be able to answer “yes” to the first three questions,
“no” to the next three, and “yes” to the last four.

If you are thinking that will take a lifetime of workshops in stress management techniques, relax.
It takes no more than identifying the demands in your life, and planning how you will respond
when you meet one of them. Then put your plan into action.