Workplace stress isn’t a foreign concept. We all experience it. But when those bad vibes turn into bragging rights, that’s when a day-to-day experience turns into a cause for concern. New research has lifted the lid on the perils of “stress” bragging and the consequences are anything but every day. So if you’re in the habit of broadcasting your stress, or turning the pressure into a podium finish, you could be doing yourself (and others) a disservice.
According to a study conducted by the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, those who consistently boast about their state of stress are deemed less competent and seen as less likable than those who don’t see any virtue in their daily struggles. Additionally, “stress” bragging can lead to higher levels of burnout, but not for the boastee. Instead, it’s coworkers who will start to feel tanked.
New Research: Bragging Rights and Boasting Wrongs
In the study, 360 participants were tasked with evaluating a figurative colleague who had just returned from a conference wherein they were lauded as one of the company’s top performers. The colleague had four different responses which were randomly assigned and shown to the study’s participants.
In the first scenario, the colleague returns and brags about their stress: “It was good. Just one more thing on my full plate. And I was already stressed to the max”. In the second, the colleague was controlled: “It was just another conference. But I’m also glad to be back”.
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In the third, the co-worker talks about their stress without boasting: “It was just one more thing on my plate. And I think I’m just stressed. Things have been quite stressful lately”. In the final example, the colleague engages in self-promotion: “It was good. The award really reflects my accomplishments.”
When comparing reactions to these various responses, the researchers found anything that could be perceived as stress boasting had a negative effect on the participants’ perceptions of coworker’s likability and competence. Participants were also less likely to help the boasting co-worker in the office.
Another part of the study asked participants about their associations with their office’s stress “braggers”. Researchers noted that those on the receiving end of these conversations experienced higher levels of stress and burnout.
So How Should You Talk about Stress?
In this day and age, we’re told to open up and keep it real. But this study seems to suggest the opposite, seemingly discouraging conversations around stress. Fortunately, that’s only half the picture. Boasting about stress? That’s a no go. But sharing your feelings packs many benefits for both you and your colleagues.
“If you genuinely feel stressed, it’s OK to find the right confidant to share with and talk about it,” said the study’s lead author Jessica Rodell in a press release. After all, some research has shown that bottling up your emotions at work can hamper your performance.
READ MORE: 8 Mindfulness Exercises to Beat Stress, Spark Motivation and Feel Better
Are There Any Ways to Recover From Workplace Stress?
Tons. And most of them don’t involve scheduling an appointment with a therapist… although this can certainly help. Physical exercise has been shown to be a proven stress-buster, but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to warding off your workday blues.
Here are two more ways you can minimise your stress. Just make sure you don’t brag about how great your new stress-free life is going:
Take a Few Minutes to Detach
Consider this your post-workday cooldown. Before you head to your car and grit your teeth as you sit in gridlock traffic, take a few minutes to clear your mind and create a clear bookmark to signal the end of the workday. You could try mindfulness by meditating and bringing your mind to the present moment.
But if that doesn’t help you detach from the workday, you can create other habits that’ll trigger that workday release. For example, some people find playing a quick game on their phones (or even tackling that day’s Wordle) can help draw that dividing line that ensures you’re not bringing your stress back home.
READ MORE: 11 Simple Ways to Lower Your Stress Levels, Boost Your Mood and Start Thriving
Schedule a Few Micro-Breaks
This basic practise won’t just help you de-stress during the day, but it could also help fix your sleep schedule. Our resident sleep recovery specialist Barry Bridges, and the man behind Succesful Sleeper, is a big advocate for the power of micro-breaks when it comes to topping up your energy levels and prepping yourself for a goodnight’s rest. You can read more about his five sleep supersets right HERE.
Why do micro-breaks work? Simply put, they give you a chance to recover during the day, mitigating the fatigue that sets in when you push yourself from 9 to 5. Without these mini breaks, you’ll feel like you’ve hit a wall at the end of the workday—and by then it’s too late for you to bring your stress levels back down. During your breaks do something entirely unrelated to work. There’s a dose of mindfulness—as always—or you could take a short walk, top up your coffee mug or settle into a (not work related) water cooler conversation.
