Individuals, workplaces and organizations recognize that Stress is really but what is it really and how do we take it on to serve and not harm.
STRESS, TENSION AND ANXIETY DEFINED: "Stress is physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension. Tension is mental or emotional strain, suspense, anxiety, or excitement. Anxiety is a reaction to a real or imagined threat, a general feeling of uneasiness or dread." It's important that you recognize that your perception is your reality AND you can create a change to guide responses and the personal toll that stress takes.
"STRESS" is a word you hear all the time. Everyone knows about it, but it means something different to each of us. When you say "I'm stressed" you might mean any one of these:
Tension, Conflict, Pressure, Exhaustion, Strain, Upset, Nervousness, Unhappiness, or Powerlessness.
Most people use it to mean either:
Situations they are facing: "I'm under a lot of stress" and their response and feelings about situations:
"I'M STRESSED OUT!"
Generally, stress is when the total of life's challenges, the big ones and little hassles combined, seem bigger and stronger than you are for more than a short time. This is what creates the anxiety symptoms we call stress.
Remember, things only seem "stressful" to you, if they appear more powerful than you are or your ability to deal with them. Pulling back the curtain on the Wizard of Oz comes to mind!
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Learn to assess external problems, your attitudes, and weaknesses more accurately. Decide what is the major cause of the imbalance?
You can develop a practical plan to regain balance. Avoid or reduce the external problem? Strengthen yourself to cope with it? Change your attitude? Get help? A combination of all?
Stress isn't always a bad thing, because everyone needs a certain amount of challenge to make life interesting and enjoyable, however, if you feel overwhelmed and feel you can't cope that is a very personal assessment that only you can change, with some guidance and support.
BURN OUT
If you have nothing to do, after a while you get bored, then frustrated - you become stressed from what you might call rust out. Increase the pressure and most people perform better.
But everyone has a point where they're giving their best performance - this is the peak of the stress curve. If more and more pressure is applied, you get pushed past your peak, and you may begin to suffer the negative, destructive effects of pressure which can lead to burnout.
When there is too much demand on you, 'good' stress turns to 'distress'. Like the strings of a guitar, if you are loose and there is little pressure, there is no music. A few turns, the strings tighten, and it's concert quality sound. But turn the strings too tight and ... SNAP!.
Feel like you are snapping? Think that you can't handle another issue or challenge? Know you have some physical symptoms of stress manifesting in you? Want better of you?
Click the links below for more information or call 519.571.7904 to start the conversation.
We can help you manage, survive and shift your stress perspective.
Work Place Health and Wellness
Ultimate Health
StressMap Assessment