Denisa Cerna
In the 1950s, cardiologists Meyer Friedman and RH Rosenman decided to research which kinds of people were more prone to experience higher levels of stress.
They called them Type A.
If you display the following 11 traits, it means you are not, in fact, Type A – you are Type B, so feel free to relax.
But I don’t really have to tell you that as Type Bs are quite chilled out already. That’s kind of the point. But we’ll get into that.
1) You take it easy
You’re like a fish swimming leisurely through the river, letting the current propel it further.
In non-metaphorical words, you’re not too stressed out about life. You feel quite confident in your abilities to handle situations if and when they arise, and you don’t obsess over the future too much because you understand that worrying is inherently pointless.
Once a stressful situation does take place, you don’t let the pressure get to you as much as a Type A would.
Whatever happens, happens. Your outlook on life is kind of like that song: “Don’t worry, be happy.”
Type B personalities can sometimes come across as lazy due to their calmness, but often, it’s not laziness but rather the fact that…
2) You see the big picture
Type A people love fussing over the details, making sure everything is just right.
You, on the other hand, are more focused on the forest than the trees. If something bad happens, you’re able to zoom out and recognize that this moment is but a fraction of your life, and soon, it will inevitably pass.
So why worry about it in the first place?
This also translates into your approach to work.
Type B people tend to show lower job involvement since they’re not as achievement-oriented, but while this may appear passive or non-ambitious, it’s more about the fact that you value your work/life balance.
In the long run, you know that your personal life and your well-being matter more than becoming the employee of the month.
3) You don’t pay much attention to details & deadlines
Of course, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.
Your laid-back attitude isn’t always an advantage – especially when it comes to detail-oriented tasks, deadlines, and keeping up with all the events you’ve promised to attend.
As opposed to Type As – whose life is very organized (good) and whose head is full of too many deadlines and worries (not so good) – Type Bs can be forgetful and inattentive.
If you miss a deadline, it’s not that big a deal. If you arrive ten minutes late, it basically means you’re on time.
However, other people might not view it that way. Your attitude may cause quite a lot of frustration, leading to interpersonal conflicts.
If you struggle with keeping your promises and showing reliability, try to write everything down. This way, you’ll always know what’s on your schedule.
4) You’re very adaptable
Flexibility is an amazing trait of Type Bs, one that contributes to the lower levels of stress you experience.
As someone who’s not constantly wondering whether they’re on track to achieve their 5-year plan (you probably don’t have one to begin with), you’re not too rigid in your expectations.
The plane ends up in Italy instead of Greece? Well, what can you do? Let’s find out what Rome is all about!
Your easy-going approach makes you the perfect travel companion, flatmate, or partner of someone who could use a bit of your inner calm.
You don’t get into fights much because you can always mold your approach based on new situations. If life catches you off guard… oh well. Life happens.
5) Your emotional world is quite stable
One of my friends is a clear Type B. Most days, he experiences about two emotions (content and excited or content and tired).
It’s like I’m Scotland and he’s Madeira (dubbed “the island of eternal spring”).
In general, you don’t suffer from mood swings. Sure, you have your bad days, but you can also rely on your emotions to remain quite stable as you go on about your day.
If you wake up in a neutral state of mind and nothing bad happens, you go to sleep feeling just as neutral as before.
6) You’re patient
This probably doesn’t come as a surprise – you’re easy-going, after all, and patience is a vital part of that.
You don’t mind queues or long bus drives. If a colleague is taking too long on a task, you take the time to sort out other things or send them a gentle reminder without worrying about it too much.
You know that everything has its time. And if it hasn’t happened yet, it’s probably not the right time.
7) You tend to procrastinate
Everything has its time…unless you spend all that time procrastinating and then have to pull an all-nighter because your essay is due in eight hours and you haven’t even started your research.
Unfortunately, there can be too much of a good thing. If you’re never stressing about deadlines, it might very well mean you leave things until the last minute and then feel all the pressure wash over you at once.
Some of my friends have told me they need the pressure to be able to work. I can see how that’s effective, but it doesn’t make the impact of all this stress any better.
Procrastinating is associated with health and career issues. Make sure you’re not making things worse by postponing everything until you can’t postpone it any longer.
8) You’re very creative
The wonderful thing about Type Bs is that they’re dreamers.
They can spend hours submerged in their own imagination, creating different scenarios and coming up with fresh and novel ideas.
Chances are, you enjoy art, storytelling, and daydreaming. You feel a sense of fulfillment when you get to work in creative spaces and you thrive on artistic freedom.
What’s more, many Type Bs don’t just dream for the sake of dreaming. They go on to execute their ideas in real life, changing the world each step of the way.
9) You enjoy the present moment
Another way to recognize Type Bs is to look at how future-oriented they are. As opposed to Type As, they don’t spend much time chasing goals and targets.
Instead, they focus on the journey.
Do you like to take things step by step, one task at a time? Do you enjoy sitting down and soaking in the present moment, the way your body feels, the sounds in your environment, the taste of morning coffee?
Are you often mindful and in a meditative state of mind, happy and content to just exist?
If your answer to these questions is yes, you might very well have a Type B personality.
10) You’re in it for the fun
Competition isn’t something you particularly care about.
When you’re running a marathon or playing a board game with friends, your focus isn’t on victory but rather on the connections you build along the way.
Ed Mayo said, “It’s not competition and greed that makes the world go round, it’s cooperating and caring.”
As a Type B, you couldn’t agree more.
11) You’re able to fully relax
When work is over, you don’t take it home unless you truly have to. This is because you have a great work/life balance – you understand how important it is to lead a fulfilling personal life in order to work at your best the next day.
What’s more, you don’t feel the urge to worry about work during your off time. When it’s “you o’clock”, you relax fully and completely, with no guilt attached.
Type As carry so much stress within their bodies that it can be extremely challenging to turn off and just… be.
If you’re a Type B, you don’t have a problem with that. You’re quite comfortable sitting with your feelings and shutting out the outside world. And then… you recharge until you’re at 100%.
