sharpen-magazine-issue-16

8 • SHARPEN
An integral step in
stress management
is the debunking
of stress myths.
Whilst leadership and
management training
courses might offer practical
exercises, it is nevertheless
important to address
limiting beliefs that could
affect the full development
of your skills. These
misconceptions hinder our
full understanding of stress
and limit the efficacy of our
chosen stress management
approaches. Here are six
stress myths, which we
finally have to set straight.
Myth 1:
Stress is a uniform phenomenon
Although stress is universal, it happens to
every human, being from CEOs to street
vendors and it is never uniform. While
some might consider public speaking as
stressful, others tend to enjoy it to the
fullest; the same way that, while there are
people, who thrive in stressful situations
and environments, some are more likely
to bend and fold once thrown in the
same circumstances. Therefore, stress
management can be tailored fit to the
specific needs of an individual.
Myth 2:
Stress is never useful
There are individuals, who are able to
thrive, or at the very least, function,
during high-stress scenarios. This is
mainly because this group of people
are able to alleviate the effects of their
identified stressors, due to adopting
stress management philosophies and
applying techniques. Indeed, there are
instances, when just the right amount
of stress handled efficiently, leads a
person to optimum performance and
unrivalled excellence.
Myth 3:
Stress management
is an oxymoron
Some would argue that since stress is
omnipresent, there is no point trying
to avoid its influence. Therefore, such
concept as stress management is a
paradox, which is both impractical
and unreliable. This is a fallacy. There
are strategies, such as goal setting and
prioritisation, which are known to temper
the effects of stress, especially those
triggered by perceived problems. Stress
may be everywhere and can strike anytime,
but so long as we are guided by a clear list
of present objectives and an unambiguous
set of life goals in general, we can, always,
respond to it readily and efficiently.
THE
CONSULTANCY
“Manage your state in the
morning and you will reap
the reward in the afternoon”
©Nicholas C. Hill
Nicholas C. Hill