Microstresses — small moments of stress that seem manageable on their own but accumulate over time — are often hard to detect until you’re completely overwhelmed. These three case studies can help you understand how microstresses start, what they feel like when you’re in the thick of them, and how to prevent them from spiraling out of control.
Anuj Shrestha
How Small Stresses Snowball
Three ways they derail managers — and strategies to get back on track.
February 07, 2023
· Long read
Summary.
If you’ve ever felt completely overwhelmed, the culprit may be microstress: those small moments of stress that seem manageable on their own but accumulate over time to derail you. One of the challenges of microstress is that it’s triggered by some of the people you are closest with in your personal and professional life. Moreover, a microstress can be difficult to detect in the moment and can multiply over time. These three case studies describe the dynamics of three kinds of microstress — and offer advice on overcoming them.