Stress factors into our motivation more times than we may realize and in this way it can actually provides a positive in our lives. The common perception, and rightfully so, is that mental stress is bad for our health and in fact is viewed by some medical practitioners as an illness that can kill! Strangely enough however, is that using stress as a source of motivation can actually help us to increase our personal productivity.

Here are 3 ways how using stress can actually lead to an increase in our personal productivity.

Sense of Urgency

Using stress as a source of motivation comes with a 'natural' advantage that being already somewhat anxious, there now exists a sense of urgency in your actions. Much like running down a hill with a large boulder right behind you, there is little need to dig deep for motivation since you obviously want to alleviate and/or eliminate the anxious feelings. Another good thing here is that the more productive you are the less you are feeling stressed or anxious so it is really a win win situation.

Increase in Focus

With a sense of urgency hanging over your head your ability to maintain your focus also increases as well. In many cases a lack of concentration can be attributed to boredom since the task at hand is not being perceived as a priority. Mental stress has a way of capturing your attention, and it does not matter who you are, relieving yourself of stressful feelings is a priority everybody shares! With this focus you now will also experience an increase in your personal productivity.

Increases Resourcefulness

Now that you are fully concentrating on what it is you are doing you are better able to think more clearly allowing you to improvise more easily. It is amazing that as we get pushed to the 'edge' how quickly we can think and respond in certain situations. Hats off to our survival instincts!

The ways in which stress factors into our motivation is strangely ironic from the standpoint that it can actually lead to an increase in personal productivity. How can mental stress, which is commonly perceived as an illness that can kill you, serve such a positive role in our lives! The 3 examples discussed above serve to demonstrate how using stress as a source of motivation can actually perform a positive. Now this is not to say you should seek out tension deliberately to serve as a motivator, but that there are certain times such an undesirable can be of service. For the record I am still a huge fan of simply using desire to motivate me. On the other hand however, if being stressed will serve a useful purpose for me on occasion I welcome its help.