Dealing with eustress and distress in workplace.
Occupational distress is a threat against employer’s expectation in work performance. Occupational distress may not have direct impact in project success but ultimately it may result negative impact among team’s spirit in achieving project success. On the other hand the eustress or “good stress” is a term first used and defined by Selye (1974). Where Selye defined stress as “…the non-specific response of the body to any demand placed upon it.” (Selye, 1974) He separated the two stresses into positive and negative. The eustress can promote the team to work effectively and efficiently to achieve project success Refer to Figure 2.2.1 (The American Institute of Stress website, 2010).
Negative stress, or distress, is what will wear down the work performance and possible courses to health risk in the long run. On the other hand, positive stress, eustress, can make you feel invigorating and allow workers achieve high work performance. Human brain is in control of the eustress and distress and it sends the emotion into action. We can effectively deal with the eustress and distress by managing the emotions signals. In many situations, the difference between positive and negative stress is simply by how we perceive a matter or work task ahead. If you perceive it positively, the stress can boost your energy and allow you to perform better. For example, if we were issued with a heavy workload and the difference between how we perceive the situation is: not being able to see the final outcome from doing all these work, or, can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and the chance to micro-manage the outcome by knocking down each work tasks. I believe having a vision to a position outcome can put a team in a eustress situation.
Furthermore, Rossman’s (2011) said many people thrive on stress energy. They look for stress as their driving force to do better. Their positive stress can often come from a challenging project, deadlines, and risk. Moreover, they often welcome the sense of urgency so they are putting themselves in a form of stress. In summary, welcome the challenging situation instead of avoiding it. The feeling of distress will soon disappear as you achieve career goals at doing what you do best. Acknowledge this to yourself that it is part of the learning curve and allow some eustress adrenaline flow through your body. To manage your stress can actually help you perform better, with more energy and emotional vitality.
Furthermore, Rossman’s (2011) said many people thrive on stress energy. They look for stress as their driving force to do better. Their positive stress can often come from a challenging project, deadlines, and risk. Moreover, they often welcome the sense of urgency so they are putting themselves in a form of stress. In summary, welcome the challenging situation instead of avoiding it. The feeling of distress will soon disappear as you achieve career goals at doing what you do best. Acknowledge this to yourself that it is part of the learning curve and allow some eustress adrenaline flow through your body. To manage your stress can actually help you perform better, with more energy and emotional vitality.
Characteristic of eustress and distress in workplace