Stress is the body’s reaction to environmental demands. This reaction can be emotional and/or physical. Stress levels are on a continuum from low to high. But stress is an individual perception matter. Some people are better at handling stress than others. In the same situation, one person may be very comfortable and stress free while another is stressed out. With no or low stress, people tend to just take it easy and waste time, and performance is lower, which is dysfunctional.

An optimal level of stress, like a deadline, is functional because it helps improve performance; it is also called eustress. However, beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and becomes dysfunctional because it hurts performance. It can also lead to burnout, a constant lack of interest and motivation to perform one’s job. Burnout can cause mental and physical health problems.