In today's fast-paced workplace, stress has become an inevitable emotional experience that always weaves its way into our work circumstances. Have you ever felt overburdened or vulnerable when rushing to meet a deadline or giving a major presentation? We've all been there. Yet, amid the chaos, stress also teaches us profound lessons about ourselves, revealing our strength in handling stress and the wellspring of resilience we possess.
The Dual Nature of Stress
Did you know stress can cause adverse effects, but it is also beneficial to our health? When we are exposed to acute stress, it activates our survival mode by producing physical responses and sharpening our focus. It awakens our fight instinct, helping us to face difficulties and prioritise responsibilities1.
Continuous stress, on the other hand, might lead to prolonged health concerns. Our immune system and mental health deteriorate, resulting in a cycle of low performance and negative outcomes2. Therefore, stress management is essential for achieving balance and reaping the benefits of stress without the drawbacks.
Stress Management #1: Dividing assignment into manageable steps
We become stressed when we regard a significant assignment as frightening because of a lack of resources and capacity. To make the assignment more manageable, we may construct sub-goals or sub-tasks for each stage that progress and achieve success at each phase.
Stress Management #2: Relaxation practice
Relaxation practice such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation are effective ways to tune our autonomic nervous system back to a more relaxed baseline state.
If your mind is always focused on working and trying to get ahead, you may need more practice to get used to being relaxed. The more you practice relaxation, the more your body and mind learn to let go.
Stress Management #3: Mindfulness practice
Regular mindfulness training can benefit us with better attention, less reaction to stress, less depression and anxiety, and more. Doing mindfulness exercises every day, even just ten minutes, can help us become more aware of our thoughts and bodies and accept them with an open mind without judgment. Therefore, when a challenge arises, mindfulness practice can train our brains to face the circumstance calmly rather than flaking out.
Conclusion
The underlying idea of stress management is that we all have the inner resources and ability to cope with stress. By balancing relaxation and stress, we can train our body and mind to withstand acute stress and prevent it from turning into chronic.
1&2 Source: Dr. Tony Ho, DCP, Registered Clinical Psychologist
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