What is stress?

It is important to distinguish motivating expectations from undue pressure.

Positive stress

• Constructive, stimulating challenges have positive effect on everyday life and work. Positive stress occurs when the level of preparedness of the body increases due to an unexpected but compliable task. As a result the performance improves and the body can make a greater effort. Also the concentration gets better and the attention increases so in the short run stress has a positive effect.

Negative stress

• The problem is with long term, excessive stress. This occurs when depressing everyday tasks take over us which puts back productivity. In time negative stress hinders concentration, makes it difficult to focus and significantly reduces the performance. It makes the number of bad decisions increase which can lead to higher stress. Therefore it leads to a vicious cycle which can cause anxiety and in severe cases even depression.

Source: http://acuhappyhour.wordpress.com/the-stress-cycle/

Warning signs

There are a number of warning signs which indicate the presence of negative stress. The most common symptoms are as follows:

Irritability, anxiety, depression

• Feeling irritable, anxious and depressed are typical signs of stress, all three potentially endangering social and personal relationships.

Trouble concentrating

• Brain capacity of a person can decrease by even 75% under stress. This triggers concentration problems and brain fatigue, undermine efficient work activity.

Apathy, loss of interest in work

• Workplace stress can cause apathy and depression which can lead to loss of interest in work and affects other areas of life and activities.

Problems sleeping

• Sleep deprivation is a common phenomenon stemming from psychological stress, affecting even the everyday routine of a person.

Fatigue

• As a result of excessive stress sooner or later the human body gets tired and becomes unable to perform. This is a natural and common reaction which requires special attention.

Headache, muscle tension

• This biological symptom may vary on a wide scale of intensity and type, and is often accompanied by muscle tension of other parts of the body. Serious headache requires medical attention.

Stomach problems

• Constant pressure at your workplace may cause stomach problems and digestive disorders. This indicates the upset of the internal balance and requires special attention.