WEBVTT

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It's easy to assume that
you'll be less productive when

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you're under a lot of pressure,
but that isn't always the case.

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The relationship between
stress and productivity

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actually follows a
bell curve; this is

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known as the Yerkes-Dodson law.

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Stress is a form of
physiological and mental

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arousal that actually increases
productivity - to a point.

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But eventually the stress
levels become too much,

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especially for difficult or
complex tasks, and productivity

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declines.

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This relationship varies
depending on the type

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and difficulty of the work.

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A certain amount of
stress often helps

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us focus, especially
when the work is mundane.

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For example, although you can
usually focus your attention

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on new or unfamiliar tasks
under minimal stress,

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work that requires
stamina or persistence

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might actually benefit from
the motivation of higher stress

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levels.

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Similarly, for very simple,
mundane, or familiar tasks,

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there is virtually
no negative impact

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of stress on productivity.

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In fact, this is the type
of work where stress often

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helps us get more done.

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Without it, those tasks are
just too easy to put off.

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One study rated the
perceived stress levels

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of over 2,000 Americans
on a scale from 1 to 40.

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A score of around 13
is considered average,

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and usually indicates that your
interest and attention at work

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are at the proper level
for you to experience

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the equivalent of
peak productivity

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on the Yerkes-Dodson chart.

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If your stress score is too
much higher or lower than 13,

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you are experiencing
stress in a way that's

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detrimental to productivity.

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Fortunately, the survey
revealed relatively

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healthy and productive
average stress levels

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in most of the population.

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These tend to decrease with
age, as people get better

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at managing stress and keeping
setbacks in perspective.

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With age, people may also
reach higher level positions,

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causing stress levels
to decrease as they gain

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more control over their jobs.

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Unsurprisingly, they
drop especially rapidly

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as people retire.

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Perceived stress was
also lower for people

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with higher annual
incomes, as well as

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for people with more education.

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Women showed slightly higher
stress levels than men.

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So if you're feeling
unproductive at work,

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think about how your
stress levels compare.

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Is it because you're too
stressed out, or not stressed

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enough?

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