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Harnessing Positive Stress at Work
Ramblings from a therapist (and former HR) trying to make sense of the middle ground.
It’s hard to avoid stress at work, especially when you are presented with many arduous tasks, an intense workload, and a long commute home.
While a lot of stress is bad, a moderately consistent level would be beneficial, especially when it hits that sweet spot — to help with personal motivation and performance.
Indeed’s 2022 Workplace Report and findings from Stanford University seem to support this notion.
Positive stress mindsets are always welcome. However, we cannot always force ourselves to think positively. Normalizing that we feel a certain way is okay, as long as we try to think across neutral and positive parameters.
This means planting seeds to reframe our circumstances, such as:
- Arduous physical labour as physical wellness
- Intense mental labour as routine mental stimulation
- A structured routine as a supportive factor against feelings of hopelessness
- Working as a means of making others (and yourself) financially sound
Even if you don’t quite internalize those positive parameters, it’s the effort that counts — and even incremental steps towards positive change can…