Stress isn’t just a feeling—it’s physics.
In this eye-opening #TechTalkTuesdays session, author and meditation coach Gaurav Rastogi breaks down the hidden patterns of stress, burnout, and emotional overload.
Borrowed from mechanical engineering, the concept of stress explains how external and internal pressures can slowly (and silently) push us beyond our limits. Especially in a post-pandemic, always-on work culture, knowing how stress operates—and how to regain control—is not just helpful, it’s essential.
What you’ll learn:
• How stress mirrors the physical breaking point of materials
• Why initial stress can be productive—but quickly turns toxic
• How unmanaged stress hijacks your body’s internal systems
• Why mastering your moods and energy is critical for long-term resilience
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Timestamps:
00:09 – What is stress really?
00:40 – How stress moved from physics to medicine
01:20 – External vs. internal stressors
01:45 – The fight-or-flight response in modern life
02:10 – Why unchecked stress leads to burnout
02:30 – The urgency of stress management today
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Have you noticed stress sneaking up on you lately? Tell us how you manage it in the comments.
[00:09]
Question: “What is stress, and why should you care about it?”
Gaurav Rastogi:
First, you should know that the word stress is actually borrowed from mechanical engineering. In engineering, scientists and engineers would test materials—putting weights on metal wires or cables until they stretched and eventually broke.
They noticed a pattern:
Add weight → the wire stretches → more weight → more stretching → and finally, it snaps.
In the 1930s, a doctor observed something similar happening with people. Some external pressure or stimulus would be fine—up to a point. But push too much, and it stopped being helpful. It started being harmful. That’s when the word “stress” crossed over into the medical world.
In medical terms, stress is any physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. It can come from the outside—like the environment, the news, work deadlines—or from inside, like poor digestion or unresolved health issues.
Now, why does this matter for our work conversations?
Because stress initiates the fight-or-flight response.
And beneath your conscious awareness, your body is running systems all the time—like your digestion, your breathing. When you’re under stress, it’s like someone slamming the accelerator in a car—with no brake, no steering.
You’re just speeding faster and faster—until you crash.
At first, stress can be motivating—it pushes you up the curve. But very quickly, without checks and balances, it becomes destructive.
That’s why understanding and managing stress is critical—especially in today’s high-pressure, post-pandemic work-from-home world.
