Stress comes in many forms, and it affects people in different ways. But if you understand the most common types of stress and know how to spot them, you can better manage the stress you face.
It can help you work more productively and enjoyably, build better relationships, and live a healthier life. In this article, we’ll look at four common types of stress and discuss how you can manage each one more effectively.
The four most common types of stress.
Dr. Karl Albrecht, a California-based management consultant and speaker, is a pioneer in the development of stress reduction training for business people. He defined four common types of stress in his 1979 book, “Stress and the Manager.”
Albrecht’s four common types of stress are:
- Time-related stress.
- The stress of anticipation.
- Situational stress.
- The stress of the meeting.
Time-related stress.
What time stress includes:
People who suffer from time stress feel trapped. They feel like they don’t have enough time to complete their tasks or do their job well.
When under this type of stress, individuals often become fixated on impending deadlines and workloads. This fixation uses a lot of their concentration and energy. This means they have little energy and focus left to actually do the work they need to do.
Overcome time stress:
It is possible to eliminate some of the stress related to time by improving productivity and time management. It is recommended to set priorities, make to-do lists, use the Eisenhower matrix, work longer hours and work at more productive times.
The best long-term way to overcome time stress is to address its root causes. These are often related to workloads and effective communication. To overcome these problems, one must develop the ability to say no to other tasks. You also need to have open and honest conversations with leaders and managers so that they are aware of the situation.
Anticipatory stress.
What anticipatory stress includes:
People who experience anticipatory stress are usually stressed about an upcoming event or activity. These events are often situations that they think they can handle badly or have negative consequences for them. In this case, people may find themselves fixated on the event or the potential outcome. They can be so fixated that they can’t focus on the best ways to deal with them.
Overcome stress by anticipation:
People can overcome some of their anticipated stress by planning for the unexpected. It simply means having a plan of action for a range of possible future situations.
Other techniques can be helpful, such as positive visualization and meditation, as well as improving underlying confidence. Practice, feedback, preparation, dry runs, and relationship building, as appropriate, are all common ways to build confidence in relation to a specific future event.
Situational stress.
What situational stress includes:
Situational stress, by definition, happens in the moment. It often occurs when individuals are triggered by a situation they cannot control, usually conflict, loss of status, or emergencies. When a person experiences situational stress, they usually feel threatened by what is happening around them.
Overcome situational stress:
Situational stress is difficult to manage because it is often automatic and directed by the amygdala, causing a “fight or flight” response. Developing your emotional intelligence is a great way to reduce the likelihood of this type of stress taking control of you in difficult situations.
As you become more emotionally intelligent, you may learn to recognize your symptoms of stress. You can also learn to spot in advance the types of situations that can become stressful for you. By being able to spot these situations, you will know when you need to take mitigating action.
The stress of the meeting.
What dating stress includes:
Individuals experience encounter stress when they worry about interacting with one person or group, or when they are exhausted from too many difficult interactions with specific people or groups. This type of stress can lead to becoming fixated on particular future encounters, avoiding certain encounters and therefore not delivering certain work items, and further eroding relationships.
Overcome dating stress:
The best way to overcome dating stress is to improve interpersonal skills and build confidence and resilience.
Improving your self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and social skills can help you deal with situational stress, as can spending time building relationships with people or groups you consider stressful. . As with other forms of “in the moment” stress, visualization and contingency planning can also help.
