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About This Quiz
Many American adults act like stress is just a fact of life, but it's actually a complex health problem. High levels of stress over long periods of time can have negative effects on both your emotional and physical equilibrium, causing new illnesses or exacerbating current ones.Â
Luckily, stress is also extremely treatable! All you have to do is make stress reduction a priority. Once you do, you'll be amazed by all the treatments and therapies that are out there. In fact, you may even have a hard time choosing which stress-reduction technique is right for you. But don't worry — that's what this quiz is designed to help you with. We've come up with a series of insightful questions that will diagnose the kind of stress you're under. By the end of the quiz, not only will we have determined your stress type, but we'll also have a unique stress-reduction recommendation for you that's tailored to your personality.
Everyone deserves to feel calm, happy and balanced ... especially you. And with the right stress-reduction strategies, that state of wellness truly is possible. So what are you waiting for? It's time to hit pause on your other responsibilities and dive into this quiz!
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How would you spend your day if you had unlimited time?
Go hiking
Lie in bed and read
Hit up the art museum
Spend time with friends
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Are you having a hard time making decisions lately?
Nope! I'm impatient and decisive by nature.
Yes. I have "decision fatigue."
Only about trivial things, like what to wear
Not really
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What's the most beautiful part of your day?
My morning jog
My commute through the country
Having breakfast in my clean kitchen, before anyone else wakes up
Walking through my city's busy downtown core
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In your free time, what kind of reality TV shows do you like to watch?
Competitions like "Project Runway"
Cooking shows like "The Great British Bake-Off"
Home improvement shows like "The Property Brothers"
Dating-focused shows like "The Bachelor"
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You've been stuck in traffic for ten minutes. How do you deal with it?
By fidgeting like crazy
By blasting my favorite music
By listening to a book on tape
By calling or texting a friend
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What's your most prevalent stress symptom?
Muscle tension
Headaches
Weight gain or loss
Poor sleep
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Does your job give you much contact with others?
I work in a big office and frequently have meetings.
My job requires constant contact with the public.
I have to interface with customers and coworkers sometimes, but I have a lot of independence.
I work alone and rarely have contact with my fellow employees or clients.
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After a truly bad day, how do you comfort yourself?
Online shopping
Binge-watching a soap
Re-organizing my house
Complaining online
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Your biggest stress-induced food craving is for ...?
Chips
Ice cream
Buttered popcorn
Warm cookies
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When's the last time you took personal time for yourself?
Um ... it's been a while.
Does doing my make-up while my family pounds on the bathroom door count?
I find a little time every day to do something I care about.
I have enough personal time. The problem is, I don't get enough time with friends or family.
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If your manager asked you to not take a raise this year in order to "help the company out," what would you say?
"That's not going to work for me, sorry."
"Um, okay, although I'd really rather not ... "
"Can we compromise? How about a smaller raise than usual?"
"Anything for my work family!"
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Taking a big picture look at your life, what do you think is stressing you out the most?
Demanding work deadlines
The lack of a good social network
The lack of fun or beauty in my day
Too many tasks at work and in my personal life
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When pressed for time, how do you cope?
By rushing through tasks
By working through lunch and until it's time for bed
I delegate any tasks I can.
By prioritizing
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To lift your spirits, your partner wants to take you on a sight-seeing tour. What kind of tour do you ask them to take you on?
A walking tour through the English countryside
A drive through New England to see the fall leaves
A tour of gracious Southern homes
A bird-watching cruise
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Of the following situations, which one would trigger your stress the most?
A work project that's been stalled because you're waiting on a colleague
Long-term guests sleeping in your office
A messy house
Moving to a new city where you know no one
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Be honest: are you actually close to anyone besides your partner?
Yes. I'm close to several people at work.
Yes. I'm close to my best friend.
I don't have a partner.
No, not really.
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Does stress tend to make you angry, sad or scared?
Angry
Scared
Irritable
Sad
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Can you complete this sentence? "The world would be perfect if other people ______ ."
Tried harder
Were kinder
Took better care of themselves
Shared their resources more often
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If you were asked to throw a big dinner party, how would you feel?
Excited about taking on a new challenge
Overwhelmed. I hate dinner parties.
Worried. I don't have time to clean the house AND make something delicious.
Happy. I love sharing a meal with others, whether they're loved ones or strangers.
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Which of your emotions are you most embarrassed by?
My spite
My shyness
My sensitivity
My loneliness
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How would you describe your state of mind to a therapist?
"I'm happy overall, but I can't relax!"
"I feel like I've lost touch with myself and my passions."
"I'm in a rut. My life bores me."
"I feel down all the time, but I don't know why."
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When you're really upset, do you have someone in your life who will patiently listen to your troubles?
Yes. It's my "work wife" or "work husband."
No, sadly enough.
I can confide in a trusted friend or family member.
My partner is a good source of support, but they're getting tired of my complaints.
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On a scale of 1-10, how often do you compare your life to other people's lives?
Seven: I'm very competitive.
Two: I don't care if I'm winning at life; I just want to be happy.
Nine: I can't help but keep track of how well others are living.
Four: I care a little bit about keeping up with my neighbors, but it's not my main focus in life.
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Your friends and family know they can always lift your mood by sending you cute pictures of ...?
Goats
Dogs
Cake fails
Kittens
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What's a piece of good advice that you tend to ignore?
"Exercise helps Type A people like you to relieve stress."
"In order to help others, we first need to fill our own cup."
"Spending time in nature can reduce your stress and anxiety."
"A trouble shared is a trouble halved."
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If you had the power to visit the year 2050, what would your primary goal be?
Figuring out which stocks to invest in once I'm back in my time
Exploring how the world has changed
Finding new technologies to benefit people from my time
Visiting space. Normal people will probably be able to visit space by then, right?
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What's your biggest regret?
I wish I'd gone to a better college.
I still wonder about "the one who got away."
Part of me wishes that I'd pursued a more creative career.
I'm worried that I don't spend enough time with my family.
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If you got a promotion, how would that make you feel?
Thrilled. I'm ready for the next step in my career.
Terrified. I can't take anything else on right now; I'm already overextended.
Depressed. More responsibilities at work = even less personal time for myself.
Anxious but excited. I'm not sure if I'm ready for this position, but I want to make it work.
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Do you believe in New Age stress therapies?
Some of them, yes. For instance, I'd be lost without my acupuncturist.
Oh yeah. I love crystals, sound baths, reiki ... all kinds of New Age remedies.
Not really. They seem like harmless hokum to me.
Absolutely not. Not only are many New Age stress therapies fake, but they can actually be harmful.
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What makes you laugh?
Witty comedies like "Arrested Development"
Lighthearted family comedies like "Jane the Virgin"
Funny real-life incidents, like a toddler dancing
Blooper reels
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You Got: