Stress and Productivity: How Are They Linked?
We’ve all waited until the last minute to start a project. As the deadline approaches, our hearts race, our palms sweat, and we get a sudden burst of energy that fuels us to complete our task just in time.
While small bursts of moderate stress can heighten our productivity, even short periods of high stress can take a significant toll on our performance. Here, we examine the relationship between stress and motivation, calculate the costs of extreme stress, and offer tips for finding that “sweet spot” where pressure supports productivity.
The price of stress in the workplace
The research is clear - high stress has a negative impact on physical and mental health, as well as workplace performance. Surveys indicate that stressed workers are 60% more likely to be absent from work than those who do not report high stress levels.1 Approximately 1 million American workers miss work each day due to stress alone.2
Presenteeism, in which an employee underperforms while at work, is also strongly linked to stress. It can reduce an individual’s productivity by up to 77%.1 This dip in productivity is due in part to the fact that over “20 percent of workers spend more than five hours on the clock each week thinking about their stressors and worries”.3 Between absenteeism, presenteeism, and health care expenses, stress costs the United States economy as much as $300 billion per year.4
Why high stress is bad for productivity
Prolonged stress is believed to impair the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with working memory and decision making.5 Researchers have also found that high levels of cortisol, which is produced as part of the stress response, are linked to memory issues and lower brain volume.6 These effects can make it harder to focus, prioritize, and complete tasks.
By increasing alertness and repetitive thoughts, stress can also disrupt healthy sleep patterns. Our brains need sleep to recover and consolidate memories. As a result, sleep deprivation can lead to stunted memory, reduced cognition, and slowed reaction times - all of which can decrease productivity.7
Finding the right balance
If excessive stress is the enemy of productivity, then you should aim for no stress - right? Not exactly. The answer isn’t eliminating stress altogether. To lead a more productive life, your real goal should be stress management.
The Yerkes-Dodson Law
In 1908, psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dodson developed the Yerkes-Dodson law, a model which maps the relationship between task performance and arousal, also called stress.5
According to the Yerkes-Dodson law, if you experience little to no stress, you may feel bored and disinterested in a task, causing you to perform poorly. This is especially true of tasks which have no deadlines or are not challenging.5
As your arousal level rises from zero, you will become increasingly motivated and effective until you reach your optimal level - at which you are most productive.5 In this optimal arousal state, you experience “eustress”, or healthy stress.1 Your adrenaline surges, your heart beats a bit faster, and you get the energy needed to complete tasks efficiently.
Once your stress level passes this optimal point, you may feel overwhelmed and your performance will likely suffer.8 It is at this level of arousal when you will experience the negative effects of stress discussed above. Absenteeism and presenteeism, which are symptoms of burnout, are especially common at this point in the curve.
Maximizing your productivity
Each person’s optimal arousal level is different and depends on a range of factors. Pinpointing your ideal level can empower you to perform your best. Here are a few things to consider when determining your optimal stress level:
Personal tolerance: While some people thrive under higher levels of arousal, others find that their optimal levels are much lower.8 Try looking for patterns in the way you feel and perform under different amounts of pressure. Once you've identified your stress tolerance, use this knowledge to foster a work environment where your productivity will be optimized.
Task difficulty: When a task is simple or familiar, you may be able to complete it effectively at a higher stress level. In contrast, low arousal levels may be ideal for completing new or challenging tasks.8 For best results, you may need to adjust your working conditions depending on the nature of the task at hand.
How to manage stress
Many of us walk the fine line between being optimally stressed and over-stressed. Answering the questions below can help you achieve and maintain healthy stress levels and consistent productivity.
1. What am I feeling?
Before you can begin to manage your stress, you must first admit that it’s affecting you. Research suggests that the act of acknowledging feelings like stress or anxiety can provide relief from their negative effects.9
2. What’s causing me to feel this way?
Each time you start to feel tense, overwhelmed, or distracted, make a list of your activities and surroundings.10 If an activity frequently appears on your list, it’s likely to be the source of your stress.
3. How can I address these feelings?
We are more prone to stress when we feel that we lack control over a situation.11 Therefore, one easy way to manage your stress is to focus on what you can control. Constant emails overwhelming you? Silence your notifications and schedule a time once a day to check your inbox.
You can also try these general stress management techniques:
• Practice mindfulness:
When our brains fill in the blanks or jump to conclusions, we often feel overwhelmed. Mindfulness can return us to reality. It’s proven to reduce stress.9 Adding diaphragmatic (belly) breathing to your mindfulness practice can further reduce your levels of the stress hormone cortisol.9 Learn how Versus can help you practice mindfulness here.
• Exercise regularly:
Studies show that people who regularly exercise are more resilient to stress than those who don’t.9 Try to get those feel-good endorphins going at least three times per week.
• Do less:
Don’t fall into the productivity trap - the idea that every waking moment must be fruitful. Striving to be continuously productive often drives people to overwork, which has the opposite effect. In fact, “a 10 percent increase in overtime results in a 2.4 percent decrease in productivity.”12
Experts agree that taking breaks from work can encourage creativity and mental recovery, which supports productivity in the long run.13 For best results, plan small breaks throughout your work day and step away from work on the weekends.
The bottom line
When it comes to stress, remember this: everything in moderation. Spurts of mild stress can be motivating, but excess stress can be debilitating. The aim should be to achieve balance - between work and play, stress and peace, productivity and rest.
References
1. Vallance, D. (2019). “Workplace stress is eroding our productivity”. Dropbox, 24 July 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/work-culture/stress-making-productivity-worse
2. American Institute of Stress (2020). “Workplace Stress”. The American Institute of Stress. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress
3. Colonial Life (2019). “Stressed workers costing employers billions”. Colonial Life, 14 March 2019. Retrieved from 13 April 2021 from https://www.coloniallife.com/about/newsroom/2019/march/stressed-workers-costing-employers-billions
4. Mohney, G. (2018). “Stress Costs U.S. $300 Billion Every Year”. Healthline, 15 Jan. 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/stress-health-costs
5. Ro, C. (2019). “Is stress good or bad? It’s actually both”. BBC, 14 Dec. 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191212-is-stress-good-or-bad-its-both
6. Echouffo-Tcheugui, J., et al. (2018). “Circulating cortisol and cognitive and structural brain measures”. Neurology, 24 Oct. 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://n.neurology.org/content/91/21/e1961
7. Suni, E. (2020). “How Lack of Sleep Impacts Cognitive Performance and Focus”. Sleep Foundation, 11 Dec. 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/lack-of-sleep-and-cognitive-impairment
8. Pietrangelo, A. (2020). “Yerkes-Dodson Law: How It Correlates to Stress, Anxiety, Performance”. Healthline, 22 Oct. 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://www.healthline.com/health/yerkes-dodson-law
9. Rigby, A. (2020). “Feeling Stressed? 4 Ways to Regain Focus and Relaxation”. Trello, 15 May 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://blog.trello.com/feeling-stressed-regain-focus-relaxation
10. Wiens, K. (2017). “Break the Cycle of Stress and Distraction by Using Your Emotional Intelligence”. Harvard Business Review, 21 December 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://hbr.org/2017/12/break-the-cycle-of-stress-and-distraction-by-using-your-emotional-intelligence
11. Gino, F. (2016). “Are You Too Stressed to Be Productive? Or Not Stressed Enough?”. Harvard Business Review, 14 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://hbr.org/2016/04/are-you-too-stressed-to-be-productive-or-not-stressed-enough
12. Denning, S. (2018). “How Stress Is The Business World's Silent Killer”. Forbes, 04 May 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniedenning/2018/05/04/what-is-the-cost-of-stress-how-stress-is-the-business-worlds-silent-killer/?sh=23009386e061
13. Chatterjee, R. (2021). “Burnout Isn't Just Exhaustion. Here's How To Deal With It”. NPR, 18 March 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2021 from https://www.npr.org/2021/03/08/974787023/burnout-isnt-just-exhaustion-heres-how-to-deal-with-it