What makes us stressed varies from person to person. Something that is stressful to one person can be motivating to another. But the causes of stress also affect us differently. We may be more resilient to certain types whilst easily affected by others.
Not all stress is however bad. A bit of stress, or pressure, can make us perform better, but it’s about knowing what the right level of pressure is and about managing it so it doesn’t become too much.
Over the years I’ve learnt to identify what causes that affect me the most in a negative way. A full on workload is usually not one of them, unless it’s coupled with uncertainty. I can usually shake off a full on workload, particularly if it’s work I’m really enjoying. It’s when it’s combined with a feeling of things not being under control or not knowing where we’re going that it gets to me and keeps me awake, and annoyed at night. I’ve still not mastered this type of stress fully but I have developed preventive measures to ensure it happens less. And that’s what it’s about. It’s not always possible to avoid stressful situations but certain causes can quite easily be avoided, or at least managed. As long as you know what the cause is and how you or your team members react to those kind of situations.
Tomorrow – Day 133 | Sweet weekend
Image source: www.flickr.com/photos/david_a_lea/3247217194
