Good vs. Bad Stress: A Self-Reflection Exercise
Now that we’ve explored the key differences between good and bad stress, it’s time to take a closer look at the stresses you personally face in your role as a middle leader.
On a piece of paper or in a document, create two columns – one for “Good Stress” and one for “Bad Stress”. Then, list out the specific demands, tasks, or situations in your role that fall under each category.
For example, under “Good Stress” you might list things like:
- Preparing for an important presentation to the executive team
- Working towards a challenging goal
- Implementing a new initiative that requires you to learn new skills
And under “Bad Stress” you might have items like:
- Constantly putting out fires and dealing with last-minute crisis
- Feeling overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list
- Navigating never ending staffing issues
Once you’ve completed your lists, reflect on the balance between good stress and bad stress in your current role. Are there certain areas you can lean into more to cultivate the positive, motivating type of stress? Are there specific bad stresses you need to find ways to better manage or mitigate?
This self-reflection exercise is meant to raise your awareness of the different types of stress you encounter, so you can make intentional choices about how to respond to them. With this knowledge, you can work to maximise the good stress that helps you thrive, while minimising the detrimental impact of bad stress.
