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5.6 Optimal Stress

Not all stress is harmful. Eustress refers to beneficial, motivating stress—like the excitement before a presentation or when starting a new job. Recognizing this distinction enables you to use stress as a source of drive while minimizing its harmful effects. The key is finding the right balance for you.

Stress and Performance

 

Stress versus performance graph.
As the stress level increases from low to moderate, so does performance (eustress). At the optimal level (the peak of the curve), performance has reached its peak. If stress exceeds the optimal level, it will reach the distress region, where it will become excessive and debilitating, and performance will decline (Everly & Lating, 2002). Used under FDEd (CAN). 

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The Art & Science of Personal Wellness Copyright © 2025 by A.J. Stephen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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