The Microstress Effect with Rob Cross and Karen Dillon

In this episode, Karen Dillon and Rob Cross, co-authors of "The Microstress Effect," discuss the concept of microstress and how it impacts our daily lives. They define microstress as small moments of stress that are created in everyday interactions with people that we're close to personally and professionally. These moments are so small and happen so quickly that they barely register, but their cumulative effect can be enormous.

Rob and Karen categorize microstresses into three buckets:

1. Microstresses that drain your capacity to get things done: These are routine interactions that creep into your day, such as unpredictable behavior from a person in authority or misalignment in a collaborative project.

2. Microstresses that deplete your emotional reserves: These are routine interactions that take a toll on your emotional resources. For example, leaving your house in a hurry in the morning and having curt words with your family, or dealing with colleagues who spray stress all over the place.

3. Microstresses that challenge your identity: These are subtle stresses that pressure you to pursue goals that are out of sync with your sense of self. For example, working for a high-pressure sales organization that pushes you to act in ways that don't align with your values.

The hosts emphasize that while these microstresses may seem insignificant on their own, their cumulative effect can be detrimental to our wellbeing. They also note that as we age, we often become narrower versions of ourselves, letting go of activities that once made us who we are. This narrowing of our lives can lead to an increase in microstress.

The episode ends with a discussion on potential solutions to managing microstress, emphasizing the importance of being mindful of the interactions that cause stress and looking for opportunities to shift these interactions.

Get a copy of The Microstress Effect, and get the app called The Microstress Effect, a great app that is free to download.

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