Stress can be seen as an unexpected visitor who challenges us to adapt and grow. In today’s fast-paced world, it often feels like stress is always nearby, and often wrongly feared by everyone. But what exactly is stress, and how can it be turned into a friend?
The finance industry is notorious for its negative impact on workers’ mental health, and this reputation is well-deserved. As observed in our workshops and a recent survey held by Healthy@work confirm that around 20% of employees are deeply affected by work-related stress. The study highlights that work conditions significantly influence employee wellbeing, yet employers often overlook this. Let’s demystify “stress” and explore effective management strategies.
First off, let’s debunk the myth that stress is always a bad thing. Sure, too much of it can leave us feeling like we’re drowning in a sea of cortisol, but a healthy dose of stress can actually be a powerful motivator, pushing us to excel in challenging situations like job interviews or presentations. We won’t bother you by giving you a medicine class but let us try to understand how stress affects us. When we’re stressed, our body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. They have an effect of preparing our organism to face danger. This response is natural and originates from the fight or flight response. When our ancestors were facing a natural danger, 110% of their resources were drained to face one danger. However, in our environments, our body reacts to chronic stress as if we were constantly in alert and ready to fight a saber tooth tiger. Our body is therefore in a constant crispation mode which can have serious consequences for our physical and mental state.
“In times of stress, our body initiates the fight or flight response, flooding us with adrenaline and cortisol, a physiological reaction that, if prolonged, can lead to significant health challenges”
Think of stress like water filling up a bucket. Every time you experience stress, the bucket fills up a little more. If you don’t find ways to release that stress, the bucket eventually overflows, leading to a breakdown. But there’s good news – you can poke holes in the bucket to let some of the stress out, allowing you to handle more without overflowing. Some people naturally have bigger buckets or better drainage systems, but everyone can learn to manage their stress levels effectively. While expanding your stress capacity takes time, creating these “holes” can have immediate and significant benefits.
But what about the chronic stress that lingers in the background, slowly chipping away at our well-being?
Understanding the different types of stress is the first step to reclaiming control over our mental and physical health. Acute stress is like a sudden thunderstorm – intense but fleeting and completely natural. Chronic stress, on the other hand, is more like a stubborn rain cloud that refuses to budge, ultimately leading to a breakdown.
So, how can we clean the sky and find the sun hidden behind those clouds? It starts with recognizing the sources of stress in our lives, whether it’s the never-ending to-do list at work or the constant barrage of notifications on our phones. Once we’ve identified these stressors, we can start to take proactive steps to manage them, like setting boundaries with our workload or carving out time for self-care activities like exercise and sleep. Small every day measures are often underestimated but can lead to the most results.
But perhaps the most important lesson to remember is that stress is not a sign of weakness – it’s a sign that we’re alive and engaged with the world around us. By reframing our relationship with stress and learning to harness its power for good, we can transform it from a burden into a valuable ally in our journey toward personal and professional growth.
Tools for managing stress triggers and reactions exist. In our Stress Management workshops, we have found that simply talking about stress can turn it into a friend.
So, the next time stress creeps up on you, remember: you are not alone.
