What is Stress?
A widely accepted definition of stress, attributed to psychologist and professor Richard Lazarus, is, "a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize." This means that we experience stress if we believe that we don't have the time, resources, or knowledge to handle a situation. In short, we experience stress when we feel "out of control." This also means that different people handle stress differently, in different situations: you'll handle stress better if you're confident in your abilities, if you can change the situation to take control, and if you feel that you have the help and support needed to do a good job.