Stress/Burnout/Life-Work Balance

The stress response of the body is somewhat like an airplane readying for take-off. Virtually all systems (e.g., the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs, and the brain) are modified to meet the perceived danger.

Stress is an unavoidable consequence of life. As Hans Selye (who coined the term as it is currently used) noted, “Without stress, there would be no life”. Stress is not always necessarily harmful. Winning a race or election can be just as stressful as losing, or more so, but may trigger very different biological responses. Increased stress results in increased productivity—up to a point. However, this level differs for each of us. It’s very much like the stress on a violin string. Not enough produces a dull, raspy sound. Too much tension makes a shrill, annoying noise or snaps the string. However, just the right degree can create a magnificent tone. Similarly, we all need to find the proper level of stress that allows us to perform optimally and make melodious music as we go through life.

Stressors can be defined as short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). Acute stress is the reaction to an immediate threat. Under most circumstances, once the acute threat has passed, the response becomes inactivated, and levels of stress hormones return to normal, a condition called the relaxation response. Frequently, however, modern life poses ongoing stressful situations that are not short-lived. Stress, then, becomes chronic. Common chronic stressors include ongoing highly pressured work, long-term relationship problems, loneliness, continuous information overload, and persistent financial worries. Chronic Stress can be especially damaging. Chronic stress caused by work can result in Burnout. An accumulation of persistent stressful situations, particularly those that a person cannot easily control (for example, high-pressured work plus an unhappy relationship), is most likely to produce negative physical effects.

Stress Symptoms may include sleep problems, digestive problems, headaches, difficulty concentrating, short temper, depressed mood, fatigue, immune system suppression that results in more colds or infections, and multiple others. Burnout can also manifest in reduced engagement, lack of creativity, and feeling numb or cynical about one’s work.

Physical symptoms can be caused by other illnesses, so it is important to have a medical doctor evaluate you and treat conditions such as ulcers, compressed disks, or other physical disorders. However, the body and mind are not separate entities. The physical problems outlined above may result from or be exacerbated by stress.

While it is not possible to live without any stress, we can learn ways to handle the stress of daily life efficiently and to manage our reactions to stress, and minimize its negative impact.

Stress management aims to help you balance the various aspects of your life—your work, your relationships, and your leisure—and balance the physical, intellectual, and emotional aspects of life. People who effectively manage stress consider life a challenge rather than a series of irritations, and they feel they have control over their lives, even in the face of setbacks.