You vs. Stress

When we think of stress, we conjure up thoughts of unreasonable deadlines, excessive workload, and unexplained traffic jams, amongst other occurrences that most people have negative feelings about.

However, to complete the picture, it is important to more fully understand stress. Stress can be categorized in two general buckets; “eustress” is the kind of stress we experience positively when we celebrate, exercise, go zip-lining, etc. In contrast, “distress” is the kind of stress we experience negatively when we get angry, scared, sick, etc. When we don’t feel any kind of stress, this is called “homeostasis” (translated from the Greek for “standing still”; when the body is in physiological equilibrium).

Stress of either kind is experienced not only physiologically, but psychologically as well. It is unique to both the person experiencing it and the context in which it is being experienced. For example, getting stuck in traffic will be experienced differently depending on the factors associated with it. How much time do you have to arrive at your destination? Do you have enough fuel? Did you remember to go to the bathroom before leaving the house? Your stress level is greatly affected by your interpretation of these factors.

The nature of being human is such that stress, in the right amount, is actually good for us, be it eustress or distress. A little bit of distress can teach us how to handle the same stressor (the thing creating the stress) the next time we encounter it.

Here are some simple tips on how to recognize and manage your response to stress:

1. Recognize that everyone experiences stress and that some days it is easier or harder to deal with
2. Remember that you attach the meaning to the stress you encounter (do you fly into a rage when stuck in traffic, or chill out with your favourite tunes?).
3. Determine your limits for both eustress (partying too much) and distress (working late consistently), and respect them.
4. Understand that while a little stress is manageable and can even be good, too much will cause problems (too much fun, may require an equal amount of recovery).
5. Appreciate that the way in which you handle stress will affect those around you (if you remain calm, those around you will probably remain calm as well)
6. Work out your stress through regular exercise, including occasional high intensity exercise, to counteract the internalizing and tightening that often accompanies distress.
7. Fuel your body with foods and beverages that encourage relaxation and discourage tension (camomile vs. caffeine and whole foods vs. highly processed foods)
8. Plan your day to manage expected stressors and keep enough free time to allow for the unexpected (whether it is a new project or a friend dropping by for a visit)
9. Make time to “decompress” to counteract the effects of daily stresses. This can take the form of a yoga class, delaying a response to an inflammatory email, or simply sitting in your car for 2 minutes before walking in to your house to your loved ones.
10. Breathe. Any time you are feeling stressed, take 10 slow, deep breaths and you will immediately feel better and more resourceful to handle whatever you are facing.

You give meaning to the things that happen to you, so choose to find the value or positive meaning. Instead of fighting it, welcome it, deal with it, and move on. Stress is a fact of life, so having a strategy to recognize it and manage it will allow you to live a more fulfilling life, not to mention make you more enjoyable to be around.