It’s normal to feel a rush of stress during a packed week, when you’re preparing a presentation for work, or when it’s crunch-time on deadlines. In fact, there are some great benefits to stress – in moderation. The question is, which stress is good stress – the kind that makes you get up and go get things done when you need to – and which stress is bad stress – the kind that makes you lose sleep? There can be a thin line between the two: but here are some easy ways to recognize which is which.

Good Stress

Stress can provide focus and a burst of energy when we need it the most. Stress is what pushes many of us to meet goals and deadlines – when we’re under pressure, it’s the best motivator there is! Certain amounts of stress (that is, healthy amounts!) can help you work on a task more efficiently, and it can even help your memory.

Basically, good stress comes when you have a big ‘event’ coming up – deadlines, speeches, presentations – and leaves once that big event is over. These brief periods of acute stress help you recognize the importance of the task at-hand, and they give your body the tools you need to succeed.

Bad Stress

Stress can also be incredibly harmful to your wellbeing. How does that work? The short of it is that your body and mind aren’t made to handle excessive amounts of stress. Brief periods of stress or pressure might help us focus and work hard to meet our goals; but long periods of pressure will wear you down, mentally and physically. Prolonged periods of stress can lead to chronic fatigue, a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, and difficulty concentrating.

On top of that, certain major stressors can ‘overload’ you and lead to all the negative downsides of stress without providing any benefits: if you’ve ever lost a job, gotten sick at an inopportune moment, or dealt with a nasty client, you probably know exactly what we’re talking about!

Managing Stress

So, the long and the short of it: you want stress only when it benefits you! That seems obvious, right? Basically, stress over a presentation, big speech, difficult exam, or looming deadlines is more than normal – it’s probably good for you, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time! Long-term or excessive stress is bad for you: stressing over a deadline once in a blue moon is good. Feeling like you’re under pressure to succeed at work every day is not good.

Managing stress is all about recognizing your stressors, deciding what you can do to cope with them, and setting out to alleviate the stressors you are okay with – and eliminating those you aren’t. Simple meditation can do wonders for stress, and it’s easy to do regardless of where you are! All you need is some time to yourself and a routine. Yoga is also highly recommended for those of us who fight with unhealthy amounts of stress in our lives. You can also work toward making lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.

Most of all, try to remember that managing stress doesn’t have to take up a huge part of your day. Feeling overwhelmed in the middle of your workday? Take a small break! Walk around the office, stretch your legs out, go get a drink of water. Small and simple things will do more to keep you afloat than you might realize.

It’s important to remember that humans developed a stress reflex for a reason – and sometimes it’s there for our own good! Knowing the difference between good and bad stress is important to managing the good stress in your life while eliminating as much bad stress as possible.

Differences Between Good Stress & Bad Stress