There is no escaping stress in our daily lives. In fact, much of the stress we experience is actually good for us. It increases the flow of blood to our muscles, including the heart, makes us more alert, and pushes us to excel. Bob Hope once said that he never got over being nervous (stressed) before appearing on stage.
One of the biggest, perhaps most widely misunderstood stressors, is clutter. Human beings need a certain amount of physical space in order to expand their thinking – “outside the box.” If their physical space is limited by piles of “to-dos,” their vision and mind contract and go inward. Keeping the blinders on while trying to work or relax is very stressful and ultimately exhausting, whether consciously recognized or not.
The key to effective stress-management is understanding the dynamics of stress and increasing our awareness of our own, individual stress-response patterns.
I would like to begin this series with a brief explanation of the 4 main stress categories: Eustress, Distress, Hyperstress, and Hypostress. Here is an easy way to differentiate between them:
Eustress: This is a positive form of stress. Eustress is a natural physical reaction that prepares your mind and body for the immediate challenges it perceives. Blood flow to the muscles increases, resulting in a higher heart rate. Eustress works well for athletes before a competition or a manager before a major presentation because it gives them the inspiration and strength they need to excel.
Distress: We all recognize this as a negative form of stress. It occurs when there are deviations from the norm and your mind and body are unable to cope with the changes. Distress can be categorized into acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a long period of time. Trigger events for distress can be moves (particularly those that require downsizing), chronic disorganization, and any change in the scope of a job or routine.
Hyperstress: This is another form of negative stress that occurs when you overwhelmed by your work-load. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require longer working hours than you feel you can handle. If you suffer from hyperstress, you may have sudden emotional breakdowns over insignificant issues. It is important to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up with severe and chronic physical and psychological conditions.
Hypostress: Hypostress occurs when you have nothing to do with your time and feel constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of stress. Hypostress decreases productivity and mindfulness. Hypostress is indemic in people who have boring, repetitive jobs.
Stay tuned for updates to this blog. In Part Two, I will show you how to become more aware of your own body’s response to stress.
