By and large, stress is usually viewed as a bad thing. In excess, stress can cause turmoil, anxiety, depression, and other challenges, leading to falling work performance and declining mental health.
However, that isn’t always the case. Whether you feel your career is on track or you’re looking for new opportunities through pharmaceutical job placement agencies, with the right kind of stress, you can actually flourish.
If you are curious about what “good” stress is and how it can benefit you, here’s what you need to know.
What Is “Good” Stress?
In any of its forms, stress is usually considered a sense of pressure or tension. At work, this can include needing to (or being expected to) perform under difficult circumstances. Short deadlines, unexpected obstacles, and subpar tools can all be a source of stress as they make meeting expectations harder.
In many cases, it simply signals that you’re being challenged. What makes the stress “good” or “bad” is typically the conditions under which it forms. If meeting the performance expectation is impractical – if not outright impossible – the stress is harmful. If rising to the occasion is doable, the stress can be beneficial.
The main separation between “good” and “bad” stress is whether meeting expectations is plausible. The simple presence of a challenge isn’t a defining characteristic of either kind, as challenges aren’t inherently bad.
Stress turns toward the negative when it’s unrelenting, leaving you feeling like coming out ahead can’t be done. If it simply gets you out of your comfort zone, taking you toward a new accomplishment you may not have gone after otherwise, stress can be invigorating, giving you a boost that helps you succeed.
How Good Stress Benefits You
Good stress encourages you to push yourself further. It can promote greater focus, leaving you ready to dive into the situation. At times, stress may be exhilarating, giving them an extra kick of energy. Plus, it might leave you with a great sense of accomplishment once you’re done.
Essentially, good stress leaves you feeling challenged but not overwhelmed or set up for failure. Yes, the road ahead may be difficult, but it still seems doable. As a result, you get a hit of motivation and drive, one that leads you to head in new directions and tackle obstacles to reach your goal.
Examples of Good Stress at Work
In many cases, good stress is coupled with opportunity. A challenging project that asks you to stretch beyond your comfort zone, a new position that comes with more responsibility, or a problem that is within your capability to solve can all qualify. While they may be difficult to navigate, you have the potential to handle them, leading to a sense of accomplishment once the work is done.
Ultimately, good stress can be great for your career. It entices you into the unknown, leading you toward new capabilities and opportunities you may otherwise miss.
Add More Flexibility to Your Career With a Contract Position
If you are interested in working with pharmaceutical job placement agencies to find a new position, the team at Alpha Consulting wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
