Feeling frazzled, worried, overwhelmed – whatever you might call it, we all experience stress. Some of us are more sensitive to it than others and everyone has their own limit.
In the short term, stress can even be useful. Being put under pressure gives us the laser focus to get things done. In fact, when our stress levels are too low, it can leave us feeling bored or unmotivated.
Suffering too much stress for too long though, puts our psychological health at risk and can lead to career threatening burnout.
The Positive perspective.
Chronic stress can be caused by increased workloads, role conflict, a lack of autonomy, or social isolation. When these factors combine, employees suffer job strain, which impacts their performance. Increased stress is also linked to missed days and even early retirement due to disability.
More than half the people we surveyed were experiencing high or extreme levels of stress (57%). In those employees who reported high or extreme stress most days, 34% described symptoms of anxiety and 40% had difficulty focusing.
These negative psychological experiences can heavily impact performance. Those suffering high stress are less able to manage worried thoughts, cope with uncertainty, and bounce back from challenges. They’re also 19% less able to focus, finding it difficult to avoid distractions and switch off in their downtime.
Learning to protect from stress.
Now, the good news. Having a core set of psychological skills can protect us from the negative impacts of stress. In other words, when we go through a period of change and uncertainty, we can develop the ability to adapt and bounce back more quickly.
Our own data backs this up. Among employees who report greater resilience skills, their experience of high stress is significantly reduced in comparison to those who are less resilient.
It all starts with rethinking our attitudes towards stress. Here are three ways you can get started today.
1. Know your stress signature
We all have our own set of physiological, psychological, and behavioural responses to stress. These can include our heart and breathing rate increasing, muscle tension, changes in appetite, sleep disruption, and strained social interactions. Next time you’re faced with a challenge, check in with yourself. By getting to know your own stress warning signs, you’ll be better placed to get ahead of them.
2. Make stress work for you.
We’ve all been programmed to view stress negatively. This actually increases our chance of a negative outcome. People who believe stress is always harmful are more likely to experience enhanced levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. By embracing the idea that stress can help and enhance your thinking, you’ll develop a healthier stress mindset overtime.
3. Silence your inner critic.
Imagine you’re on a tight work deadline and the task isn’t going as planned. How do you talk to yourself? Do you hear an inner critic (“I’m not good enough to do this”) or an inner coach (“You’ve got this”)? If you hear an inner critic, the skill of cognitive reappraisal can help. The more you challenge your negative thinking, the stronger your brain circuits will become. Eventually, learn to call on your inner coach faster during challenging times.
Take the next step.
Our team of psychologists, behaviouralists, and business experts are here to inspire healthier attitudes towards stress. From talks to leadership programmes, we have a range of solutions to help you manage distractions and overcome negative thought patterns.
Find the right solution for you and your business today.
