• being deliberately focused on the task in hand
• maintaining intense effort over a period of time
• feeling high arousal levels
• not thinking about the negative consequences of failure.

Sending a text to a partner confronted with a difficult task really can make them feel more supported.

When you're under psychological pressure, being reminded that there's someone out there who really cares for you seems to be more helpful than receiving targeted advice.

Those who believe in the potential benefits of stress are less prone to feeling stressed in the wake of difficult life events. 

If you do have a negative stress mindset, there are ways to turn it around.

When put under time pressure, people tend to act more like themselves: selfish people tend to act more selfishly than usual, while pro-social people behave even more pro-socially.

But time pressure can also improve decision-making because it forces people to make tough decisions...