When Stress is Actually Good For You

When we talk about stress, we often talk about how it needs to be avoided at all costs so you don’t fall sick, become tired, and suffer from burnout. But did you know that not all stress is created equal? Contrary to the negative connotations we’ve been painting about stress, there is something known as “good stress”, which when addressed properly can be beneficial for personal growth, motivation, productivity, and even up your performance.

First, let’s get to the fun science part: Good stress, also known as eustress, is “the positive response your body creates when facing optimal levels of stimulation,” according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Say you love running. Some may think that joining a marathon is stressful (and it can be, both mentally and physically) but for you, while it’s demanding and your body does experience some form of stress, it’s also highly enjoyable. So that stressful situation is in fact a positive experience for you!

Or maybe you’re starting a new job. For many, this can be a stressful experience, especially if it is a new role with more challenging responsibilities. But if you’ve been looking forward to the change of scenery, your new job – yes, while stressful – is giving you a lot of positive good-stress vibes.

So how does good stress work? For starters, it helps you feel excited and energised – like you’ll all set to go. While bad stress harms your health, good stress can promote well-being by improving your body’s ability to better handle the challenging time ahead. In fact, in a study, researchers found that good stress in short doses improves immunity for most people!

Also, believe it or not – your body needs a certain level of stress to keep your mind and body alert and ready to respond. Call it the fight or flight response but in the case of good stress, it is when you soar with motivation and focus to do better and aim higher!

Another reason why good stress works? When faced with a situation that requires you to be on your toes (say that new job you’re starting), it can help you learn more about yourself, your skills, and your limits – all of which will help you understand what you’re capable of, what you need to improve on, and how you can do better in similar situations in the future.

What’s also great about good stress is that it is usually short-term. Bad stress (chronic stress) manifests into your body as it is usually something that grows over time – anxiety, weary relationships, uncertainties. These are things that leave you jittery and will decrease your performance over time. Where good stress is concerned, it usually inspires and motivates you to focus your energy on your performance.

Ultimately, what makes stress good is how you react or feel about the experience. When faced with something new or a challenging situation, instead of thinking of the negative outcomes, take it on with a positive mindset to give you the motivation to sustain your efforts and achieve your goals. Make it all about a healthy challenge you’re happy to be working toward because of the positive outcome you’ll get out of it. Focus on what your end goal is and make it positive.

Most importantly, find balance! You can’t always be positive, but it doesn’t mean you just focus on the negative things either. There are times when you can be gloom about the challenges ahead of you but do take the time to acknowledge and manage your reactions. The key is to identify what outcome you want out of the situation and what you need to do to get there in that good stress way.

Photo by Peter Conlan on Unsplash.