This age has brought with itself a new type of race; it seems like everyone is trying to win a race. Everyone is running relentlessly; the cut-throat competition never seems to end. This is why stress has also reached new levels in today’s time. The expression ‘I’m just stressed’ is used so frequently by everyone now that it is hardly noticeable. However, even today, a human being’s social needs act as an antidote to stress and its consequences.
As per a survey conducted in America, 55% of the Americans admitted that they are in need of a little emotional support (Alvord, Uchino, and Wright). Therefore, family relationships that are strong can actually help a person be stronger in the face of stress. Contrary to popular opinion, such relationships do not snatch a person’s autonomy from him/her. Rather, strong emotional support actually helps a person build confidence that comes in handy in stressful situations.
However, sometimes work patterns or habits serve to deteriorate already existing relationships. For example, a person who seeks satisfaction by spending more time engrossed in office work is hardly going to have time to spend at home. This might lead to problems with the spouse who might complain about the lack of attention. Similarly, stress might be created in the form of bad performance of children in school due to lack of attention.
For those who derive satisfaction from being amongst their family members find it really difficult to devote extra time to the office. In the process of achieving a balance between work and life, a person might have to undergo immense stress. Moreover, when promotions at work depend on devoting extra hours to the office, it might eventually result in reduced motivation for everything in life, thus affecting all relationships.
Reference
Alvord, Mary, Uchino, Bert, & Wright, Vaile. (nd.) Stress management: How to strengthen your social support network. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/emotional-support.aspx
