I was never very good at math, nor was I especially interested in it. I would avoid math homework for as long as I could, and when I finally got to it, I would suffer through it. Therefore, I’m surprised by how helpful an equation has been for me in thinking about, understanding, and managing stress. I framed the following, easy-to-remember equation in The Strengths-Based Workbook for Stress Relief to help you view your stress with a strengths mindset and approach stress in a concrete way:
S = P – C
(S)tress = (P)ressure minus (C)apacity
Stress refers to the total amount of pressures and demands you are under after you consider your various capacities, resources, and adaptations. Going by this equation, there are only two ways to successfully manage your stress:
1.) Decrease the Pressure you are under, or
2.) Increase your Capacity to handle it.
Sounds simple, right? Let’s take a look at this equation in action. Let’s see how you might view a situation or a period of you life using the four possibilities that can emerge.
↑P, ↓C = Overwhelmed
The low capacity and resources for managing the high degree of pressure you are under is the perfect recipe for distress.
↓P, ↑C = Content or bored
Despite having plenty of resources and strengths to use, your low amount of pressure might be intentionally created to not have to handle challenges, or it could be a source of distress.
↑P, ↑C = Engaged
In this scenario, high resources and potential meet the high degree of pressure. This could be an optimal scenario for you and an opportunity to experience flow states (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997) where you are “in the zone.”
↓P, ↓C = Autopilot
Without much pressure or capacity use, there is little choice but to go through the motions in life, not particularly present to or challenged by much around you. Ironically, this can be a source of distress.
Your pressures and capacities are wide-ranging and versatile. You can have biological pressures, such as bodily tension, illness, and disease; psychological pressures, such as depression, anxiety, anger, and self-defeating thoughts; social pressures, such as isolation, teasing, rejection, neglect, and difficulty relating to people; and spiritual pressures, such as experiencing a lack of meaning or life purpose.
And there are a wide range of capacities you can build such as biological capacities (getting an optimal amount of sleep, healthy eating); psychological capacities (creating feelings of peace and joy); social capacities (spending time with friends); and spiritual capacities (doing activities that promote meaning, spending time in nature). Capacities also involve your character strengths and your many other positive qualities, such as your interests, abilities, and resources.
This equation helps you view stress and understand it in a different way. Remember, the intention is not to necessarily bring your stress level to zero. That wouldn’t be a good thing. We need stress to motivate us and inspire us.
Ready to take action with the Pressure side or the Capacity side of the equation?
Manage Pressure with Your Strengths
In terms of the “P” element of the equation, you need to first consider: Is a certain pressure you are under actually a “positive stress” that is motivating and helping you?
- You might be feeling pressure because you are involved in three complex work projects at the moment, but at the same time, these work projects are providing you a lot of meaning and purpose. Therefore, do you need to use your perspective strength to “frame” the projects different in your mind? Rather than seeing them as horrible, difficult stressors, view them as rewarding opportunities that you’d rather have in your life than not have (this mindset ends up being a Capacity builder).
- In other cases, the stress pressure you’re experiencing is simply too much. Your health is worsening. Your relationships are becoming more tense and argumentative. Something has to give. In these situations, it can be helpful to select one of your many pressures and reduce it. After you zero in on one pressure, use your judgment/critical thinking to consider ways you can lighten its load.
- Helping or harming: When you consider taking on a new project (e.g., a potential pressure for your future), ask yourself: Will this new project or new action help me or harm me? This question allows you to be fair and kind to yourself and to keep your pressures from growing out of control.
Increase Your Capacity with Strengths
For the “C” part of the equation, strengths are the perfect fit. Character strengths are partly defined as capacities within you. They are like pilot lights of potential that can be ignited to benefit yourself and others.
- Use your strengths ROAD-MAP to get practical ways to build your character strengths. For any of the 24 strengths, you can reflect, observe, appreciation, discuss, monitor, ask, and plan as a specific way to build your capacity.
- Develop new skills. Might you practice the skill of strengths-spotting? This requires you to actively look for the character strengths of others. The more you practice pointing out the strengths of others, the stronger this skill will become in your life.
- Boost your talents and abilities, such as talents for spatial reasoning, logical ability, and interpersonal ability (see Howard Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences for more examples). What are you naturally good at?
- Expand your interests, such as your areas of passion and leisure. Some of the most popular areas of leisure include gardening, fishing, following social media, watching television series’, reading, photography, playing sports, doing arts and crafts, and participating in activities with family. What is a new area of leisure that you might find both pleasurable and meaningful?
- Build your external resources, such as having supportive friends and a neighborhood or community to support you. Who are your supports and how might you keep them at the forefront of your life?
Each of these five bullet points are also central types of strengths in human beings. Learn more about these at this post on the “many kinds of strengths.”
For additional stress management activities, to deepen your exploration of the stress equation, or to expand upon your strengths capacities, check out the popular new book, The Strengths-Based Workbook for Stress Relief.
