Have you been feeling ‘significantly more stressed’ in lockdown? Fear not: a new scientific argument is gaining traction, claiming we may be able to harness our stress for the good ft.com/content/1d615d…
While we know much about the negatives of stress – from heart disease to burnout – mindset studies suggest we can alchemise our hormone response to stress to our advantage ft.com/content/1d615d…
Methods such as ‘reappraising’ can make us feel more in control over our reactions under pressure – looking back to realise we’ve coped with similar, or worse things in the past for example ft.com/content/1d615d…
Harvard Business School’s Alison Wood Brooks emphasises the power of reframing. When about to start a negotiation or speech, repeating ‘I am excited’ leads us away from feeling nervous, towards an ‘opportunity mindset’ that boosts performance ft.com/content/1d615d…
As part of a study, employees in a Fortune 500 company were taught 3 steps for a positive stress mindset:
1. Acknowledge the stress
2. Tie it to their goal
3. Use the stress response energy positively
The employees became less anxious and more focused
ft.com/content/1d615d…
There are practical ways to start brief doses of positive or ‘hormetic’ stress. Positive stressors include vigorous breathing exercises, wild swimming or fasting – short, sharp challenges that shake up and reset our body ft.com/content/1d615d…
For the first time, human clinical trials are testing whether positive stressors could have a long-term impact. They may confirm the ‘stress paradox’ – the notion that hormetic stressors could reverse chronic stress, rebuild cells and foster resilience ft.com/content/1d615d…
Do you feel you have a healthy amount of stress in your life? Take our poll below, then read about how you can harness the right kind of stress in @htsi: ft.com/content/1d615d…
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