Have you ever read the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears to someone? Maybe you remember it from when you were a child, and someone read it to you. Well, the story, as you know, goes like this: Goldilocks had to have everything just right. The porridge couldn’t be too hot, it couldn’t be too cold, it had to be “just right”. We got to thinking about this because April is Stress Awareness Month.

You might wonder how the Goldilocks story fits in with stress. Here’s how. There’s a principle about stress that’s called the Goldilocks Principle, where the amount of stress should be just right. It used to be that everybody thought stress was bad. As you get more stressed, you pump out more adrenaline and more cortisol. You get overworked and overwhelmed.  That was the prevailing theory. It’s not about the stress, it’s about the levels of stress.

Now research is showing that some level of stress is good for you. Of the three stress levels, stress should be not too much and not too little. The stress level should be ‘just right.”

There were studies done by Daniela Kaufer and Elizabeth Kirby at UC Berkeley that revealed that too little stress could possibly lead to boredom and depression. Also, too much stress could lead to anxiety which contributes to poor health. So, getting the stress level ‘just right’ is very important because it tunes up the brain, increases performance and improves health. Kaufer said, “Stress can be something that makes you better, but it is a question of how much, how long and how you interpret or perceive it.” Hans Selye would agree. He said, “It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.”

The “Goldilocks Principle” was elaborated on by Andy Yap. He believes there is something that can be done, especially at work, to keep stress at the ‘just right’ level. When stress is too little, rather than the just right level, employees tend to waste more time. They’ll play on the Internet, have personal conversations, and don’t stay on task. They’re likely wasting more time and not as productive. When stress is just right, they get much more done. He had some suggestions for employees that could be used by anyone.

First, Yap says to set goals that are ambitious, but attainable. Second, have realistic dates for completion of these goals. Finally, give frequent, but not constant, feedback. If it’s you personally trying to get your stress at the just right level, an accountability partner can be very helpful.

We have several additional ideas we’ll share in case you need to help manage your stress levels. Pick from these suggestions what would work best for you. First, we encourage you to take some quiet time with prayer, meditation, and reflection to identify and assess your stress level.

Research has shown that socializing is very helpful to moderate stress levels. When people feel socially connected, they feel much better. Dada J.P. Vaswani looks at it this way, “A good way to overcome stress is to help others out of theirs.” Doing something creative is another way to keep your stress at a good level. Creativity can be doing things such as writing, singing, cooking, crafts, playing an instrument or starting a new project.

Also, spend time in nature because it can not only lower stress and blood pressure, it can also boost creativity and productivity. Get your body moving with exercise or maybe combine the exercise with something creative like yoga or dance. What do you enjoy? Do more of it!

Have you ever noticed how helpful music is in managing stress? Calm music can lower stress and improve mood. If you have happy, lively music it can also lower stress and improve mood.

Following the basics of healthy living – sleeping well, eating well, and taking good care of yourself, helps you to renew and regenerate to face the challenges. Lastly, of course, talking with someone can be very helpful if they’re a caring person.

What about you? Have you identified your stress level? Remember our thoughts can influence our stress levels. William James agrees. He said, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” We hope the information and ways that we provided here can help you manage stress so, like Goldilocks, your stress level will not be too much, not too little, but just right

Chanhassen MN residents, Doug and Lynn Nodland are success coaches and owners of The Balance Center in Excelsior. Contact them at WeCare@TheBalanceCenter.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2023 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.