Changing our ability to manage stress often depends on widening what can be called our Window of Tolerance (WOT). Our WOT is the state at which we function well and remain calm and composed in the face of stress. It is the optimal arousal state in which emotions can be experienced as tolerable and experience can be integrated.
When we are outside our WOT, our nervous system responds by going into survival mode – fight, flight or freeze. We either feel overwhelmed and go into what is known as “hyperarousal” or we can shut down and go into what is known as “hypoarousal.”
Our WOT can be narrow or wide. When the WOT is narrow, we may more easily fall into rigidity and feel low and experience a sense of chaos; when the WOT is wide, we are able to manage stressors with a sense of ease and reason.
We can have multiple WOT’s throughout the day, depending on what we are doing and how we are feeling. For instance, we may have a high tolerance for disappointment at one point in the day, continuing to function reasonably well when something does not go to plan (wide WOT), but later in the day, perhaps when we are tired, or hungry, or running late, we may fall to pieces in the face of disappointment (narrow WOT).
WOT’s also vary between people. For instance, while one person may fall apart after receiving negative feedback (narrow WOT), another person may take the feedback in stride, viewing it as useful, constructive information (wide WOT).
Generally speaking, our WOT’s reflect our level of emotional tolerance (i.e., how comfortable we feel with specific feelings, bodily sensations, memories, issues) in a given situation. Within our WOT we remain open and receptive; outside of it we become reactive.
We can learn the signs that we are either hyper-aroused or hypo-aroused and how to return to the window of tolerance, our optimal state of arousal for healthy functioning.
Research has shown that mindfulness and grounding skills are useful tools for this purpose. Mindfulness can help us become aware of fluctuations in our level of arousal and respond rather than react. By becoming aware of our bodily sensations, thoughts and emotions we can begin to recognise when we are in our optimal zone of arousal.
Moving out of a hyperaroused state requires us to calm our nervous system down (via mindfulness and grounding techniques) whereas moving out of a hypo-aroused state requires behavioural activation and getting in touch with our emotions.
You can build your personal autonomy to manage your WOT by recognising the malleability of it. You can take steps to widen your WOT.
Want to know more about Widening your Window Of Tolerance? Ask me how. Send me an email at michelle@bakjacconsulting.com to enquire about coaching to build your personal strategies.
Michelle Bakjac is an experienced Psychologist, Organisational Consultant, Coach, Speaker and Facilitator. As Director of Bakjac Consulting, she is a credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of Mental Toughness Partners and an MTQ48 accredited Mental Toughness practitioner. Michelle assists individuals and organisations to develop their Mental Toughness to improve performance, leadership, behaviour and wellbeing. You can find her at www.bakjacconsulting.com or michelle@bakjacconsulting.com
