Stress can be healthy--if we use it correctly

Berlin - Anna, 34, marketing manager, starts her day like many Berliners: alarm clock, emails, appointments, family. It's essentially a stress-filled routine --but today, she feels energized and focused. Scientists call this effect "healthy stress": not all pressure is harmful.

Stress is not the enemy, but a tool
"Stress is fundamentally a highly functional mechanism," explains Jessica Wahl, a performance coach from Berlin. "It mobilizes energy, sharpens focus, and boosts our capacity for action. It only becomes problematic when stress turns chronic and we can no longer manage it consciously."

According to the 2023 Stress Study by Swiss Life Germany, 61% of working adults report feeling continuously mentally burdened. 88% experienced regular stress over the past three months--especially managers and those with high responsibilities.

Yet stress does not have to make us ill. An international study published in the *International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology* shows that people who perceive stress as a challenge rather than a threat remain more mentally stable and exhibit significantly fewer symptoms.

Mindset makes the difference
"Whether stress weakens or strengthens us depends largely on our mindset," Wahl says. "In healthy doses, stress can enhance focus, motivation, and even social skills."

A long-term study by the Harvard School of Public Health confirms this: people who experience stress as meaningful or performance-enhancing are less likely to develop stress-related illnesses--even under high stress levels.

"A certain amount of stress makes life more engaging, heightens alertness, and gets us moving," Wahl continues. "Often, we look back on a full, productive day as more fulfilling than a stress-free day with no tangible results."

Stress competence can be trained
Particularly in management, stress often signals that responsibility is being taken and decisions are having an impact. The key is not avoiding stress, but developing stress competence--the ability to assess pressure correctly, consciously activate resources, and ensure timely recovery.

Managing stress consciously
- Schedule breaks
- Prioritize tasks

"We will never completely eliminate stress from our lives," Wahl says. "But we can learn to use it--as a temporary performance boost rather than a constant overload. This is exactly where the lever for health, performance, and satisfaction lies."

Using stress wisely
Ultimately, stress is not the enemy, but a tool. Those who learn to manage it consciously can channel their energy deliberately, work more focused, and, in the end, even feel more satisfied. Stress does not automatically make us ill--used correctly, it makes us more capable.

WAHLUNIVERSUM (R) PR
Berlin, Germany
https://www.jessicawahl.de

The Institute for Personal Performance Coaching has been supporting professionals and executives, as well as prominent personalities, in challenging professional contexts for 20 years.

Jessica Wahl, Senior Performance Coach, breathing, voice, and speech therapist, and J?rg Tewes, graduate actor and Senior Performance Coach, are internationally recognized as leading experts in performance and career coaching.

Coaching sessions take place in a unique setting in the heart of Berlin-Kreuzberg: the institute is housed in a beautiful church, providing an atmosphere of calm, focus, and clarity--a deliberate contrast to the pulsating energy of the city.

The coaching approach focuses on posture, presence, and sustainable performance--always under real-world conditions and with a clear goal: to strengthen people not only professionally but also personally. Particular emphasis is placed on developing soft skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to present oneself authentically. In this way, clients are optimally prepared for the complex demands of the modern workplace, which require both technical expertise and highly developed interpersonal skills. https://www.jessicawahl.de

This release was published on openPR.