Stress in human life

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of this article is to present the phenomenon of stress and its impact on the human body, as well as its influence on maintaining a balance between professional work and private life.

Discussed concepts. Stress can be defined as any situation in which the environment overwhelms an individual. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, a model was described in which a stressful situation activates two systems in our body — the adrenocorticotropic hormone system and the sympathetic nervous system. Stress can be positive, but even positive stress, when experienced over a prolonged period, can lead to negative consequences. Therefore, the concept of the "general adaptation syndrome" was introduced, consisting of three stages: the alarm stage, the resistance stage, and the exhaustion stage.

Results and conclusions. In order to prevent stress from taking over our lives due to work, it is essential to maintain a work-life balance in three areas: time balance, engagement balance, and satisfaction balance. Research shows that men generally cope better with practicing work-life balance than women. Additionally, to effectively minimize the effects of work-related stress, one should start by eliminating its direct causes, such as interpersonal relationships, organizational climate, and clearly defining job responsibilities.

Cognitive value. Despite the abundance of publications on stress, this article addresses issues that remain highly relevant in today's world, organizing knowledge and terminology related to the area of stress.