Eustress

Eustress a positive form of stress having a beneficial effect on health, motivation, performance, and
emotional well-being

Eustress is usually a product of nerves, which can be brought on when faced with a fun challenge.
Genovese says this is important because, without eustress, our well-being can suffer.

Eustress, or positive stress, has the following characteristics:

Motivates, focuses energy.

Is short-term.

Is perceived as within our coping abilities.

Feels exciting.

Improves performance.

Distress

In terms of opposites, distress and eustress are on either end of the spectrum. Unlike eustress, distress
can make you feel overwhelmed because your resources (physically, mentally, emotionally) are
inadequate to meet the demands you’re facing.

In contrast, Distress, or negative stress, has the following characteristics:

Causes anxiety or concern.

Can be short- or long-term.

Is perceived as outside of our coping abilities.

Feels unpleasant.

Decreases performance.

Can lead to mental and physical problems.

How to Manage Stress

The first step toward reducing stress is learning what your triggers are. "If you know what pushes your
buttons, then avoid it. But there are stresses we have to accept, so we must change our reactions to
them. Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it
sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own
stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried
about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that
leads to deadline stress. age stress and lead happier, healthier lives.

Here are some tips to help you keep stress at bay.

Keep a positive attitude.

Accept that there are events that you cannot control.

Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry,
defensive, or passive.

Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi for stress management.

Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.

Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.

Learn to manage your time more effectively.

Set limits appropriately and learn to say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.

Make time for hobbies, interests, and relaxation.

Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.

Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.

Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you enjoy.

Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in stress management or
biofeedback techniques to learn healthy ways of dealing with the stress in your life.