What Is Eustress and Why Is It Good for You?

Conflict and stress go together like milk and cookies, peanut butter and jelly, hot chocolate and white vinegar. That last combination, truth be known, is how I work out my stress — sipping cocoa while I scrub my bathroom, mop the kitchen floor, and ponder solutions to unexpected challenges.

We can choose to ignore, avoid or face stress-inducing problems, but each path has consequences, good and bad.

The best choice, harnessing our power to solve a problem, means taking control rather than being controlled. And it is a terrific way to manage the stress caused by both unexpected and anticipated constraints in our lives. Everyone faces stressful situations, and we all have the power to run from our stressors or use them to our benefit. By acknowledging stress as a normal part of life, we can learn to adopt the tools needed to face most challenges, whether expected or unexpected.

In the psychology courses I teach, students must effectively manage their coursework with other obligations such as sports, work, volunteering, socializing, and myriad day-to-day activities. Like all of us, they face conflicting priorities, from computer problems to transportation issues and everything in between. Whether it’s school deadlines, health, childcare, or job challenges, life comes at us quickly and doesn’t pull its punches.

For students, normalizing stress increases the likelihood that they will seek help or support from friends, family members, or professionals. But many older adults are reluctant to burden others with their problems or share the matters consuming their thoughts. Acknowledging these challenges and addressing them more assertively often leads to positive outcomes. After successfully completing a difficult task, we feel proud of ourselves. And the mistakes we make, lessons we learn, and hindsight we gain become valuable tools for the future.

Psychologists use the term “eustress” to describe “good stress.” It is a positive form of stress that benefits health, motivation, performance, and emotional well-being. Examples include new exercise or diet routines, athletic competition, starting or pursuing a hobby, working toward a promotion, going on a first date, tackling a tough home repair, navigating unfamiliar technology, or preparing for a final school assignment or exam.

These stressors allow us to live and act outside our comfort zones. They are confidence and self-esteem builders that teach us how to work more collaboratively and creatively. They also reflect our innate problem-solving skills and help reduce the fear of facing future challenges.

During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, students, families, and professionals were resilient and found ways to manage unexpected life changes. In a recent APA Stress in America survey, a majority of Americans reported that since the onset of the pandemic, they are better at prioritizing their time and getting through their to-do lists.

A valuable takeaway from this disruptive period is to always look to the strengths and skills that help us manage and grow, regardless of stress. Whether it is planning an event, writing a term paper, or dealing with an illness, caretaking situation, or tight budget, the willingness to find creative or difficult solutions and to push ourselves generates positive feelings and self-confidence.

Tennis great Rafael Nadal had a fantastic response when questioned recently about an injury that could have ended his career. “I am not injured; I am a player living with an injury,” he explained. “It’s something that is there.” Like Nadal, we can acknowledge stressful and unpleasant challenges while utilizing resources, experience, and willpower to overcome them. Stress isn’t going away, but the secret to limiting its negative impact is to embrace it and use it to help improve our lives.