Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has once again offered a timeless insight into stress management. Bezos believes that stress is not caused by hard work, in fact it is a a warning sign that you are avoiding something important. In a resurfaced quote from a 2001 interview, recently highlighted in a Fortune article, Bezos said that stress often comes from procrastination or neglecting priorities, nit from being overloaded. “Stress primarily comes from not taking action over something that you can have some control over,” Bezos said. “I find as soon as I identify it, and make the first phone call, or send off the first email… it dramatically reduces any stress that might come from it.”

A CEO’s take on emotional efficiency

Bezos’ interesting philosophy reframes stress as a diagnostic tools which acts as a signal to tell that something is still unresolved. He also mentions that the key to manage stress is to confront the source head-on. ““Stress doesn’t come from hard work,” he emphasised. “You can be working incredibly hard and loving it. Stress comes from ignoring things that you shouldn’t be ignoring.”

This mindset of Jeff Bezos has resonated with the entrepreneurs and professionals alike, especially in an era where burnout is often mistaken for diligence.

Timeless advice in a high-stakes world

Despite being a two-decade old quote, the advice still holds relevance. In today’s fast-paced, always-on work culture, Bezos’s advice serves as a reminder that clarity and action are the antidotes to anxiety.

Jeff Bezos wealth surged by $24 billion this week

Meanwhile, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos witnessed a surge of $24 billion in his net worth as Amazon shares hit an all-time high, according to Forbes. The rise in the company’s stock reflect the confidence investors have in Amazon’s AI-powered growth strategy and cloud dominance. Bezos, who owns roughly 10% of Amazon, now ranks among the world’s wealthiest individuals once again.