31 Jul Stress is good!…
…OK, maybe not always, but we all need some level of stress to get things done and manage ourselves through situations.
We can experience positive stress. The feeling that arises when you are under pressure to deliver an outcome, but you know you can find the solution, – the stress maybe because the outcome is time bound or requires input from others for example. But essentially you can see the end goal – its the journey that needs managing. Generally, you are in control: the energy is positive and the endorphins flowing.
Negative stress is different. You have the same build-up of adrenalin but the situation does not feel like you are in control. This may be because the environment is unfamiliar, you can’t see the end goal, too many others are involved so you can’t control the outcome. The energy soon turns to exhaustion and is sapping: not healthy.
With positive tress your instinct and experience kicks in to manage you through it. With negative stress you need to identify strategies to help manage it.
Clear planning, asking for help, building your personal resilience will all help; but you need to address it early before it develops into something in your own mind that you feel you just can’t cope with.