Try this next time you are stressed
When we are stressed, we naturally want to jump into action to solve the problem. But have you ever noticed that sometimes, being stressed makes it more difficult to focus, make decisions, and effectively deal with the issue?
You are not alone. In fact, it means your brain’s stress response system is working exactly how it is supposed to. Let me explain…
When we are under stress, our nervous system sends our body into a sympathetic state, i.e. "fight or flight" mode, releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
In small amounts, these stress hormones actually help us focus and motivate us to act quickly in times of stress!
But there can be too much of a good thing.
The same hormones that make us alert and prepare the body for physical action actually reduce blood flow and glucose to the prefrontal cortex, the part of our brain responsible for complex thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving and instead send more resources to the survival-oriented regions of our brain, so we can react quickly to threats.
That means our hardwired response to stress can make it harder to think things through, make decisions, and stay motivated. It can also heighten anxiety and irritability, and lead to difficulty concentrating.
The good news is, we can take action to bring our bodies out of fight or flight and back into a parasympathetic nervous system state, i.e. “Rest and Digest.” From there, our blood pressure and heart-rate lowers and we regain full use of our complex thinking and reasoning skills!
In other words, sometimes we need to manage the stress itself before we can effectively handle the task that caused the stress to begin with!
So, next time you are stressed and find your brain state compromising your ability to take on the problem, try stepping away and tending to your mind first. Take just a few minutes to calm the stress and before attending to the task itself.
While it can feel counterintuitive to step away when things feel urgent, it can be exactly what you need to come back to work focused and ready to take action.
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I’m on a mission to change the way we think about stress and self-care. If you want to get out of “fight or flight” so you can feel better and improve productivity, lets chat.