“Give a compliment even when you are feeling bad.” Stress expert Elke Van Hoof on the power of the undoing effect.
Your printer is malfunctioning, your inbox is nearly exploding, your shoulders are tensing up. Then a colleague gives you a compliment. Suddenly, your breathing relaxes. How can such a small moment have such a significant impact? This is the undoing effect. Stress expert Elke Van Hoof explains why these positive boosts are sometimes more powerful than resting. Many people believe that stress only subsides by eliminating negative factors.
However, Barbara Fredrickson’s research reveals something important: positive emotions such as gratitude, joy, or compassion undo the physical and mental effects of stress more rapidly. A compliment, a smile, or even a funny video can normalize your heart rate and restore your cognitive capacity. Elke shares her personal tactics, from micro-anchors to an emergency happy playlist. Which positive emotions will you employ today?
