After the easing of coronavirus measures in summer 2020, 40 per cent of the population still felt more stressed than before the pandemic. This was revealed by the evaluation of the "Swiss Corona Stress Study" survey conducted by the University of Basel. We are currently in the next tense phase, which is once again having an impact on our psyche. But let's not kid ourselves: Our stress levels were already on an upward trajectory before the corona crisis. Where does this come from and what can we do?
Stress originates in our thoughts
Although we often like to look for the causes outside ourselves, it has to be said here: Stress arises in our heads. It's not the traffic jam we get into on the way to work, the deadline that's due in two days' time or the feedback from our manager. It is our thoughts that tell us that we are feeling stress right now. We find ourselves in a certain situation and evaluate it within milliseconds - depending on the mood of the day, our own personality constellation and previous experiences. If our assessment is negative, stress is triggered. Let's take the example of a traffic jam: you can certainly be stressed by the possibility of being late for a meeting. Is there anything I can do about it right now? No. That's why I can also actively choose to de-stress myself, for example by putting on my favourite music and enjoying the time for myself. Our own cognitive assessment of a situation as a stress trigger is an essential component of stress research: stress arises from our assessment and judgement of a situation. If I am the person who causes stress through my thoughts, I can also be the person who can reduce stress. So let's start with the assessment of the situation. I receive suggestions for improving my work from my manager. I could see this as negative. But I can also be happy that someone has just given me a tip on how I can do something better. So why are many people in this situation less happy to receive such feedback?
Don't feel personally attacked
The feeling of stress is often linked to how we identify ourselves. We identify ourselves through our thoughts, our actions, our ideas of how we think we should be and much more. However, this strong identification means that we very quickly feel personally attacked if someone says something against our thoughts or actions. And yes, this in turn triggers stress. The more we can detach ourselves from these strong identifications, for example by not defining ourselves by our thoughts, the freer and less vulnerable we are. In concrete terms, we should therefore not relate suggestions for improving our actions or thoughts to ourselves. This prevents us from feeling personally attacked and causes less stress.
In addition to strong identifications, each person has their own "sore points". These are issues or certain situations to which someone reacts particularly strongly. These "sore points" are shaped by experiences and our learning history. They lead to specific situations, which objectively speaking are not stressful or not very stressful, being perceived as extremely stressful. An example of this is when colleagues don't ask if you want to go to lunch with them. This shows that people perceive different situations as stressful in different ways and that the perception of stress is very individual.
Are the demands I place on myself realistic?
Another important point is the question of your own requirements. What demands do I place on myself? Are they realistic? Do we always have to do everything perfectly? Or do we allow ourselves to make mistakes and even view them positively, as we may be able to learn from them?
As a comparison, imagine your best friend or someone you really like. Do you have the same expectations of this person? As a rule, we expect much less from others and have a higher tolerance for mistakes than we do from ourselves. Be your own best friend and lower your expectations of yourself to a realistic level.
"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul"
We think it's important to consciously listen to yourself and recognise your own patterns: Identify stressful situations, observe what thoughts arise in these situations and actively counteract them by assessing the situation positively or at least neutrally. Just like the extract from the poem "Invictus", which Nelson Mandela often quoted: I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.
Would you like to deepen your understanding of the mechanisms and causes of stress and learn about practical measures to prevent stress? With the stress prevention programme stressfit, we provide you with targeted support in dealing with stress on an individual basis. Stressfit is offered under a licence from the University of Zurich, © Prof. Dr. Guy Bodenmann, University of Zurich. Find this programme and other wellbeing offers here .
Sources
- https://www.unibas.ch/de/Aktuell/News/Uni-Research/Stressniveau-bleibt-f-r-viele-auch-nach-Lockerung-der-Corona-Massnahmen-erhoeht.html
- Henley, W. E., edited by Quiller-Couch, A. (1931). Invictus. Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900. Oxford, England. Clarendon Press.
Author
Stephanie Bender
Human Resources