“ I t ’ s n o t s t r e s s t h a t k i l l s u s , i t i s o u r r e a c t i o n t o i t ”

H a n s S e l y e

Are you suffering from “good stress” or “bad stress”?

People often confuse the two.

Good stress, otherwise also called “eustress”, is defined as a positive form of stress having beneficial effects on health, motivation & performance. During eustress, feel-good chemicals called endorphins are released during pleasurable activities such as exercise, massage, eating and sex too. Endorphins also help relieve pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being as they are your body's natural painkillers.

Bad stress, otherwise also called “distress”, is stress that negatively affects you, just like when you feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens and your senses become sharper.

Are you suffering from stress or burnout?

How To Tell Whether You're Stressed Or Burnt Out? It's true that stress and burnout often overlap. Burnout refers to work-related exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed and a sense of feeling "stuck," with no pathway forward. Unlike stress, where you can imagine feeling better once things settle, burnout feels hopeless.

Below is a short list of signs and symptoms to look out for:

Below is a diagram that can help you visualize good stress and bad stress:

So, if you visualize both good and bad stress as a continuous bridge, you’ll always be able to see the cracks before the bridge falls and be able to put measures in place to avoid burnout. Ask yourself to see how well has your decision making skills been lately? Consider taking up regular exercise or some form of activity that allows you to switch off and recharge.