How To Manage Stress and Work Toward Better Work-Life Balance

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, I’m joined by my friend, Pastor Jessica Van Roekel, as we talk about something so many of us are facing today—the growing challenges of stress and a work-life balance that feels anything but balanced. Together, we share from our personal stories, our professional backgrounds, and, most importantly, from a place of faith. We offer practical strategies to help you reclaim peace, set healthy boundaries, and redefine what true success looks like. My hope is that through our honest conversation, you’ll be reminded that grace and flexibility are available, and that lasting peace is found when we anchor our lives in faith.

Quotables from the episode:

• Stress is something we all face to a greater or lesser extent. We live in a culture that promotes “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me” but if we aren’t careful to attend to appropriate stress management, prolonged stress can have a detrimental impact on our physical, emotional, mental well-being. If we go too long, for too strong, ultimately our bodies will demand we stop. So how do we work toward better work-life balance?
• Stress comes from a variety of places, but if we don’t learn to manage stress, it will manage us. We as women struggle with the work/life balance in a unique way because culture tells us success is gained or lost in the workplace, yet we are often the primary caregivers for our family (including everything from laundry to holiday costume sewing to permission slip signing to kissing boo-boos).
• In 1970, about 43 percent of women ages 16 and older were in the labor force. By 2000, 61 percent of adult women were in the labor force and that has continued through today. Arguably, today women have more on their plates than a generation ago, with less down time to rest and restore.
• Stress is a physiological and psychological response that occurs when we perceive a threat or challenge that EXCEEDS OUR COPING RESOURCES. This perception triggers the body's CENTRAL STRESS MGMT SYSTEM, particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (increased Heart Rate, Blood is directed to our muscles, increased alertness so you can face danger or run away) leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
• Once stress passes, the HPA axis should return to normal but often doesn’t because we live life in a heightened state of stress.
• Our brain doesn’t know the difference between good stress and bad stress.
• While this natural stress response is useful for short-term danger, chronic stress keeps these hormones elevated for extended periods, which can harm both mental and physical health.
• Perfect balance is a myth; instead, balance is fluid and flexible.
• Sometimes career demands take precedence, while other times, family needs do. Extending grace to yourself and adjusting priorities based on seasons of life can prevent both guilt and burnout.
• The myth of “multi-tasking”—it’s physiologically impossible for your brain to multitask.
• Physically, chronic stress can cause headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, and a weakened immune system. It also raises the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, digestive issues, and sleep disturbances, impacting overall physical wellness.
• Stress has significant effects on brain function and structure. ACUTE stress can sharpen focus and improve short-term performance by enhancing activity in brain regions like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. However, chronic stress can have adverse effects and lead to structural changes in the brain, such as a reduction in the size of the hippocampus (affecting memory) and prefrontal cortex (affecting decision-making and executive function), while potentially increasing the size and activity of the amygdala (heightening emotional responses).
• Chronic stress often leads to constant worry, difficulty concentrating, and memory issues. The brain, under prolonged stress, struggles to function optimally, making it harder to focus and think clearly.
• Emotionally, prolonged stress can lead to feelings of irritability, anxiety, and even hopelessness and despair. It can cause mood swings and may contribute to depression, as persistent stress wears down emotional resilience.
• Constant connectivity has been shown to increase stress, as people may feel pressured by comparisons, notifications, and the need to stay updated.
• Increased academic and career pressures, societal instability, and economic uncertainty can all contribute to heightened stress.
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