Yes, you heard that right, a little stress each day can keep the doctor away.Stress is often considered as something that should be avoided at all costs.
But, what if we told you that a little bit of the right kind of stress can actually be hugely beneficial to your day-to-day life?
If you would like to learn more about balancing stress in your everyday life, join us at Change Recruitment’s upcoming event in partnership with Kirsty Ritchie from Mind and Mission. You can find more details and register for the event here.
As a precursor to the event, use this guide to discover how different types of stress can impact you and why you should inject a little bit of good stress into your life from time-to-time.
Good Stress vs Bad Stress
Did you know that there’s a difference between “good stress” and “bad stress”?
Good stress, or “eustress”, is an essential part of living a healthy life as it helps us to feel alive and energetic in our everyday life. When there’s no threat or fear involved, stress can be a cause for good. Good stress can come from starting a new job or pitching your latest idea.
On the other hand, bad stress happens when we’re worried about our lives, jobs or feel threatened. Too much bad stress is detrimental to our health. Emotional stress that lingers for weeks and months can weaken your immune system and cause feelings of tiredness and anxiety.
According to research from the Mental Health Foundation, 74% of people report feeling so stressed they’re overwhelmed and unable to cope.
As well as potentially leading to long-lasting mental or physical issues, bad stress can make us feel distressed about what the future holds for us.
What are the Main Causes of Bad Stress?
It’s important to recognise the triggers of bad stress, so you can easily identify when you or your employees might experience it.
Over-scheduling
Overscheduling can certainly increase your stress levels. You may have too much work scheduled if:
- You start to miss important deadlines
- You’re unorganised and unprepared for work
- You have unclear priorities
- You ‘re not seeing your loved ones and friends as often
Excessive workloads
You might be able to cope for a little while with a large workload, but you put yourself at serious risk of burning out or resenting your job if left unchecked.
Trying to manage an excessive workload could also lead to poor performance and a decline in your overall productivity.
Procrastination
Procrastination can make us feel stressed because we feel like we’re wasting precious time rather than being productive.
The first step in conquering procrastination is to recognise and catch yourself when you’re not focused on the job at hand.
Big and uncertain life changes
Life can come at us fast, and at times big life changes can be unexpected. A big change in your life can rob you of the activities you used to enjoy and it might start to affect your working life too.
Emotional conflicts with family, friends or work colleagues
In life, conflict is inevitable. If emotional conflicts are left unaddressed they may contribute to physical and mental health problems such as anxiety, insomnia or depression.
Emotional conflicts are best resolved when both people successfully communicate to find a resolution.
Changing Your Attitude and Approach to Stress: The Case for Good Stress
How our bodies respond to different kinds of stress often boils down to our perceptions of the “stressful” situation. If you perceive a situation as a challenge, any fears or threats are transformed into anticipation or excitement.
A positive mindset can make all the difference to our experiences with good and bad forms of stress.
If you open yourself up to seeing the potential benefits of a situation and get into the habit of regularly recognising your own personal strengths in challenging circumstances, your body will react more positively towards the stressful situation at hand.
To keep our bodies and our daily lives ticking over it’s good to choose activities and set goals that enrich your life and keep us accountable. If these activities make you feel charged and excited while you’re doing, thinking or focused on them then they’re probably a good form of stress.
There is such a thing as too much good stress though. Good stress can become bad stress if you’re starting to experience too much of it. To prevent a cumulative build up of unhealthy stress, stay in tune with your body and mind.
Actionable Tips for Managing Stress
- Talk to a friend or a loved one about how you’re feeling and what’s causing you stress.
- Do some physical activity.
- Go for a walk and get some fresh air.
- Take some time to manage your time and organise the tasks you need to get done.
- Try relaxation techniques, such as meditation or focused breathing exercises.
Get Expert Advice on Managing Stress
Discover how to balance stress in your everyday life at this free upcoming Change Recruitment event in partnership with Kirsty Ritchie from Mind and Mission.
Register for the event here.