What does it mean to be high strung?

carrie4g

My boss just told me that I'm high strung v. my coworker who is relaxed. When you think of a high strung mom, who is that person? I'm trying to gather insight to how I can be high strung. I see it in certain work situations because I'm under a lot of pressure but I'm not clear on what this means personality wise.

summer80

I don't know, I've been told I am too. I tend to be stressy, anxious, need to know everything and in control. I am not go with the flow at all in certain things. 

KathrynMD

high strung = controlling, worries ALOT, not flexible

jenuine

I used to be high strung. It's not always a bad thing. It can be applied to work or home. I would stress about things which always kept me on deadlines. I would review and review reports to be sure they were perfect. Unfortunately, I'd be overly dramatic when things wouldn't go as planned. I felt I wasn't enjoying things like I should. Eventually, it lead to high blood pressure and an ulcer.

Now I am far more relaxed about everything. I took a stress management class that really changed my outlook. When I recognize I am stressing about something, I ask myself a bunch of questions. Is what is stressing me going to matter in a week/month/year? Will this stress help make the event better (ie catch more errors in a report, work more efficiently to meet a deadline, etc)? Will relaxing about this make the people around me happier or create a stressed environment? Basically, is it really worth it to stress about it?

My stress management class was offered free at work, but a lot of insurance plans offer free classes as well. If you think you are high strung and want to do something about it, look into one. I really like myself better since the class.

I still catch myself worrying unnecessarily. Like last week on vacation, I cough myself stressing about how my daughter was going to get her naps and if  in-laws were enjoying themselves. I wish I could have gotten that stress under control and just enjoyed myself more.

jenuine

To answer your question more specifically, here are some high strung examples from myself:

keeps notes and check lists on everything

has a hard time throwing things out since they might be needed it in the future

dwells on things that don't go as planned

asks a million questions

has a hard time accepting things are as good as they can be

doesn't let things roll off your shoulders

more things are a crisis than not

focuses on how things could be better

internalizes stress rather than letting it out/talking about it

likes things that are measurable rather than felt

everything needs to be just as you have it in your mind

always on time

...amongst many other traits

azuremama

Generally, I would say it means you are inflexible and need things to be done a certain way.  Maybe nervous and anxious about things.

carrie4g

Thanks all! This is really extremely helpful.

MayorMcCheese000

jenuine:

To answer your question more specifically, here are some high strung examples from myself:

keeps notes and check lists on everything

has a hard time throwing things out since they might be needed it in the future

dwells on things that don't go as planned

asks a million questions

has a hard time accepting things are as good as they can be

doesn't let things roll off your shoulders

more things are a crisis than not

focuses on how things could be better

internalizes stress rather than letting it out/talking about it

likes things that are measurable rather than felt

everything needs to be just as you have it in your mind

always on time

...amongst many other traits

gah, I checked all of them!