Without the stress, we have more energy to get things done and more fun doing it. We need stimulation and engagement. We all enjoy pushing ourselves to accomplish our objectives. But we don't need stress to get there.
Stress caused by normal worry is a motivator as we needed to face situations we encounter. Stress causes changes in our brain and body that makes us see situations more focused and to the point. Too much stress can be a distracter for some as we could spend too much time worrying about how stressed we are instead of taking care of the problem. Some people worry more about their stress than the problem that's causing it.
david,
Stress can be a motivator if you can see a positive at the end of the tunnel. If your stress is part of a trauma, personal loss, catastrophe or crisis it can be debilitating and harmful to your health. Professional help for negative stress may be needed.
Dr. Gary Carlson
Stress can be both a motivator because it brings out the best in you. It can help you achieve goals otherwise not though it was attainable. However, it can be a distracter when it is too much; it does not allow you to think well.
Victoria,
The most negative stress is from personal loss, trauma or crisis with catastrophe proportions, It does take some very good stress relief practices to contend with these. Motivating stress is with reward potentials in the end. We may be stressed but if we keep the eye on the light at the end of the tunnel with success reducces the negative to a positive.
Dr. Gary Carlson
It could be both, it depends how you handle it. It you don't break the negative stress cycle you will feel worry, overwhelmed, your productivity will be reduced, it would start affecting your health, etc.
On the other way if you know how to handle it, it could motivate you to finish your goals, to achieve what you want, in a positive way.
Marianne,
You are so correct. The key for a leader is to know the line where people can stretch themselves but not go beyond that line.
Dr. Gary Carlson
Stress can be both motivating and distracting. For example, many of us perform best when deadlines are given for projects, however this can be distracting if the deadline is unreasonable or if one has procrastinated too long. Using the deadline to do your best work would be a motivator, worrying that the deadline is unrealistic would be distracting.
Terrak,
There is positive stress which is used in most cases to motivate. Those stresses caused from trauma are more profound to cause health issues.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I would say both, however it depends upon the individual's ability to handle the stress. Some people are able to manage the stress better than others. So for these people stress can be more of a motivator while for others it can often be a distractor. Everyone will encounter stress in their lives. And it's up to each individual to follow the steps that they see fit in order to cope with their stress.
Ralph,
Stress that has rewards and light at the end of the tunnel your stress is easier to handle. Stress that is caused by trauma and personal loss is the harder to contend with for the physical body.
Dr. Gary Carlson
Certain levels of stress are good because it is more than a motivator it gives you a sense of urgency and with it a more focused look at what you are doing and with that you have the focus to perform with greater detail and accuracy. However-it is a misconception when people say "I work well under pressure when the stress level is high". The are swapping out the concept of focus due to urgency with stress- because stress builds and becomes counter productive. We naturally want to do well- with that- urgency pushes us to perform- stress has similar physical attributes but breaks us down with our ability to cope with ugency
Phyllis,
Great advise for your students. Expected and unexpected stress are definitely two different situations. We need to always consider how we deal with both. When we have a situation where we experience trauma, loss of someone (personal) or injury always causes us to draw upon our ability to gain balance in our lives. If we carry on our lives with good health habits, exercise, mental activity and spiritual rejuvenation we will have a better chance of dealing with the unexpected and unwanted stress.
Dr. Gary Carlson
Stress can be both a motivator and a distractor. I always tell my students that a little stress is good as it increases your awareness and your performance, but when you move from a little stress to all out panic that panic will just blow you out of the water and inhibit you from thinking straight and making good decisions. We talk about stategies like getting out of the situation for awhile to allow you to calm and regroup and how to calm ourselves down in the moment and how it doesn't work the first time you try it and must be practiced to be effective.
Mia,
It is good to have timelines for organization and completion lines in the sand. We operate better under organized plans. We have motivational stress and damaging stress. Anytime we have stress that is caused by trauma or personal loss results in shock to the biological system. Shock can be dangerous if not handled correctly.
Dr. Gary Carlson
It can be both depending on the type of stress. In the workplace I work best under the stress of deadlines.
Kim,
We would all be lying if we said we didn't experience some stress. Your organization is key to solving the issue so it doesn't become unhealthy. We all have our own methods of dealing with stress. Some are good and some are not. The key is the balance we live with exercise, recreation, mental pleasure activity, healthy habits and spiritual rejuvenation. Keep up your cognizance of what works for you.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I am a Program Director for Graphic Design and have always had stress as part of my life. From meeting deadlines to owning my own design studio. I find that most stress is the kind that keeps me motivated.
But there is a line that can be crossed where to much to do is a distraction rather than a motivator. When this happens it feels like one can't get started on anything because there is too much to think about. Organizing my workspace helps to prioritize my tasks and writing down random thoughts that are distracting keeps me from feeling like I need to keep thinking about them because I am afraid I will forget something. After this is accomplished it is easier to see what to do and when.
Merary,
Great comments by you. You seem to have the right idea about how to deal with different stress issues. Prioritization is the key and having the priorities first and make sure you are dealing with those things you can make a difference. It may call for some delegation with some of your colleagues who could deal with some issues for you. Your determination and flexibility will always be a pulse for you. Your vitality and contributions I believe will be plentiful.
Dr. Gary Carlson
It depends on how we seeing certain situations, if we are the kind of people who exaggerate problems like impossible to deal with them, we definitely will get distracter stress, because we get worry about all things we should do or is happening (deadlines projects, pending paperwork, filing, meetings, presentations, work overload, organization restructuring, other) like if we need to do it all at the same time or we will be layoff from work; instead of being focused on solutions. Only if we take the time to Evaluate the problem, Plan what we can do and Taking direct action, distracter stress goes away and motivator stress appears, giving us the necessary energy and clear of mind to confront and solve problems; without letting us with knowledge that even when we are putting the best effort there will be some situations out of our controls; in those ocassions is better let the worry go until later. Certainly stress effect (Motivator- Distractor) depends on how people reacts to difficulties and unexpected situations.
