Do You Have Some Stress-Prone Habits?

Rate yourself as to how you typically react in each of the situations listed below. There are no right or wrong answers.

4 = Always 3 = Frequently 2 = Sometimes 1 = Never

  1. Do you try to do as much as possible in the least amount of time?
  2. Do you become impatient with delays or interruptions?
  3. Do you always have to win at games to enjoy yourself?
  4. Do you find yourself speeding up the car to beat the red light?
  5. Are you unlikely to ask for or indicate you need help with a problem?
  6. Do you constantly seek the respect and admiration of others?
  7. Are you overly critical of the way others do their work?
  8. Do you have the habit of looking at your watch or clock often?
  9. Do you constantly strive to better your position and achievements?
  10. Do you spread yourself "too thin" in terms of your time?
  11. Do you have the habit of doing more than one thing at a time?
  12. Do you frequently get angry or irritable?
  13. Do you have little time for hobbies or time by yourself?
  14. Do you have a tendency to talk quickly or hasten conversations?
  15. Do you consider yourself hard-driving?
  16. Do your friends or relatives consider you hard-driving?
  17. Do you have a tendency to get involved in multiple projects?
  18. Do you have lots of deadlines in your work?
  19. Do you feel vaguely guilty if you relax and do nothing during leisure?
  20. Do you take on too many responsibilities?
Answer Key
If your score is between 20 and 30, chances are you are nonproductive or your life lacks stimulations.
A score between 30 and 50 designates a good balance in your ability to handle and control stress.
If you tallied up a score ranging between 51 and 60, your stress level is marginal and you are bordering on being excessively tense.

Scale by R. Forbes. Life Stress. Gardon City: Doubleday & Co.