Most of us are aware of the potential negative effects of stress, including physical and mental illness and eventual burnout. In worst-case scenarios, stress erodes not only our individual wellbeing, but also our ability to create healthy, effective relationships with our colleagues and the students on our campuses. Yuk.

The good news is that stress doesn’t have to be the enemy. In fact, if our goal is to live a stress-free life, we are cheating ourselves out of a potentially valuable fuel source. Stress, when understood and managed effectively, can result not only in increased personal wellbeing, but also in authentic community among our colleagues and relational connection with the students on our campuses.