Stress can certainly be both motivating and distracting, depending on the situation.
This past week has been example of stress as a motivator. Today is the last day of final exams for the term. Knowing the end of the term was fast approaching helped me to focus on grading projects, quizzes, etc.
Other times, stress can get in the way of completing tasks. For example, concern over a situation with family or friends is a distraction when it comes to getting tasks completed for school. Often, I catch my mind wandering off to other topics while I'm looking at a student's assignment on my computer screen.
I believe that stress can be both a motivator and a distractor. In certain situations I myself respond differently. When I was competitively diving - one of my coaches would purposefully aggravate me to the point that I would be more worried about them than the competition. And ironically I did a lot better when I had this type of influence. So this could be construed as good stress and a great motivator.
Stress is in everyones life but how we approach it makes the difference.
Good stress usually helps to motivate you into good activity.
It is easy to determine stress that is causes life threatening thoughts and stress which contributes to your well being ands success.
Exercise always is a good activity add this with good mental health and spirituality will balance your life.
After exercising, I find that I am in a better mood, even if I were stressed when I started.
I know people who do not know about good or bad stress. To them, stress is stress.
I agree, but some things can be stressful even if order and time management are in check. I believe it is the type of situation that can determine stress that is hard to manage.
I suspect that they are both. Stress can be useful at times to help provide motivation. How we handle the stress can be a problem, however.
I agree with your choice. Humor with a good sense value system will help with your stress and others
...For more information, I recommend reading WHY ZEBRAS DON'T GET ULCERS by Robert M. Sapolsky. The author uses humor, and an extradinary amount of insightfulness into stress.
Organization and time mamagment is a must for stress relief. When we are ahead of the game we reduce the stress levels.
Stress is a motivator to me when it is at a low level. If I have a far away deadline that I know is easy to meet, I procrastinate. If I try to do the job earlier I can't focus very well. As the deadline nears my focus and productivity levels increase. If I procrastinate too long though, the pressure gets too high, and then I buckle. Sometimes, I don't allow for interruptions in time and my time management system backfires and I screw myself up and create my own problems this way.
There is definitely good and bad stress. Good stress usually comes from a forseen goal that is positive and adds to your own selfworth. Stresses also need activity such as you explained where you can reflect and reload your system to approach the challenges.
I would have to go with a bit of everything, of course this depends on the situation and what is at stake. I find that stress motivates me to complete whatever project is at hand so that I can eliminate that stress. On the other side of that I can tend to become distracted because of frustration and need to take breaks etc. But the breaks help me to walk off the stress and think so all together I would say stress is a motivator because when I get distracted I take a breather and can return with renewed vigor.
Pat,
It is important to be organized when confronting a sharp deadline. It seems you know how to put your priorities in order. Some of what this is called is chunking the assignment into parts so you can accomplish the outcome within the time limits. If you have established the correct flags to determine the success of your activity you will succeed.
Good Job!
There is an interesting book out now that reflects on today's motivation of people and employees. It is titled "Drive" by Daniel Pink.
I have found that I perform at my peak when under a deadline. This method gives me a time table to divide the project by. Thereby allowing for daily check points which enables me to avoid a project accumulation which history has shown to increase stress.
Pat Broderick
There are both good and bad stress. Stress that is productive and can help you in health or business is often rewarding and beneficial. Emotional stress that is caused by bad situations you what to avoid. Your best decisions come from good stress.
I would consider it to be both. It a work assignment of grad school assignment, it has helped push me to reach for bigger and better solutions. However, personal stressors such as money and/or relationships have also been distractions.
