How Do the Myers-Briggs Personality Types Cope With Stress?

July 18, 2021

(HealthyResearch.com) – We each handle stress differently, some of us with a little more grace than others. Several factors go into who we are, but our personality types might help determine what tends to stress us out and how well we each cope when times get tough.

What’s Your Myers-Briggs Personality Type?

According to the Myers and Briggs Foundation, every person falls into 1 of 16 different personality types, divided by four subgroups. Each views and handles the world in a slightly different way. An official assessment requires the help of a certified professional, but Truity offers The TypeFinder Personality Test for curious minds to take for fun.

How Each Personality Type Copes With Stress

ISFJ – The Nurturer. This is the most common personality type, compromising 13.8% of the population. They combine introverted, observant, feeling and judging personality traits, making them social introverts with a deep sense of altruism. As people-pleasers, they may overbook themselves to please others, stay in toxic situations longer than they should and have a hard time saying no. During times of high stress, it’s important for ISFJs to surround themselves with close friends and family who can nurture them for once.
ESFJ – The Provider. This personality type is made up of extraverted, observant, feeling and judging traits, which tend to make them popular people. They’re the cheerleaders, during both good and hard times, working tirelessly to lift other people’s spirits. People with this personality type are loyal to their tribe, so they become easily stressed when they don’t get enough social time. It’s important for ESFJs to make plans with friends — and pamper themselves when needed.
ISTJ – The Inspector. This personality type combines introverted, observant, thinking and judging traits, making them decisive and practical people. They’re dependable and have an incredible work ethic, but they have a hard time trusting others to get anything done (or done right). They also crave routine, so they can become easily stressed when things feel out of control. Creating a to-do list, delegating tasks to others and sticking with the familiar can make life easier for the ISTJ.
INTJ – The Mastermind. This personality type makes up only about 8% of the population. Myers-Briggs defines these people as introverted, intuitive, thinking and judging. These people keep a positive attitude under pressure and prefer to make solid plans. But they tend to burnout when they socialize too much, so it’s important for them to make time for themselves and partake in solo hobbies like reading or writing.
ISFP – The Composer. This personality type is a mesh of introverted, observant, feeling, and perceiving traits. Open-minded, warm, grounded yet unpredictable, this group loves to have fun and shake things up. Although they tend to be talented artists, they sometimes struggle with self-esteem issues. Therefore, it’s important for them to focus on themselves sometimes.
ESTJ – The Supervisor. This personality type is a mix of extraverted, observant, thinking and judging traits. Natural leaders, they tend to prefer order and structured environments. When chaos occurs, they tend to become stressed. Taking time away to connect with nature or work on themselves can help them reduce burnout.
ESFP – The Performer. A combination of extraverted, observant, feeling, and perceiving personality traits, ESFPs are social creatures who love the spotlight. Born entertainers, this personality type thrives when they’re social. They also prefer a flexible schedule. They can stress out when they don’t have the chance to spend time with friends — especially if an inflexible work schedule is to blame. To reduce stress, it’s important for them to get out whenever possible.
ENFP – The Champion. This type is a combination of extraverted, intuitive, feeling and perceiving traits. They’re not followers and instead dance to the beat of their own drums. These free spirits have the curiosity to tackle big problems and the energy to enact real solutions. They can rely too much on intuition sometimes, however, which can backfire if they happen to be misreading others’ motivations. Sometimes, they need to just take a step back and look at situations from new perspectives.
ISTP – The Craftsman. This is an introverted, observant, trusting and perceiving personality type. Spontaneous, fun-loving and mysterious at times, ISTPs enjoy their freedom and thrive in the great outdoors. They can grow bored easily, so it’s important for them to partake in all of the outdoor activities they enjoy. Solo travel can also help them prevent burnout.
INFP – The Idealist. Categorized as introverted, intuitive, feeling and perceiving, this personality type prefers to spend their quiet time daydreaming. They tend to be creative and become easily stressed when their environment doesn’t allow for this. They hate being the center of attention, so they’re prone to burnout when they have to talk too often. Connecting with nature or helping others in need can help them destress.
ESTP – The Doer. This personality type is extraverted, observant, thinking and perceiving. Born risk-takers and unlikely to plan ahead, these people tend to jump first and ask questions later, which may make them unpredictable under stress. Since they love their freedom, ESTPs are prone to feeling trapped in certain work environments and relationships. Doing something spontaneous can help them unwind.
INTP – The Thinker. Introverted, intuitive, thinking and perceiving, this personality type is known to be logical and rational — even in times of stress. They are prone to overanalyzing, however, and tend to lack understanding if others are getting emotional. Being in an environment that doesn’t allow them to use their sound logic and reasoning can stress them out. To reduce burnout, INTPs can benefit from reading a book or listening to a podcast that allows them to use their analyzation skills.
ENTP – The Visionary. This personality type has extraverted, intuitive, thinking and perceiving traits. They’re known for their logic and reasoning skills, and despite being extroverts, they tend to work better alone. This often leads them to take on too much, which can become stressful. Setting reasonable and realistic goals can help ENTPs avoid burnout.
ENFJ – The Giver. Extraverted, intuitive, feeling and judging, these people really are heroes. They strive to make the world around them better, and they’re natural communicators and leaders — but they can also take on others’ problems as their own. This Atlas complex can be a source of personal angst, leaving the protagonist genuinely and desperately wanting to save everyone around them. This may be overwhelming during difficult times.
ENTJ – The Commander. Extraverted, intuitive, thinking and judging, people with this personality type tend to be perfectionists and workaholics. They will take charge in a crisis and work to ensure everyone with them also pushes forward. These natural-born leaders enjoy a challenge, but they may become impatient or even unforgiving about people less able to rise to the demand. ENTJs can benefit from implementing meditation and yoga into their lives.
INFJ – The Counselor. This personality type is a balance of introverted, intuitive, feeling and judging traits. They’re very rare, with only about 1.5% of the population falling into this category. These people become the rescuers and uplifters when times get tough; they’re the crusaders, the speakers, the motivators. They may also get so caught up in helping others that they let their own self-care slip to the wayside. For this reason, they must make a constant effort to care for themselves as much as they do for others.

We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Knowing more about our different ways of coping could help us find more personalized ways to improve our coping strategies. By building on our strengths based on our personalities, we each might find new ways to minimize our weaknesses.

~Here’s to Your Health & Safety!