How to Feel Less Stressed Even When Life Stays Hectic |
In 2010, Jeremy Jamieson led a classic experiment. He invited a group of students to take a practice GRE, which is the standardized test for graduate school admissions.
Half the students received a short paragraph before starting the test explaining that feeling anxious can actually improve performance. It emphasized that there’s no need to worry if you become anxious; instead, remind yourself that this anxiety could help you perform better.
This paragraph served as a mindset intervention. Although it was simple and brief, students in the intervention group scored significantly higher on the math section of the GRE.
Even more remarkably, when they took the actual GRE within the next three months, those who reappraised their mindset continued to score higher on the math section.
The profound implication: How we think about stress changes how stress affects us.
A recent study adds to the growing body of research showing that, beyond test performance, our stress mindset can shape our brain, body, and longevity—often more than the stressor itself. Conducted on adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, the study found that those who viewed stress as beneficial experienced fewer depressive........