Discover Your Stress Recovery Personality

Are you an IGUANA or a BORDER COLLIE?

What do you need to disconnect from the source of stress and recover from pressures you can’t avoid? It turns out we each may need something different. Some people need to be highly occupied (Border Collies), and others need quiet contemplation time (Iguanas). What is your stress recovery personality? Take the quiz here.

According to my research for my book, Stress-Proof Your Life, job stress is at epidemic levels. But, most stress reduction strategies tend toward quiet, contemplative activities which may not work for our Border Collie tending friends for whom sitting quietly and concentrating on their breathing increases their stress because they can’t shut off thinking about the things causing them stress.

Here is a video about my discovery of the Border Collie/ Iguana Stress Recovery Styles.

Border Collies need distracting, engaging, active activities to shut down the release of the stress hormone cortisol and allow the body to recover.

Iguanas can calm the body and process cortisol through contemplative activities (such as reading or hobbies) or inner-focused activities (such as yoga or meditation).

One isn’t better than the other – they are both effective… for the right people.

You may not be 100% Iguana or Border Collie.

Often we land somewhere in between Iguana and Border Collie. Sometimes we might need to get out and exercise to get rid of stress, while other times, we might need a quiet evening at home.

The point is to understand what works to lower your cortisol level, feel better, and get more of the important things done.

So now what?

Take the quiz and share your results! Discuss with your loved ones and co-workers what you need to disconnect from stress and listen closely to what they need. Giving yourself and others time to disconnect is essential to living and working under stress you can’t avoid.

Please leave a comment about your results and any questions you might have about stress recovery below.