Stress Reactions

The following email on stress arrived in my in-box this morning from Harvard Business Publishing:

We've been told over and over again about the harmful effects of stress, but how can we handle stress if its source doesn't go away? Figure out what your stress reaction is. If you respond to stress by doing something productive — like cleaning your house or checking in more frequently with your team — consider yourself lucky. In the more likely case that your stress reaction is unhealthy, take notice. Some common reactions to stress are micromanaging, making heavy-handed suggestions, and second-guessing decisions. If you find yourself doing these things, pause and take a breath. Paying careful attention to your behavior can help you stop the reaction before it has harmful effects.

It is a lead-in to a delightful article by Peter Bregman, author of Point B: A Short Guide To Leading a Big Change, on developing awareness of our stress reactions. Here is Peter's definition of a stress reaction and a brief comment by him to whet your appetite for reading his entire article. It will give you some food for thought for your day!

A Stress Reaction can be a useful tool to maintain your focus and preserve your ability to move through times of uncertainty. A sense of control is invaluable when we lack real control.

Of course it would be ideal if we all had Stress Reactions that drove us to eat normal portions of healthy food every few hours, exercise daily, sleep eight hours a night, meditate morning and evening, and connect deeply and authentically with our friends, colleagues, and loved ones. But some Stress Reactions are destructive. They increase our stress rather than reduce it.

Peter gives some great example of functional and dysfunctional reactions. I have started a list of my own. How about you?

Judy Warner