Here at hoozyu we describe Stress Behaviour as a counter-productive attempt to get your Needs met.

But what does that really mean?

For me it has meant that I’ve made some bad situations much worse for myself by coming across too strongly in a manner that is the opposite of my Usual Behaviour.

See, often when we’re not experiencing the conditions we need we end up over-compensating by creating an extreme version of the environment we’re seeking.

For example, I have Green Needs and Stress, and what this means is that I NEED: Variety, clarity on who is in charge, and context - to understand the ‘why’ behind my work.

But if these Needs aren’t met my Stress Behaviour kicks in and I start to try and create that environment for myself…

  • I fabricate my own variety by becoming highly distracted and focused on trivial sidetracks rather than the task at hand;
  • I become antagonistic and domineering in an attempt to provoke the ‘leader’ to take control and exert their authority;
  • and if there’s no clear context for what I’m doing it’s easy to justify ditching the plan and starting from scratch on something else!

By trying to replicate those underlying needs I only end up making a bad situation worse - my actions are a reaction, rather than a solution to the problem.

So how do I make things better for myself?

Well, by recognising my own Needs, and Stress reactions - before they get out of hand! For example, now that I know I need variety I break my day into smaller chunks, I switch focus between different tasks and when I feel myself getting bored or distracted I take a break to refresh, or set myself a series of smaller tasks to tick off the to do list. This keeps me feeling energised and productive!

Do you recognise your own Needs and Stress? How do you manage your reactions? If you’re still not sure, head over to the Stress Check section of your online report for some personalised pointers and things to look out for!