Navigating Stress and Overwhelm at Work: Practical Tips for Resilience
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed at work? You’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, many of us are grappling with increased workloads, heightened responsibilities and less downtime than ever before. And it's taking a toll - polling conducted by YouGov for Mental Health UK found that 1 in 5 workers needed to take time off due to poor mental health caused by pressure or stress in the past year.
While it’s not always possible to change the environmental pressures placed on us within the workplace, there are practical actions you can take to manage stress and navigate challenging times more effectively. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, a marketer, an emergency responder, or working in any other field, these strategies will hopefully help you maintain your well-being and enhance your resilience.
Let’s explore how you can take better care of yourself and thrive, even in the most demanding situations.
Navigating Stress and Overwhelm at Work: Practical Tips for Resilience
Reconnect with Your Why
Research shows that when we have a sense of meaning and purpose behind our work, we tend to be more resilient in the face of stress. Take some time to reconnect with the mission behind your work and why you decided to pursue your career. What impact does your work have, both on others, and your own life?
Understanding and connecting with the purpose of your efforts can provide a sense of fulfilment and motivation that can help to protect against burnout. So, if you work in marketing and feel overwhelmed, remind yourself why your campaigns matter. Key workers, like healthcare professionals and educators, should reflect on the essential services they provide. And don’t forget your personal purpose too - perhaps your salary provides security for your kids, or the opportunity to travel to places on your bucket list.
Try to regularly check in with your purpose - especially when things are overwhelming.
Celebrate Your Achievements
As humans we have an inherent negativity bias, which makes it much easier to focus on our failures than our wins. But celebrating our achievements and noticing the progress we’re making can be a real source of strength and resilience.
Don’t dismiss small victories - they are significant, and can be a real confidence boost. Keep track of your accomplishments, share them with friends and colleagues, and take pride in your efforts. This positive focus will boost your motivation and help you maintain a positive outlook.
Top tip: at the end of every week, write down your accomplishments and achievements. Ending the week by reflecting on what has gone well will help you to see past the challenges, plus, it’s really useful to have a written record of the progress you’re making when you need a little boost.
Set Boundaries and Stick to Them
This might not be feasible for everyone, especially those in critical roles, but setting clear boundaries and expectations is essential for maintaining your well-being. And it’s important to communicate these boundaries because otherwise, it will never feel safe for you to switch off.
For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by work messages coming through on multiple platforms, ask your team to stick to emails and Teams for work-related communication. That way, you can trust that you won’t be interrupted with the latest workplace drama on your day off.
Or perhaps you can find more balance by establishing clear boundaries about not accepting meetings during your lunch breaks or after 5pm. Remember that by communicating these boundaries, not only are you ensuring you get some down time, you’ll also show other people in your team that it’s safe for them to do the same.
Remember, setting boundaries doesn’t mean you’re shirking responsibilities or being cheeky - it’s simply about giving yourself the time you need to recharge and maintain good well-being. When you set clear boundaries, you give yourself the opportunity to be the best version of yourself at work and for your loved ones. Let go of any guilt about taking time off or clocking out on time. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s necessary.
Practice Self-Compassion and Self-Care
Which leads us onto the final piece of advice: a heavy dose of self-compassion and self-care.
Let’s start with self-compassion. It’s so easy to add to the stress already placed on us by expecting ourselves to be perfect and beating ourselves up when we can’t meet that standard. It’s okay to lower your expectations a little and also to quieten the inner critic - nobody does their best work from a place of guilt or shame.
Secondly, self-care is key for managing the toll that stress and overwhelm takes on our bodies. Identify the activities that make you feel good - whether it’s exercise, getting enough sleep, eating healthily, journaling, or meditating - and make them a regular part of your routine. You might be surprised at how much of a positive impact getting the basics right can make to your overall resilience.