I learned a new term.

Eustress – (yoo’-stress) A stress that is healthy or fulfilling.

Think of Eustress as the opposite of Distress.

We all have stress in our lives. As store owners, we often take on added stress that outsiders cannot comprehend. But not all stress is the same. Stress falls into those two categories – Eustress and Distress.

The key to your success is to make sure you have enough Eustress on your plate to offset all the Distress.

For instance, I find teaching classes like the Shopping For Baby 101 classes at the store and the New Dad classes at the hospital to be in the Eustress category. I love prepping for them and teaching them. I feel better after they are done.

The same is true with writing this blog, giving talks to other retailers, writing my eBooks and reading business books. Only if those things get in the way of doing my job do they shift over to Distress. But since many of them augment my job, I will keep on doing them.

Distress for me includes meeting with bankers and lawyers, dealing with unhappy customers, and mediating staff disputes.

So I try to make sure I have enough of the one to offset the other.

If ever you have a friend, spouse, mentor or advisor tell you that you have too much on your plate, list all of your stresses and label them as either a Eustress, Distress or Neutral (something that doesn’t even feel like a stress and does not move your needle one way or the other.)

Then you will know exactly what to do. Delegate all the Neutrals and drop one or more of the Distresses. Keep all the Eustress that does not get in the way of your job. Your problem will be solved.

-Phil Wrzesinski

www.PhilsForum.com

PS Aahhh… I’m feeling better already:-)