Stress gets bad press, the culprit of insomnia, skin complaints, weight gain, heart problems, headaches, memory, digestion, to name a few. A number of reports suggest over 75% of doctor visits are attributed in some way to stress, so it is understandable stress is viewed through a negative lense.
As with all things in life ‘everything is good in moderation’ this includes stress. When we consider avoiding stress all together is near impossible, it opens up curiosity for understanding how stress could be considered in a positive way, if at all?
What is stress? It’s useful to understand that stress is the by-product of an involuntary physiological process triggered by the body’s fight, flight or freeze response. It is a hormonal change the body does to prepare it for action and evade danger, like outrunning a hungry lion for example.
Thankfully we don’t often face danger like this today, but people do still perceive danger in their everyday lives that triggers the fight, flight or freeze internal process. The lead role of this process is the wonderful hormone cortisol, responsible for not just preparing the body to respond to danger but regulating the body’s energy stores, blood sugar levels, the brain store memories as well as the human alarm clock.
Cortisol is essentially what we recognise as stress, we absolutely need this super star for good health and can use it to our advantage if we learn to differentiate between good stress and bad stress and how to aid our bodies produce just the right amount. Too much and we see the disruptive symptoms at the start of this article, too little and a whole host of opposing issues arise like fatigue, weight loss, depression and digestive pain.
When we strike the balance, stress becomes of benefit to us in both life and business, it can improve our immune system, increase performance, unlock creativity, develop resilience and heightened cognitive function, all well known assets for success.
Jennifer is CEO of Forge Your Future a professional coaching practice training high performing female leaders how to confidently rise in their careers using a blend of Neuro Linguistic Programming, positive psychology and Merritt methodology. Here are 5 useful ways to leverage stress by Jennifer;
- Stress validation – Seek to understand the stress and differentiate between good stressors and bad stressors. For example is the stress being experienced due to disorganisation (bad) or acting outside of the comfort zone (good)? This simple validation helps people connect with their stress and why they are experiencing it, as well as opportunities to change or lean into it.
- Stress planning – When people work hard towards strong and aligned objectives a healthy amount of stress is created in our system, enough to activate the performance benefits without over stressing the body. Plan exciting stretch and time bound goals where both the process and the result stimulate a low level of stress. The same result can be achieved through thrill seeking activities, as it triggers the same physiological responses. Bungee jump before breakfast?
- Stress celebration – Stress can creep into our day uninvited, when this happens find time to pause, reflect and reframe the pain. So often success is on the other side of hard work, challenges and resistance responsible for our stress, when we celebrate it as a welcome sign of progress and growth the ability to transition through the pain and into success is remarkably easier.
- Stress Alleviation – All stressors need to be balanced out with equal amounts of Zen. In order to manage and maintain consistent levels of induced or endured stress, harmonising activities should be introduced to daily routines for moments of peace and calm to nurture and align the mind, body and neutralise any negative effects working under stress can have. Taking just ten minutes a day to read, journal, meditate or take a walk can efficiently counter stress when practised consistently.
- Own It – Taking responsibility is taking control, it is a powerful mindset shift, and has transformed how people manage stress and achieve more success. Not allowing stress to take over life and create suffering, owning it wholly mind and body is a very powerful feeling which creates clarity and opens up choices.
Despite its natural occurrence in everybody, unhealthy levels of stress can be detrimental to people’s health if intense or prolonged.
Like with anything practice makes improvement, practice these 5 stress management tips regularly and increase the ability to leverage healthy levels of stress and see more success as a result.
