Authors Rob Cross and Karen Dillon discuss the hidden impact of small stressors and how they can lead to burnout and health issues. They highlight strategies for managing micro stresses in daily life and improving well-being and relationships by building multi-dimensional lives and diverse connections.
Micro stresses can accumulate and lead to burnout for high performers, affecting work-life balance.
Identifying and addressing specific sources of micro stress can prevent feelings of failure and improve well-being.
Deep dives
Identifying Micro Stress
The podcast discusses how micro stress, small everyday issues that accumulate, can lead to significant problems such as burnout. Research by Rob Cross and Karen Dylan highlights that high performers facing micro stress struggle to balance work and personal life, leading to overwhelming stress. These unnoticed, small interactions build up, impacting well-being. Micro stress, though seemingly insignificant, can have a considerable long-term toll due to its frequent occurrence and impact on health.
Sources of Micro Stress
The podcast identifies 14 specific sources of micro stress categorized into draining productivity, depleting emotional reserves, and challenging identity. Examples include misaligned priorities in projects, emotional complexities in interactions, and conflicts with personal values at work. These micro stresses, when not addressed, can lead to a sense of failure both at work and in personal life, affecting well-being and performance.
Strategies to Manage Micro Stress
The podcast suggests three strategies to mitigate micro stress: pushing back on micro stress in practical ways, being aware of the micro stresses caused to others, and finding ways to rise above micro stress. By making small but effective shifts in interactions and relationships, individuals can significantly reduce micro stress. Adopting a multi-dimensional approach to life by engaging in diverse activities and connections can help combat the negative impact of micro stress, fostering resilience and well-being.
Are all the little things getting you down? Rob Cross and Karen Dillon are here to help. Their new book is "The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Pile Up and Create Big Problems--and What to Do about It."
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