“Stress less” is terrible advice

This is what happens when you tell someone to “stress less”, Luke!

Yes, we’re stressed

The pandemic has only increased stress levels, with the WHO charting a 25 percent increase in anxiety and depression worldwide. On top of that, a recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that more than 80 percent of adults are highly stressed by inflation driving up prices, global uncertainty, war and “a constant stream of crises”.

Add on the smaller-scale worries of our daily lives, and it’s clear that stress is pretty hard to get away from. So what if we switched our mindset to embrace stress and use it to our advantage?

Why the way we think about stress is wrong

Your mindset can be a mighty thing, turning a negative into a positive. There is growing evidence that changing how you think about stress makes it easier to manage.

A 2020 study of Navy SEAL candidates found that those who viewed stress as an advantage – that it “enhances their health, performance and well-being” – outperformed those who saw it as debilitating. This is backed up by research from Stanford University that shows "viewing stress more positively” helps people to cope and thrive.

Stress has physiological impacts, as hormones send out distress signals alerting your body to prepare for danger. If an athlete can funnel that rush of energy into their performance, why can’t you do the same when you have to speak in public or you’re struggling to meet a work deadline?

It’s important to remember that chronic stress can negatively affect your body and mind. It’s the effects of more moderate and short-term stress that we want to reclaim as a good thing.

How can you put that into action? Let’s take a look.

So, how do I make stress work for me?

Next time you’re feeling stressed, try these techniques to see if you can turn it into a positive.

1. Say it out loud
Let’s be real: we spend a lot of time trying to ignore stress and pretend it’s not there. Then when it all gets too much, we react without thinking.

What’s got Dan’s brow furrowed? Whatever it is, he’s using a journal to name it and tame it.

If you acknowledge and name your stress, rather than trying to avoid it – for instance, “I’m worried about my health” – this will help you be less reactive and more deliberate in your response. Because as they say, you’ve got to name it to tame it.

2. Reframe it
Think about the physiological sensations of stress like your heart racing or sweaty palms. A 2016 study of US students taking exams found that kids who reframed these feelings as something functional experienced “reduced anxiety and improved performance”.

So when those stress alerts start pinging inside your body, try telling yourself it’s excitement or anticipation for a big challenge. You might just find the fuel you need to get focused and perform at your best.

3. Give your mind space
There’s a reason we’re always telling you to meditate. Research shows it’s not only an effective way to reduce the impact of stress, it also gives your mind space to think rationally about what is stressing you. Once you find calm, you can redirect that energy into something more positive – like solving the problem.

Ready to snap? Spend a few minutes with Sergio before you say something you’ll regret.

Building a regular meditation habit can also help you be more present in the moment, rather than worrying about “what ifs”. Plus, meditation can give you breathing techniques to use whenever you feel your heart begin to race.

4. What would Michael do?
If you’re stressed, it’s often because the thing you’re focused on is important to you, or it requires a lot of effort. What our boxing champ Michael Olajide Jr. has realized is that the real benefit of striving for something comes from the effort you put into it.

“Let’s just say you set yourself a fitness goal,” Michael explains. “You need to be prepared to fail, but the most important thing is that you get back up and keep trying. Don't look at it as: if you stop, you lose and that's it. As long as you come back to it, you're winning. You're always making strides forward. If you’re struggling, just remember the benefit is in the effort. You'll get there.”

5. Get the balance right
If it feels like stress is the ONLY thing you have in your life, you’re veering into chronic stress territory and it’s going to be tough to turn it into something useful. So rather than focusing on trying to manage all that stress, you need to create space for the things you enjoy.

Adding fun into your days won’t cut off the source of the stress, but it will make it less overwhelming – giving you back the mental capacity to deal with whatever comes your way. Think about it this way: are you more likely to come back to a task feeling energized and positive after grabbing a coffee with a friend or after spending an hour wallowing?

If you need urgent support, you can call:
USA: Mental Health America on 1-800-273-8255
Australia: Beyond Blue on 1300-22-4636
UK: Hopeline on 0800-068-4141
Other: Contact your country's mental health support hotline.