How to: Manage Stress

Good Stress (Eustress) vs. Bad Stress (Distress)

Stress is not always a bad thing. Stress is simply the body’s response to changes that create taxing demands. There is a difference between eustress, which is a term for positive stress, and distress, which refers to negative stress.

Eustress, or positive stress, has the following characteristics:

• Motivates, focuses energy
• Is short-term
• Is perceived as within our coping abilities
• Feels exciting
• Improves performance

Distress, or negative stress, has the following characteristics:

• Causes anxiety or concern
• Can be short- or long-term
• Is perceived as outside of our coping abilities
• Feels unpleasant
• Decreases performance
• Can lead to mental and physical problems

Causes of Eustress & Distress

Situations that cause stress could be interpreted positively and lead to eustress or they could be interpreted negatively and lead to distress.

Eustress is more likely in temporary situations, before planned transitions, or when a person has power to influence or direct the outcome they want.

Some examples of causes of eustress include:

• A promotion at work
• An upcoming event that a person is hosting
• Performing in a concert
• Having a baby
• Moving to a new city

The following stressors are likely to cause distress instead of eustress. While some of the stressors could cause eustress, the following stressors are more likely to lead to negative stress.

Some of the most common sources of distress include:

• Fears: (e.g., fears of flying, heights, public speaking, chatting with strangers at a party)
• Repetitive Thought Patterns
• Worrying about future events (e.g. job restructuring or waiting for medical test results)
• Unrealistic, perfectionist expectations
• Excessive job demands
• Job insecurity
• Conflicts with teammates and supervisors
• Inadequate authority necessary to carry out tasks
• Lack of training necessary to do the job
• Making presentations in front of colleagues or clients
• Unproductive and time-consuming meetings
• Commuting and travel schedules
• Overscheduling
• Failing to be assertive
• Procrastination and/or failing to plan

Impacts of Eustress & Distress

Eustress and distress can both have significant impact on a person.

The impacts of eustress are generally positive, and include things like increased motivation, focus, and energy that can be channelled towards a certain task or problem.

Distress tends to have more negative impacts on a person’s mood, health, and functioning.

When distress is chronic and recurring, it can result in physical and psychological illnesses and issues, including:

• Trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep
• Physical pain or discomfort (i.e. headaches, stomach problems)
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Increased heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure
• Trouble focusing, concentrating, or remembering things
• Feeling keyed up, on-edge or restless
• Feeling exhausted or drained
• Having racing or repeating intrusive thoughts
• Not feeling present or engaged in activities and tasks
• Irritability or lowered frustration tolerance
• Heightened anxiety

The longer distress lasts, the more serious the impacts and impairments become. Prolonged exposure to negative stress is linked to:

• Impaired functioning in one or more area of life
• Increased risk for mental illnesses like anxiety and depression
• Increased risk for substance use disorders
• Increased risk for chronic illnesses, heart disease and cancer
• Increased mortality

If distress and its effects start to interrupt your life please consider seeking medical advice. Your GP can help.

What does this look like?

Managers who successfully manage stress are perceived as:

• Motivated and energised
• Coping well with tasks
• Performing well
• Able to relax
• Accepting the limits of their control

How can I do this?

1. Focus on the aspects of the situation that are within your control

Distress occurs when a person believes it is beyond their ability to cope. This is more likely to happen when people are focused on aspects of a situation that are beyond their control. Sometimes the only aspect of a situation that is within your control is the way you respond to it. At other times there are actionable steps that could help solve the problem or reduce the stress.

2. Find meaning in difficult and stressful situations

People who find meaning in painful or difficult situations are more likely to experience eustress rather than distress. Finding meaning within pain doesn’t mean that a person is grateful for the experience, but it does demonstrate resourcefulness, resilience, and optimism. Meaning could come in the form of an insight about yourself or your situation, increased clarity about what matters most, or feeling more confident in your ability to overcome adversity. Sometimes, meaning could come in the form of a new friendship, skill, or opportunity.

3. Identify actionable steps that can improve the situation or prevent a bad outcome

Distress occurs when a person feels helpless and unable to do anything that could resolve the stress or prevent a bad outcome. While this is sometimes true, there are many situations where there is at least one actionable step you can take to promote the outcome you want.

Doing something in the face of stress often feels better than doing nothing. Even if your actions do not produce the desired outcome, you will probably feel better about yourself for making the effort.

4. Address root causes of stress within your life

Distress occurs because there is something within you or your life that is difficult, painful, or taxing. The root cause of distress could be coming from something that is wrong, missing, or difficult in your life. This could be a relationship, a job, an obligation, or even a destructive habit you have developed. When the root cause of distress is coming from your life or your choices, a true solution will require you to confront this issue and actively work to change it, improve it, or distance yourself from it.

5. Practice self-compassion

Under distress, many people revert to self-criticism, blaming themselves for things they did or did not do in the past and setting unrealistic expectations for themselves in the future. While you might think that your inner critic helps to motivate you and improve your performance, research suggests the opposite. When compared to self-criticism, self-compassion has been proven to be more motivating, helpful, and more likely to lead to successful outcomes. Not only do self-compassionate people fail less, they also are more likely to get back up and keep trying after they fail instead of giving up.

6. Use mindfulness to get out of your head

Most people spend a lot of time in their head either ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. Because you cannot change the past or predict the future, these mental efforts are unproductive, and provide food for the bad kind of stress. When you catch yourself in these mental thought loops, break free by focusing your full attention on something in the present. This could be your breath, your body, or your surroundings. Be patient with yourself as you begin this practice, and work to gently bring your attention back to the present each time it wanders back to the unhelpful thoughts and stories.

7. Reach out to your support system and ask for help

While you may have the urge to withdraw from people during times of distress or hardship, isolation and withdrawal is known to amplify distress and the toxic effects it has on a person’s physical and mental health. Make a point to reach out to the people you can trust, tell them what you are going through, and ask for the help and support you need. Not only does this provide you with support, it also helps to strengthen relationships.

8. Use relaxation techniques to help you regulate stress in the moment

Certain relaxation techniques can interrupt the physiological distress response and promote relaxation. Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and guided meditations are all helpful relaxation techniques. Yoga and Tai Chi are options for people who find sitting practices difficult.

9. Increase physical activity to create an outlet for stress

Physical exercise is a proven stress reliever and helps to rebalance hormones and chemicals released when the body’s stress response is activated. Make physical exercise a priority, especially during times of high stress. Devoting time to exercise will help to sharpen your mind, calm your nerves, and improve your performance, which will all be helpful during times of high stress.

You may find this challenging if you…

• Don’t want to disappoint
• Overestimate the ability or capacity of your team, your unit or yourself.
• Have poor time management
• Unable to say “no” to requests

You may not be managing stress effectively if you are…

• Feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stressed most days for 2 weeks or longer
• Finding that stress that interrupts your ability to eat or sleep or which makes you feel physically ill
• Unable to concentrate, focus, and function normally because of high levels of stress
• Feeling disconnected from yourself or from reality, hazy or zoned out
• Experiencing persistent sadness, fatigue or low motivation that interrupts your normal routine
• Over-relying on drugs, alcohol, or other harmful habits to cope with stress