How to manage stress at work

Some pressure at work can be motivating. But when pressure becomes too much, it can lead to work-related stress.

Common reasons for stress at work include:

too much pressure
bullying
lack of support from managers
poor working relationships
being unable to control the way you work
not understanding your roles and responsibilities

Good stress management in the workplace is important for your overall health.

There are lots of things you can do to manage stress at work.

1. Plan your workload

If your workload is causing stress, think about how much work you can take on.

You may think you have no choice but to overwork. But knowing how to say no can be an important part of managing workplace stress.

Try to have the confidence to say ‘no’ when you think it’s the right decision, even if this is not the most popular choice. Outline your reasons for this and offer a solution. For example, you could say you will work on a new task after completing another more urgent task.

If you take on too much, you could end up doing nothing well. It’s better to say no to some tasks so that you can complete others better.

Before saying yes to work, you could calculate how long you’ll need to deal with your current workload. This means you can see if you have any extra capacity.

2. Spot the signs of work stress

Learn to recognise the physical effects of stress so that you can do something about it early.

The main symptoms of stress include:

a pounding heart or palpitations
a dry mouth
headaches
odd aches and pains
loss of appetite
loss of libido (sex drive)

Be aware of the risk of work stress spilling over into other areas of your life. For example, stress can affect your family life and friendships, or affect your ability to enjoy your hobbies.

3. Talk to your employer

Speak to someone you feel comfortable with about how you’re feeling. This could be your manager, or someone else in your organisation.

Employers have a duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. This comes under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Employers must also carry out risk assessments for work-related stress.

Your employer may be able to make reasonable adjustments for you at work. This could include allowing you to:

work from home, where possible
take short, frequent breaks
extend deadlines for tasks

If the reason you’re stressed isn’t work-related, your workplace may still be able to support you. For example, your manager may be able to reduce your workload while you resolve the stress in your personal life.

4. Get further help

There are ways to get help for stress outside your organisation.

You can phone and speak to a Breathing Space adviser on 0800 83 85 87. Breathing Space is open 24 hours at the weekend, from 6pm on Fridays to 6am on Mondays, and from 6pm to 2am on weekdays.

You could also contact your GP practice for further help.