How a healthy dose of stress can improve work performance

While too much anxiety can be debilitating, here’s a little-known fact. Only the right amount of anxiety can improve work performance. Hollywood star and entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds, who has been open about his anxiety struggles, seems to agree. Recently, he admitted in an interview the people Magazine, “My job is very rewarding.” He adds, “People with anxiety are constantly thinking about the future. You’re constantly, ‘What if this happens? What if this happens?’ You’re always telling yourself stories, so anxiety creates an ecosystem of awareness that I wouldn’t have otherwise [have]

”

Research supports the fact that there is a sweet spot for anxiety when it comes to work performance. The concept originated with psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dodson, who developed the Yerkes-Dodson law. The law is represented by a bell curve with low excitation (or stress) on the right and high excitation on the right. At the center of the curve is what is referred to as optimal motivation and performance. Depending on the job, the stress is motivating to a point. Once this point is passed, performance deteriorates.

While intense stress can be harmful, the right amount of stress can lead to better work performance. Here are a few benefits that explain why anxiety can give you a professional edge.

Induces anxiety

Too little stress can keep you from reaching peak work performance. In fact, it may cause you to struggle in the office and cause severe fatigue. On the other hand, some worries can help you take on new challenges. This is because feelings of stress can cause the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that can help you feel more motivated to achieve your goals. Although stress stimulates nervous energy, it forces us to think about future events. For example, when you have an upcoming deadline, anxiety may help you focus on completing a project on time.

Anxiety improves memory

The University of Waterloo research was published in the journal Brain Scienceshows that optimal levels of anxiety help improve memory. In the study, researchers administered a personality questionnaire to volunteers. Based on the results, they were divided into low and high anxiety groups. Both groups were then shown a series of words with a neutral or negative image (such as a car accident) in the background. As it turned out, the high anxiety group remembered the words better. This is because feeling anxious can help you remember things.

Anxiety is associated with higher IQ

According to research, there is evidence that anxiety is a sign of higher intelligence. One study surveyed more than 3,000 members of the Mensa group, a nonprofit high IQ community. The researchers found that 20% of them reported a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder and another 26% shared that they had received a diagnosis of another mood disorder. Similarly, another study published in Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience revealed that people with generalized anxiety disorder are more likely to be anxious and have a higher IQ. Finally, a third study found a relationship between anxiety and academic performance. Research has shown that students who reported higher levels of anxiety also scored higher on tests.

Despite its negative reputation, there are upsides to experiencing healthy anxiety at work. It can motivate you to focus on tasks, anticipate problems and overcome challenges. The key is learning to walk that fine line between optimal anxiety and anxiety that inhibits work performance. By learning to sew and use it, you will tap into a source of compassion and inner strength.