Living without pressure is something relative, because each of us our living conditions, especially our working conditions, lead us to need a certain degree of pressure.

There is also pressure or stress that we consider good and stress that we consider bad. It is as bad to have no stress as it is to have too much stress. And let me explain, for example, working on a very boring thing produces stress that could be considered bad and that generates negative effects. Not getting stressed (activated) when, for example, we are going to have an exam, would also be bad.

So in terms of stress or pressure, it all depends on the level of pressure that we can take on or respond to.

The problem is not so much stress, but our abilities to respond to it and that when we need to activate it we have sufficient resources and energy.

There are jobs that are very demanding and stressful. In fact it is measured. In these cases we call it the emotional burden of work or burden.

Not only is there a physical burden, but there is an emotional burden and also a mental burden of the work. And that has to do with the level of pressure, stress, that the work may have and the preparation that we will be able to have before it.

Therefore, preparing for pressure is finding the right measure and having the skills to respond to it.

Three dimensions

A guideline that we must understand is that stress activates three dimensions about us: always activates thoughts, feelings and our body. For example, firefighters usually handle physical stress overload very well. They have a gym and do sports activities. Psychologists sometimes handle psychological activity or stress better, but less so physical stress.

Therefore, to live with stress, we are going to have to try to take care of those three glasses that are going to fill up.

If we have stress, we have to work on how to channel it. If that stress is emotional or mental, we must also channel the physical because our body responds to everything.

We also have to know how much stress we are under, if we are trained to endure it or want to endure it. The threshold should be the one that we know how to handle appropriately and for which we have the resources.

Train stress

Stress can be trained, that is why, for example, sports psychology is done with great players or with great athletes so that they learn to manage that pressure. It is done, among other things, with visualizations of what is going to happen and with pressure from the public.

Additionally, for example, when evaluating human resources, if someone is prepared for the stress that their position will require, simulations are done.

One can prepare for pressure by knowing what the pattern is, what is going to happen to us and how we are going to handle it.

Can it be measured?

Stress can be measured Without a doubt, there are many questionnaires that measure and evaluate it and that study the dimensions and their different consequences.

This applies both to specific stress like linked to a traumatic situation. There is even a disorder to determine if we do not break in this traumatic situation, traumatic stress disorder, and there are questionnaires, clinical evaluation and symptoms to measure it.

You can also measure the chronic stresswhich in many cases results in cases of burn out or chronic fatigue, emotional fatigue.

As signs to measure and identify it in indirect behaviors such as psychosomatic diseases, very classically linked to stress, belly pain, ulcers, hypertension, heart pain, insomnia, and sleeping problems appear. All of these are physical manifestations of a poorly resolved stress in our body.

In all cases it can be evaluated and measured with interviews and questionnaires. It can also be studied and quantified by representing situations, seeing how the person responds to them.

It can also be established if we are facing a clinical or worrying situation, or if we are facing a situation that can be managed, but that must be anticipated. Prevent yourself.

In sum, You can prevent the stressful situation. You must train how to respond to the stressful situation, this will be a key element to be able to function.

Since stress can be measured, it can be trained, worked on, and educated about.

*Guillermo Fouce (@Gfouce) is a doctor in Psychology. Honorary Professor at UC3M. Professor of Psychology at the Complutense University of Madrid. President of Psychology Without Borders.

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