What Could Be Causing Your Stress?
While there is positive stress, too much of a good thing could potentially go negative. Stress can be broken up into two types:
Acute Stress
Think of this stress as temporary; it comes and goes. It can occur on a daily basis or at random times. Here are a few examples:
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Running late
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Work/ School project due dates
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Lack of sleep
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Argument with a friend, family member, or loved one
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Loss of job
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Acute illness
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Traumatic events
Chronic Stress
Acute stress has the potential to develop into chronic stress if not treated appropriately. Some examples that can influence chronic stress are:
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Unhealthy relationships
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Financial issues
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Unsafe home environment (i.e. dangerous neighborhood or pollution causing health problems)
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Anxiety or Depression
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Feeling of Loneliness
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Chronic illness
Procrastination Can Influence Stress
You might have already guessed, but procrastination can lead to stress and feelings of poor health (Sirosis & Totsi, 2012).
So, why do we tend to procrastinate?
Research shows that procrastination is a result of having negative thoughts toward a task or assignment that we don’t necessarily have a desire to perform immediately. We tell ourselves it is okay to put it off without thinking about how it will affect us later. While we might feel relieved at first, this can cause us stress that was initially avoidable.
How can we stop ourselves from procrastinating?
Accept that the task or assignment will need to be completed in a timely manner. Next, take it step by step. Try breaking up the task into smaller tasks and creating a timeline to have each part completed. For example, if you have one week to complete a homework assignment of 20 questions, break the assignment up into four parts, completing 5 questions a night. Goal setting and being mindful that you are responsible for accomplishing the task at hand will help you stay on track.