Stress is an unavoidable part of our work lives. From tight deadlines to overwhelming responsibilities, it’s really no surprise that we all always talk about stress. But something strange has happened in recent years… Instead of screaming for help, people seem to be bragging about their stress. Saying things like “I have so much work to do, I can barely cope!” seems to have become a badge of honour we all strive to wear. It's almost as if having too much on our plates is a mark of success… A status symbol. But is boasting about stress beneficial? How does it affect us and those around us?

In many workplaces, it’s not unusual to hear people talk about how stressed they are, but, for some, it’s a way to showcase their contribution to the organisation. When someone tells you they’re too busy or stressed, they are often signaling that they’re very important, in high demand, and indispensable to their teams or business units. For those, stress hasn’t just become a reflection of their workload but rather an indicator of their worth to the organisation.

In a recent study, Rodell and her colleagues coined this behaviour as “stress bragging.” This term perfectly captures the dual function of this form of........

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