What makes modern people suddenly explode emotionally is sometimes those seemingly insignificant little things.
It suddenly rained heavily on the way to work; at a critical juncture, the network suddenly broke down; when hungry and waiting for a meal, the delivery man delivered the wrong order; you suddenly received a phone call when you were silent all year round; at three o'clock in the morning, you were still thinking about what others heard during the day... Compared with the three mountains of rent, inward roll, and love that weigh on young people, these things may not be large, but they will instantly make people fall into a state of madness.
If you feel this way from time to time, you are not alone. We solicited a number of user stories and found that the sources of stress can be roughly divided into the following:
Routine daily events go wrong:
@abccd: I came home after a tiring day and found the house a mess.
@May it be in wood for kiri: When you climb the stairs with things in your hands and there is still one floor left, the key falls off.
@ Ordinary kitten diary: in the company drilled under the table to insert the mouse, but the round hole is particularly difficult to insert, kneeling on the ground for a long time can not be inserted...
@ A lot of ah: into the mall, there is still a group of people behind them, but how can not open the health treasure.
Moments that are not the desired attention:
@Walking in the rain is the right thing to do: speak in public.
@Lannister Tyrion: Say hello.
@wenyadeng: While using the computer to make a design drawing, there is a person standing next to me looking at my computer.
Worried about what hasn't happened yet:
@Neon Rinka Sauce: Getting up early to catch a high-speed train or plane may be nervous until you have insomnia all night.
@ North North Wood W: Call the website consultation phone, you have to rehearse 800 times before you dare to call.
Every uncontrollable moment of thinking too much:
@ The most afraid of friends' sudden concern: sending messages to others, not receiving a reply, will worry that they are not saying the wrong thing.
@Green's Red Riding Hood: It seems like everything is going to amplify it.
@Comb's memo: Many normal things in the eyes of others, small things that are not worth mentioning, can make me collapse to the point of wanting to die.
In psychology, these small things that can make people feel stressed are called "micro-stress" (micro-stress). A recent article published in the Daily Telegraph reignited the discussion of micro-stress, with psychiatrist Samantha Boardman observing that people are able to cope with the big stresses in their lives, such as dealing with relationships and work, but those small things make them frustrated and make them more vulnerable.
In fact, these often overlooked small stresses can accumulate and have a big impact on people's emotional and mental health.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="38" >What is microbaric? </h1>
Micro-stress is small and trivial, and everyone may encounter it every day.
And if you happen to be an overthinking person, you may be caught up in these things many times a day. Meetings that take too long, criticism at work or study, and sudden interruptions in a small matter can all become micro-stressors.
Studies show that in many cases, we are hit by 20-30 micro-pressure sources per day. Another survey found that people experience micro-stressful states for about 27 days a year, which is equivalent to two hours a day.
When we are under greater stress, such as unemployment or a relationship, we often take the initiative to seek support or advice, and it is easier to get help from others. Micro-stress, on the other hand, is often not taken seriously because it seems insignificant.
These seemingly fleeting pressures, which can be quickly shaken off, will actually accumulate over time. They put our bodies and brains in a near-constant state of stress, draining our energy without us noticing. In turn, it snowballs to create greater anxiety and stress, damaging our physical and mental health.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="53" where does > micro-pressure come from? </h1>
The conundrum of micro-stress is that they are part of our daily lives and invade our mental state in a variety of ways, but it's a good idea to stop and consider how they affect us.
In the view of dr. Boardman mentioned earlier, the modern lifestyle offers more opportunities for micro-stress. Technology makes life easier, and we communicate and collaborate with others at unprecedented speeds, but when efficiency comes first and time becomes a commodity, people are often in a state of impatience.
Against this backdrop, people live "an increasingly polarized life, busier than ever, but also often fraught with anxiety and dissatisfaction." Boardman says modern life has become "a thankless game of playing gophers."
Hidden stress governs our lives, and we often don't know where our anxiety comes from.
Harvard Business Review researchers Rob Cross, Jean Singer, and Karen Dillon have conducted research on the sources of micro-stress. In the study, they observed that many high-performing employees seemed to experience inexplicable burnout, and the study found that the trigger was actually the accumulation of micro-stress.
They found that the source of micro-stress tends to be those who are most closely related to us, bosses, leaders, co-workers, customers, team members, or lovers, and that the main drivers of micro-stress can be divided into three broad categories:
1) Exhaust the stress of your personal abilities
Unspeakable tensions with colleagues in our daily work – this reduces people's individual abilities and deprives us of the time and energy to coordinate work and life.
Possible sources of this stress:
Your position is inconsistent with the priorities you need to do at work;
Other colleagues at work cannot provide reliable support;
The behavior of a person in a position of authority is unpredictable;
Lack of norms of communication;
There is a surge in responsibilities that need to be assumed at work or at home.
2) The stress that depletes your emotional reserves
Emotional reserves allow us to manage our emotions and stay calm under pressure. But some small amount of stress can cause us harm by depleting our emotional reserves, and can even create a negative thought pattern. For example, worrying about the people we care about, fearing that our actions will have a negative impact, or being exhausted by certain communications.
You need to manage others and take responsibility for their success and happiness;
A confrontational dialogue was conducted;
Distrust of people in one's own network;
People around who have transmission pressure.
3) Pressures that challenge your identity or values
We are accustomed to guiding our actions with clear values and identities, and when our identities or values are challenged, it can be very stressful.
Stress caused by the pursuit of goals that are out of sync with personal values;
When someone destroys your confidence, worth, or sense of control;
Gradually estranged from the original interpersonal relationship.
What does < h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="99" > cause? </h1>
According to a 1980 study, micro-stress actually has a greater impact on a person's psychological condition than major life events, which are often seen as the main factor in judging stress, and those small stresses are ignored. A 2019 survey showed that about a third of stress is caused by the accumulation of daily micro-stress.
Studies have found that daily low levels of stress increase feelings of anxiety and depression and affect our heart health and immunity. That is, the more micro-stress we experience, the lower our stress thresholds are and the more likely we are to feel anxious or depressed.
In contrast, people often react to micro-stress in a counterproductive way. One study showed that micro-stress makes us criticize ourselves. When people experience micro-stress, they tend to judge themselves harshly — thinking they're too clumsy, forgetful, or too self-condemning.
This is because micro-stress is always reminding us of what we have done wrong, what we are unable to cope with, and make ourselves feel frustrated. When these negative emotions accumulate, they affect the way we see ourselves.
Failure to deal with minor stress can also lead to bad decisions, such as drinking heavily, smoking, eating junk food, or hiding and reducing social connections.
Dr Boardman says it's impossible to get rid of most of the worries and anxieties that pop up in our daily lives, but it's possible to stay strong in the face of them.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="115" how to cope with micro-stress >? </h1>
1. Learn to recognize micro-stress
The first step in managing micro-stress is to determine which stressors are affecting you. Many people have become accustomed to getting rid of negative emotions, but ignoring their source.
Professor David Almeida, who studies the effects of stress, believes that there are only two ways people deal with stress: one is to let stress stick to them and make them irritable, irritable and depressed; the other is to realize what is happening and then find a way to make it go away.
You can record the micro-stresses you will encounter throughout the day, and whenever you find yourself provoked, worried or panicked, you can record the causes and the severity of the problem. This can help clear your mind and think about why these things are bothering you, what can be avoided, and which stresses are real, and thus get rid of futile worries.
2. Remove micro-stressors
The emotions of micro-stress need to be released, not allowed to accumulate. Once you've identified your own source of micro-stress, try pressing the pause button to decompress yourself.
If you're at work, close your computer and take a break; if you're on the verge of an emotional outburst, find a quiet place to sit or lie down, close your eyes, and stop thinking about everything you're worried about; or take the initiative in a self-affirming activity. Staying away from the "noise" that brings anxiety will make you less disturbed.
Keep your distance from people who put more pressure on you than you are happy. Stress-causing relationships aren't just negative or harmful, but can also be those with whom you have a great relationship and don't have to disconnect from them, but you have to recognize the impact they have on your mental and physical health and try to set some boundaries for yourself.
3. Vent to someone you trust
Talking to trusted people in social networks and venting out to people you trust can help unravel the problems and causes that are really bothering you, or help you see your stressors in a different light.
Positive interactions with others can also give you positive feedback and psychological cues that will reinvigorate you. In turn, you can gain a deeper understanding of the real causes of stress and think of countermeasures to deal with it.
4. Invest more time in yourself
In many cases, stress is often caused by the fact that we care too much about what others say or perceive that we can't pay more attention to ourselves. The key to managing micro-stress may be to keep more time for yourself.
Take the time to participate in activities that will help you stay away from stress, such as meditation, running, reading, a healthy diet and adequate sleep.
5. Start with something that will bring you joy
Having a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives can significantly reduce the harm that micro-stress can cause.
A Harvard Business School study showed that for those who feel stressed and burned out at work, the best intervention is to learn a new activity — not for promotion purposes, but simply for their own pleasure.
Finding yourself something you think is valuable, making yourself happy, and perhaps an uplifting agent in everyday life.
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Tell me, what micro-stress have you experienced?
Key References:
https://memory.ai/timely-blog/micro-stress
https://hbr.org/2020/07/dont-let-micro-stresses-burn-you-outhttps://metro.co.uk/2018/04/06/stress-awareness-month-micro-stresses-like-losing-keys-missing-tube-damaging-mental-health-7446612/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/mind/stop-micro-stresses-ruling-life/
Image courtesy of Netflix's Headspace Sleep Guide and Headspace Meditation Guide