Good Stress Bad Stress:
Every workplace can prove challenging at times, and while all people respond differently, stress can be a common result of a challenging situation or event. Being under stress is not always a bad thing; it may enhance your drive and energy to complete a task and result in a greater feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction of a job well done.
However, stress that is brought on by situations that are severe, ongoing or overwhelming are more likely to lead to a drop in your mental wellbeing. Therefore, it is important to be able to recognize the good stress and the bad stress.
What are Work Challenges that May Lead to Bad Stress?
- Unrelenting workload
- Dealing with distressed or difficult clients
- Abusive, violent or threatening situations
- Roles that require hiding your emotions
- Working in isolation
- Remote management
- Procedures or tasks that are unclear
- Overly repetitive tasks
Understanding The Mental Health Continuum
In order to understand when we may be under greater periods of stress, it is first helpful to understand the mental health continuum. Wellbeing is more complex than emotionally feeling good or bad – and the greater our understanding of the framework, the quicker we’ll be able to recognise when we’re not doing so great.
Wellbeing exists on a continuum from thriving to ill:
THRIVING
Thriving people are at their best. They can deal with regular ups and down. The signs are:
- Normal fluctuations in mood and have little trouble sleeping
- Having energy and feeling physically well
- Consistently performing at work and being socially active
REACTING
People who regularly deal with bad stress may fall into patterns of reacting. The signs are:
- Feeling nervous, irritable and sad
- Having trouble sleeping and experiencing low energy
- Dealing with headaches and muscle tension
- Procrastinating more often and decreasing their social interactions
ILL
People that are consistently overloaded may develop a psychological injury and the signs may be:
- Experiencing anxiety, anger, sadness or hopelessness
- Restless or disturbed sleep
- Fatigue, aches and pains
- Decreased performance at work and withdrawn socially
How to Recognise Where You are on the Continuum and When You Need Support
When we’re overloaded by stress from challenging situations, our behaviors often change in line with our wellbeing. Knowing your own patterns is key. Noticing changes to your routines and every day habits and seeking support early is important in preventing adverse effects to your mental wellbeing.
Some of the areas you might notice changes in are:
Physical health: Has your appetite changed? Do you find that you are relying more and more on caffeine in order to stay alert? Are you too tired to keep up your usual exercise?
Social Life: Are you spending less time with your friends and family? Do you feel like being around people is too hard to manage or requires too much effort?
Sleep: Are you having trouble falling asleep? Are you waking up at night? Do you have consistently low energy levels throughout the day?
Work Performance: Do you find attending work difficult? Have you lost enthusiasm for tasks you usually enjoy? Do you find yourself procrastinating?
Address Issues Early
Recognising the signs of each stage is important when it comes to addressing small concerns before they develop further. If you’ve noticed your habits changing, talk to your manager. Find out what supports are available to you within your organisation. Linking support networks can help you develop strategies for dealing with work challenges ahead of time. Remember, your mental health should always be your priority.
Links to Support Within a Workplace:
- Colleagues
- Manager
- HR
- EAP
Links to Support External to the Workplace:
- Family GP
- Family
- Friends
- Community networks
- Physical activity
