3 Ways to use your MBTI personality type to manage your stress
Melissa, MBTIonline Marketing Manager
April is stress awareness month. And it's safe to say that stress is at an all-time high right now.
Unfortunately, you can't avoid stress completely.
But there are 3 steps you can take to better understanding and managing your stress. If you want to dive into each of these steps, check out the articles below:
- Recognize your stress triggers
- Understand your stress behaviors
- Learn what stress management techniques work for YOU
Your MBTI type and your stress triggers
Just as people are motivated, energized, take in information and make decisions differently, you also have different stress triggers than the people around you.
For example – ISTJ* types will likely be stressed by mess and disorder, or information being too broad.
In comparison, ENFP* types likely won't mind the same broad information that stresses ISTJs, but ENFPs likely will be stressed by lack of enthusiasm, too many details, or too much order at the expense of creativity.
If you want an easy visual reminder of your (or other people's) stress triggers, download your MBTI type stress head here.
Managing stress: MBTI + your behaviors
Now that you've got your stress triggers figured out, it's time to understand the behaviors your exhibit under stress.
Your behavior is the way you act, especially toward others.
And when you're stressed, you typically won't act the same way you'd normally act.
The problem is that if you don't know you're stressed, and other people don't know you're stressed, that's where misunderstandings happen.
For example, typically those preferring INFJ* are friendly, creative, and insightful. Under stress, INFJ types tend to overuse their favorite process (introverted Intuition). And that leads to retreating inward, irritability towards the ones they're closest to, and forcing data and ideas into patterns where it really doesn't fit.
And those different behaviors lead people to wonder – what's wrong with that person today?
Self-care. De-stressing. Me time.
There are a ton of stress management techniques out there, but not all techniques work for every person.
Just as people with different personality types have different stress triggers and behaviors, you also have different stress remedies.
That's why it's important to learn what stress management techniques work best for YOU. And starting with what tends to work for people with your same MBTI personality type is a great place to start.
Take a look at this blog to learn 4 ways to destress for each MBTI type. After reading, write down the self-care techniques that lower your stress levels. You can use examples from this list and then add other things that you know help you to calm down.
Want to learn more about stress around the world?
Download the stress awareness infographic from The Myers-Briggs Company.
*Don't know your MBTI type? Use code STRESS22 to get 15% off of MBTIonline.com and find our your official MBTI personality type.