It might be easy to blame both pace and volume of work, but Mindtemps research suggests the real culprit of stress is a little more insidious. It is not so much the workload that has gone up but life got more complicated, intertwined and we lack recuperation.
Its not one thing (stressor) that couase burnout – Its the accumulation of micro-stress over time.
And what’s noticeably is the accumulation of several, often three or four stressors that accumulate over time together with the lack of recuperation, psychical exercise and quality sleep that cause burnout and other health problems.
Microstresses deplete emotional reserves – managing oneself, others, causing lack of trust, confrontational conversations and this further increase the accumulation of microstresses over time.
Mindtemps research identified 12 categories with a statistically significant correlation with stress. Mindtemp also found four other categories correlating with stress but these lacked the significance needed for high quality analyses.
💥 How to Take Back Control for increased wellbeing
What is so tricky with micro stressors is that you don’t notice them, they sneak up on you and are just part of life. But instead of just shrugging your shoulders and move on, you can create a more sustainably life with higher wellbeing.
Instead of accepting these stressors as inevitable, Mindtemp suggests a five-step approach:
➡️ Start with focusing on sleep, you need at least 7 hours of quality sleep, which means enough deep sleep every night
➡️ Make sure you get daily physical exercise for at least 30 min with increased pulse and at least 90 min of strength training per week
➡️ Strengthen daily positive interaction, where you focus on listening to understand and support, rather than engaged in argumentation who is right or has the smartest arguments
➡️ Be mindful of your awareness, mindfulness is one of the most researched techniques for wellbeing, and breathing exercises are a good way for increased mindfulness
➡️ Focus on high quality food with macro- and micronutrients.
After you address the daily routines above, look at bigger stressors, such as misaligned expectations at work, relationships that cause uncomfortable emotions, or too high expectations on yourself
Alos, be mindful of stress caused by loved ones – Many microstresses come from caring deeply for others; setting healthy boundaries can help.
Microstress is everywhere, but by recognizing and addressing these subtle drains, implement the five-step approach above, we can regain control, improve well-being, and foster healthier, more fulfilling interactions—both personally and professionally.
💥 You can test your current stress level for free here https://mindtemp.com/stressmatare/
