Navigating work stress: Lazarus's transactional model and effective coping strategies
In today's fast-paced working world, stress is often an unwelcome guest.
There are LOTS of theories about stress, far too many to unravel in a short blog post, so this one will focus on a well-backed stress model from Lazarus and suggest some strategies, backed by research, to help you cope more effectively in demanding roles.
Hans Selye pioneered our understanding of stress way back in 1936 by not only coining the term stress, but with his experiments on rats that lead to the development of his response model. The 1960s concept of stress as a significant life event or stimulus became more prominent and the Transactional Model of Stress, introduced by Richard Lazarus in 1966 and further refined in 1984, 1987 and still being explored today, painted a more complex picture. Here, stress becomes an interactive process between us (with all our cognitive, physiological, and neurological functions) and our environment.
Like work.
In this model, stress is rooted in our perception of a situation. Lazarus and Folkman described it as a relationship 'that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her well-being.' In other words when we receive a stressor (like an imminent deadline or a last minute request) and we perceive that we don’t have the skills or resources to deal with it, our biology kicks in and stress levels go up.
We each perceive and respond to stress differently at work - and it’s our individual interpretation of the stressor that takes precedence (a nice little feedback loop all the way to the Greeks and Epictetus, who first talked about stress being a subsequent reaction to an event, rather than the event itself).
Lazarus proposed two phases in dealing with stress. We first appraise the situation (threatening or rewarding) and then evaluate how we deal with it (coping strategies). It's then a continuous process of reassessing both the stressor and seeing if we have the suffient coping strategies to deal with it effectively. While empirical support is not unequivocal, this model holds great practical value, providing insight into our capacity to adapt our judgment of stress and modify our reactions as time goes by as we (hopefully) learn to deal with stress more effectively.
Interestingly, plenty of research suggests that those who see a stressor as a challenge - in other words, adopting a positive rather than a negative mindset about it - are better at coping with stress generally.
In the context of professional life, coping strategies are critical. Stress is unavoidable (and very helpful but that is for another post) and so we need to ask the question -
Great, so what can we do about it?
In this context, here are five research-backed coping strategies aligned with Lazarus's model that you might want to try
Breathwork
Linked to the primary appraisal phase, breathwork can be instrumental in managing immediate reactions to stressors. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing promote calmness and clear thinking, allowing for more accurate appraisals.
Exercise
Regular physical activity reduces stress and improves physiological responses, enhancing our capacity to handle stressors. By supporting physical well-being, exercise contributes to more resilient secondary appraisals and the ability to employ effective coping strategies.
Time Management
Aligned with the secondary appraisal phase, effective time management can bolster our confidence in handling stressful situations. By managing our time efficiently, we're better equipped to evaluate our resources and plan effective responses.
Social Support
Social connections serve as a buffer against stress. By consulting with others, we can gain fresh perspectives on our stressors (primary appraisal) and explore various coping options (secondary appraisal).
Positive Self-talk (yes, really)
Positive self-talk can significantly decrease stress responses. By practicing mindful self-talk, we can influence our primary appraisals of stressors and motivate ourselves to employ adaptive coping strategies during secondary appraisals.
Lazarus's model offers plenty of hope.
It emphasizes psychological resilience—our ability to bounce back from negative experiences by continually adapting to stress. As busy professionals, it's crucial to nurture this resilience and adopt effective coping strategies within both ourselves and our colleagues.
There is MUCH more to stress than that detailed here. Stress is highly individual, and very complex, and we are always uncovering more. As we continue to learn more about stress, resilience, and mental health, we can look forward to better understanding and individualising (is that actually a real word?) strategies to better manage our stress and optimise our lives.
Until then, incorporating these research-backed techniques into your daily routine can help mitigate the impacts of work-related stress and improve your overall well-being.