The Causes of Stress and Strategies for Managing Stress of Lecturers and Staff of Thai Higher Education Institutions

This research aimed at finding the causes of stress, effects of stress, and strategies for managing stress; a difference in the causes and effects of stress among participants; and a relationship between the causes and effects of stress. The research questionnaire was used to ask 360 lecturers and staff of Thai Higher Education Institutions. The research findings showed that participants perceive time management, finance, and workload to be the main causes of stress. Headache, physical burnout, and loss of concentration were the main effects of stress. With regard to strategies for managing stress, participants try to complete the urgent and important jobs before the due date to reduce work overload; make a list of income and expense to reduce financial problem; work part-time to increase income; work continuously and constantly to reduce workload; accept the reality that not everyone can achieve everything he or she hopes or wishes; and create a positive thinking that each problem has its own solution. The result of hypotheses testing showed that there was a positive relationship between the causes and effects of stress. This result can be interpreted that if the causes of stress are reduced, and the effects of stress can also be reduced. Therefore, it is recommended that participants should try to reduce the causes of stress, avoid factors that cause stress and should not increase stressors. Keywords: Stress Management, Happiness, Positive Feeling.