MUMBAI, JULY 31, 2018: A stress Management workshop was organized by NGO
Prerana on Thursday, 23 th August 2018 for students of Std. 7 th to 10 th . About 80 boys and girls
were present for the session from various NGOs. 12 boys from Bosco Boys Home, Borivali
also attended the session along with the staff Meena Kini, the counsellor for the boys and a
Clinical Psychologist by profession.
Stress produces numerous physical and mental symptoms which vary according to
each individual’s situational factors. These can include physical health decline as well
as depression. The process of stress management is named as one of the keys to a happy and
successful life in modern society. With keeping in mind these factors and particularly the
stress been present in the boys belonging to the standard 10 like board exams, career choices,
and dealing with responsibility, Out of the 12 boys who attended the session, ten were from
standard 10 and two from standard 9. The session was divided into 3 parts namely Gender
Roles, Meditation and Relaxation and Study Techniques. The following are details of each
session conducted:

Gender Roles:

The first segment on Gender Roles was conducted by Ms. Jyoti. She briefly discussed the
roles that males and females occupied in society. The students participated actively with their
ideas and opinions. She talked about the need to change misconceptions regarding women’s
roles in society and that both genders needed to share and take joint responsibility for their
families and children.

Meditation and Relaxation:
The next segment was conducted by Mr. Rehan. He discussed the need for reducing tension;
and included meditation and visual imagery to enable students to manage their stress. The
students were eager to participate and enjoyed the experience. They reported feeling relaxed
after the exercise.

Study Techniques:
The afternoon session was conducted by Mr. Sandeep. He discussed various aspects of
studies and how they can cause stress, anxiety and fear. He utilized many examples to
highlight how difficulties can come in the way of studying; and explained how stress could
be minimized for the exams. Several techniques and suggestions were provided by Mr.
Sandeep to overcome the tension caused by negative thinking.
 He emphasized the need for time management and daily timetable.
 Keeping in mind short and long term goals is necessary to maintain focus.
 Group study and regular revision are useful in reducing individual workload and
pressures.
 Using relaxation exercises regularly help in calming mind and body, thereby reducing
tensions and increasing concentration.
 Proper food and adequate sleep were also important in maintaining health, especially
when faced with exam pressures.
 Reading newspapers helps in staying abreast of current affairs and in developing ideas
for letter writing, essays, etc. required in the exams.

Students found the sessions helpful in understanding how they could score marks and
perform well in the exams. They also learned what mistakes to avoid while writing exam
papers. They were taught how to cope with exam pressures using various tactics and simple
measures. The students found the sessions to be of great use in their exam preparations.
The boys benefited a lot from this session, one of the boys Raja said, “When I am stressed, I
would take some time out and try to relax myself by meditating.” Meena Kini, the counsellor
added “These session really helped the boys to know that to have stress is normal and there a
way to manage the stress. I thank the staff of the NGO Prerana who organised this
programme so beautifully and meticulously with the help of well qualified professionals.”