How to Use Stress to Your Benefit

Everyone knows that stress is bad. It will kill you. It ages you. It makes you look sick. It makes you eat too much, it doesn’t let you eat enough. There are so many things that stress can do to a person’s body and mind that I can’t even begin to list it all. You know how to get rid of stress. You know that exercise and meditation and deep breathing will help you cope, but did you know that stress is not always bad? Sometimes, stress is exactly what you need to give you energy. Many times, people who are under stress will feel a sudden rush of energy that prompts them to get more done and be more productive. I’m not telling you to deliberately lead a stressful life, I’m just telling you that when you feel like you don’t have much energy, you can do something about it.

Don’t Give Yourself Enough Time

Katie Couric once said that she can only perform well when she’s stressed. It gives her an energy that doesn’t compare to anything else. When she’s not feeling up to par, she will deliberately waste time so that she is rushed and stressed when it’s time to get ready for something. This boosts her adrenaline and gets her ready to tackle anything that comes her way the rest of the day.

Turn Bad Stress into Good Stress

Bad stress is still bad stress, and it can do bad things to your mind and body. Instead of focusing on the negative part of your bad stress, look for solutions; you can feel stressed about something in a bad way and make it productive. For example: Instead of focusing on the fact that you cannot afford to pay your rent and car payment at the same time this month, start thinking of ways you can make it work. Think of things you can do to make extra money, think about calling your creditors and asking for an extension, or whatever it takes. Turn your bad stress into productive stress to get your energy going and get your productive personality working.