How to Channel Stress in Positive Ways to Improve Performance

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Our bodies respond differently to any kind of demand or threat, this process is known as the stress response. When the body senses danger, it automatically reacts to counter stress. Stress can damage our health and affect our performance, but if managed correctly, stress can positively impact on our levels of productivity and performance, meaning that we can turn stress into an asset. In an article titled "Turning Stress into an asset" by Amy Gallo offers suggestions on how to constructively use stressful moments to become more productive (Gallo, 2011).
The author acknowledges that stress is inevitable and forms part of our daily life. The article suggests five basic principles on how we can alter our approach to stress to yield positive results. The first principle is to recognize the worry. According to experts, it's normal to worry about a task because it indicates the importance of this task. If we understand worry as an indicator but not as symptoms that causes panic, we can react to the worry in a rational manner (Gallo, 2011).
The second principle is how to reframe stress, after recognizing the worry, experts recommend that it's important to adjust our mindset because how we view stress will largely determine how it might affect us (Gallo, 2011). According to the author, being productive means adjusting our minds, a positive attitude helps the brain generate more possibilities (Gallo, 2011). Another important approach to manage stress effectively is to focus on what we can control, when faced w...