How to handle stress in the workplace: A practical guide

Learning how to handle stress in the workplace is a crucial part of prioritising mental wellbeing at work, which is essential for maintaining both personal health and professional performance. Chronic stress can lead to burnout, health issues and reduced productivity. Your physical and mental wellbeing is the most important thing, so making sure you're in a good headspace is vital. Incorporating effective stress management techniques into your daily routine can help you stay balanced, focused and resilient in the face of workplace challenges.

 How to handle stress at work

The first step to handling stress in the workplace is to recognise the signs and symptoms of stress and burnout. According to our Toxic Workplace Report, 73% of employees agree that a toxic workplace culture has contributed to their burnout. 

Examples of stress can vary person to person, but here are a few examples of how to combat and reduce excessive stress in the workplace.

Poor work-life balance

When you’re working extra long hours to meet ongoing deadlines, your leisure time can really feel the impact. No matter how much work you are juggling or how big your team is, remember you are entitled to take time off to recharge. 

To overcome a poor work-life balance, take and use up your allocated annual leave to give yourself time to rest and recharge. It is important to break up your work schedule, especially when it is becoming overwhelming. Regularly taking time off throughout the year will give you multiple opportunities to unwind and reset, allowing you to return to work with a clearer head.

Irregular sleeping patterns

One knock-on effect of stress in the workplace is evident in poor sleeping patterns. Sleep is so important in helping our bodies unwind and recover, so the more you lose, the worse you’ll feel. Whether you struggle to nod off, have trouble staying asleep or are working late into the small hours, you’re giving your body less time to refuel for the day ahead.

To help prepare your body for a better night’s sleep, make sure to exert any excess energy you have during the day, such as getting out for a walk at lunchtime, some evening yoga or a trip to the gym. Set yourself a ‘bedtime’ to get into a routine. It’s easier said than done, but try to reduce screen time before bed, both to give your eyes a rest and to detach yourself from work-mode. Try aiming for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night, as sleep deprivation can worsen stress and depression. 

 Low confidence

The more we are affected by stress in the workplace, the lower our self-esteem can become. To be your best, you need to put yourself first and remind yourself how strong and capable you are. Start your morning by looking into the mirror and tell yourself three compliments and write down in a list at the end of the day everything you have achieved. If it sounds like your worst nightmare, all the more reason to do it!

Distracted easily

Stress can come in many formats, one of which can surface from an ever-growing list of tasks that never seems to get shorter. When a list looks too long, we often don’t know where to start.

Block out time in your diary to focus on specific tasks, rather than trying to juggle everything at once. It might seem minor, but the action of crossing things off your to-do-list can feel like such an achievement, so prioritising and working through tasks this way can have a positive mental impact. 

Planning out your time at work can allow you to set boundaries and manage your responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed. Breaking up the workload into smaller, manageable tasks helps you stay organised, prioritise effectively and is a key strategy for how to handle stress in the workplace.

Identify your stressors

Our Mental Health in the Workplace report found that 58% of workers have experienced mental or physical stress since the pandemic. This highlights the importance of effectively addressing the contributing factors to mental wellbeing at work. Knowing how to handle stress in the workplace is crucial to preventing long-term issues. The only way you will be able to stop the drivers of stress and burnout is to understand what they really are. As an employee, it’s vital that you understand and take the appropriate action once you have identified your stressors.

Employers should also look inwards if their employees have poor mental health and are suffering with stress. A good way employers could gauge where their employees are at is via feedback, this can be done via pulse surveys. Pulse surveys have pre-built analytics, which means employers can see the results of the issues and make changes accordingly. Pulse surveys can be done anonymously so employees may be more likely to submit their issues. Therefore a great tool to identify the stressors.

Stress management techniques

Prioritise self-care

One of the most effective ways to manage workplace stress is to prioritise self-care, both in and outside of work. Oak Engage enables organisations to create a culture of wellbeing through curated wellbeing Hubs and internal communications. There has been a huge success for customers, like Five Guys, who have created online communities with Hubs. Another way you could practice self-care could include nourishing your body with foods that support your energy levels and setting a consistent bedtime routine.

Move your body and create healthy habits

Oak Engage empowers businesses to promote physical activity and wellness initiatives across their teams. An example of this is ScS, who hosted a walking challenge by using social features to build communities and encourage others to join in. As well as this, it is important to note to limit coping mechanisms such as alcohol or caffeine because, sadly, endless cups of coffee aren’t the answer to increasing energy levels, sleep is.

 Set boundaries

Stress often stems from an unmanageable workload or blurred work-life boundaries. Oak Engage supports employees by providing clear communication channels and company wide updates. Leaders can use Oak Engage’s intranet to submit anonymous pulse surveys to inform managers and reinforce the importance of saying 'no' when necessary. Oak Engage’s most recent survey found that 76% of HR and Internal Communications professionals experienced burnout at work. By encouraging transparent communication and boundary setting, it allows employees to feel heard and they can switch off.

 Seek support

Talk to your manager or HR department and have an open communication with how you’re feeling so you can seek support. There may be an option if you have an intranet or employee engagement app to use the HR help desk and log a ticket or share anonymous feedback if you feel anxious about trying to book time in with a HR professional.

Take a break

The feeling of being overwhelmed and stressed is common, especially in the workplace, where most people spend five out of seven days each week. Develop your ability to handle stress at work by building habits like taking regular breaks and disconnecting from your tasks. Whether you're staring at computer screens all day or working on your feet serving tables, being in the same environment for long periods can become overwhelming.

Use your lunch break to take a walk instead of staying at your desk.Set boundaries and put  your work phone on "Do Not Disturb". Avoiding emails in the evening gives you time to recharge and connect with family or friends.

Utilise support groups

Another effective strategy for managing stress at work is organising your workspace. You can also incorporate techniques like breathing exercises or short meditations during high-stress moments. In the workplace, you can lean on your support systems, such as trusted colleagues or the HR department. Reach out to other team members through your employee app using intranet instant messaging, or by building social and community bonds through Hubs.

Seek professional help

Most importantly, know when to seek professional help. If the stress becomes unmanageable or begins to affect your mental health long-term, reach out to a professional. A counsellor or therapist can provide effective coping tools and guidance on how to handle stress in the workplace, helping you see new perspectives. If you or anyone you know is struggling or would like to educate your organisation on mental health issues and suicide prevention, get in touch with our charity partner If U Care Share.

Whilst mental health in the workplace is not an easy subject to broach, the issues and recommendations highlighted in this blog will stand you in good stead.

Download your copy of the Burnout report for more insights and ways you can ‘switch off’ from work.