In the late 1900s, American Psychologist Herbert Freudenberger proposed the term “burnout”. The reason behind this was to highlight the high level of expectations placed on the medical staff members.  

The main difference between burnout and stress is that stress is natural and unavoidable but burnout can be avoided. Moreover, burnout suggests that an individual has not put the effort of managing his stress levels for a long time so it has accumulated in the body for a long time which resulted in exhaustion and lack of inner peace. An individual can also take part in an online meditation class.

Productive stress vs Chronic stress

From the evolutionary perspective, stress was a protective mechanism for ensuring survival at the time of danger. So, it saved lives by generating a fight or flight reaction in individuals. 

 

For example, when an individual saw a snake or a lion before them, they experienced the stress response which made them run or prepare for a fight. Moving onto a contemporary example, whenever a social change occurs e.g. pandemic, this change can trigger a stress response in a person so either he can prepare to tackle it (fight) or avoid dealing with it (flight).

Chronic stress is the long-term aggregation of intense stress which can lead to health issues like diabetes, heart diseases, addiction, mood disorders, obesity, and other health problems. 

Symptoms of stress

Following are some common signs and symptoms of stress.

Irritation, headaches, difficulty sleeping, body pain, sweaty hands and feet, avoidance of social events, nausea, rise or fall in weight, and some more. 

Causes of stress

Stressors at workplace

Stress at work is nothing new and there are different causes behind it like long working hours, unrealistic deadlines, demands from colleagues, and difficult seniors. According to WHO, workplace stress is a reaction to mismatched expectations due to discrepancies between tasks and the skillset of the individual. 

The link between body and brain

We know that mind and body are connected on different levels and we also know that psychological stress can translate into physical symptoms e.g. functional neurological symptoms disorder (FNSD).

Importance of stress management

We have established the fact that mismanaged stress has repercussions on the mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual lives of a person. To avoid them for good reasons, it is necessary to learn stress management skills. Improving stress management skills also improves one’s emotional intelligence as stress management requires monitoring one’s emotions. 

Top 5 Management ways

Healthy boundaries

This is about knowing one’s limits regarding how much work one can handle in both personal and professional lives. So, whenever somebody tries to cross those boundaries, it is the right time to be assertive about it. When guilt arises, individuals should remind themselves about the purpose of those limits. The focus is on being firm yet kind and considerate towards others. 

Time management

Time management is about taking control of one’s time so that one does not over-commit to responsibilities. We know that over-commitment brings unwanted stress and its negative consequences. There is a tool known as the Eisenhower matrix which makes time management and prioritization easier. It encourages looking at tasks as urgent or not urgent, and important or not important. Finally, it emphasizes making decisions like whether to do a task now, schedule it, delegate it or completely delete it from the to-do list.

Physical movement

Having some physical movement when stressed out is one of the best ways to tackle it. For this to be impactful, one does not have to be a professional sports player or take a gym membership. Some simple ways to keep the body moving are dancing, brisk walking to a store, using stairs at work and home, and some light sports. The key lies in doing this regularly so that the mind and body recognize the pattern. 

Balanced lifestyle

This is about making small changes in daily life so that one eats balanced meals (less sugar and caffeine), have sufficient time for sleep, and practices avoidance of drugs and alcohol. Online meditation can also be part of a balanced lifestyle. 

Meditation

It is about regulating one’s attention and emotions by being present in the moment. This exercise has well-researched benefits on multiple levels. So, for such purposes, one can pick yoga, focused attention meditation, open-monitoring meditation, deep breathing exercises, and several other options that suit their goals, and values.

Maladaptive ways

These include using drugs (even recreational ones) and alcohol to numb the pain. But this is not a productive solution. According to research, drug use can worsen the problem i.e. create chronic health issues. Avoidance is another strategy that is widely used by people which arises from their lack of insight, motivation, and discipline. Hence, such maladaptive coping styles must not be exercised for long-term peace of mind.

Finishing lines

It is critical to know that regular exercise of stress management techniques creates resilience against life stressors and brings desirable health benefits. Moreover, there are multiple ways to tackle stress healthily. Other options include improving skills online through self-development courses like online meditation courses or anger management courses.