Six small actions that make a big difference in managing stress at work

Pressure is an inevitable part of modern workplaces, but when poorly managed, it can quickly turn into harmful stress. The solution isn’t to eliminate pressure from work entirely, but to respond to it in the right way. Even small, intentional shifts can have a significant impact on how we cope, protect our wellbeing, and sustain high performance.

Here, six experts share their simple, actionable tips for individuals and leaders that can make a big difference in handling everyday stress more effectively.

Reinforce psychological safety

Ultimately, whether we feel able to manage stress at work comes down to the environment around us and our relationships with our manager and colleagues. Safe spaces are built and reinforced through everyday, small actions.

“Psychological safety creates structure to give people what they need to thrive and do their best work, acting as the human-centered foundation of healthy workplace cultures,” says Helen Beedham, organizational expert, speaker, and author of People Glue. Without it, stress often goes unspoken and unaddressed.

Beedham emphasizes that it’s a collective effort that must be actively supported by leaders, managers, and peers; without this secure foundation and ongoing reinforcement, people’s freedom to express themselves and their concerns will quickly falter. Recognizing individuality is also key; some need more encouragement and structure, while others are naturally more comfortable speaking up.

At its core, it’s about creating the conditions for trust, openness, and meaningful engagement. “When these conditions are in place, people feel safe to share what’s troubling them without fear of criticism or consequences,” Beedham notes.

Reframe doubt

Most leaders experiencing stressful decision-making assume the issues lie in their confidence, resilience, or capability. “But often the real problem is that they’ve never been taught how to work with doubt. They’ve been conditioned to push through it, hide it, or override it,” argues Jenny Williams, MCC, a leading Executive and Systemic Team Coach, and author of Brilliant Doubt.

Doubt encourages us to challenge assumptions, stress-test decisions, and identify risks. It transforms into strategic thinking when used to illuminate blind spots and prompt better questions. The shift happens when doubt stops being treated as a flaw and starts being recognized as useful information.

“Leaders should pause, reflect, and question: could there be another way to see this?” says Williams. Certainty thrives in the fast lane, doubt lives in the pause.

When leaders learn to listen to doubt in this way, it becomes less of an emotional burden, encouraging more of a practical input into better thinking. In time, it becomes more deliberate, conversations open up earlier, assumptions are tested rather than defended, and the emotional load reduces. “When leaders stop pretending certainty and allow doubt to have a legitimate place in the process, they no longer carry the full weight of every decision alone, helping to alleviate any feelings of stress,” Williams concludes.

Anchor yourself in meaning

Stress often comes from feeling disconnected, not just overworked. For Angela Rixon, founder and CEO of The Centre for Meaningful Work Ltd and author of Meaning Over Purpose, reconnecting with what makes your work matter is a small but powerful way to manage stress.

Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that 89% of Gen Zs and 92% of millennials say purpose is important to their job satisfaction and wellbeing, while four in ten say that not getting a sense of meaning or purpose from work contributes to stress and anxiety. That is why Rixon emphasizes staying connected to meaning, especially under pressure. “When work feels meaningful, people are more resilient, motivated, and mentally well.”

To find that meaning, she encourages people to focus on their contribution, not just their tasks. “Shifting your perspective from ‘What do I have to do today?’ to ‘What difference does this make?’ can have a big impact on how you feel.” She also suggests shaping your role where possible, taking on tasks that play to your strengths or seeking out work that feels meaningful. As Rixon puts it, “Changing how you connect with your work can be just as powerful as changing the work itself.”

Practice turning inward

When stress builds at work, the instinct is often to look outward—at deadlines, workloads, or other people. We look for what’s causing it. We look for what needs fixing. But that outward focus can keep us reactive. On the surface, we may appear composed; internally, the mind is racing, our thinking tightens, and our responses become shorter than we intend.

Rochelle Trow, HR Executive and author of Anchored, suggests a different first move: turn inward. “When pressure rises, pause and name what’s happening in you—frustration, urgency, fear of getting it wrong. That small act interrupts the automatic reaction and creates a gap between trigger and response,” she explains. “From there, you’re less likely to send the sharp email, agree too quickly, or push a decision before it’s ready. You’re responding, not just relieving the tension in the moment.”

Self-awareness doesn’t remove the pressure. The deadline is still there, and the workload hasn’t disappeared. But you have a choice again. And even a few seconds of choice can shift the tone of a conversation, the direction of a decision, or the outcome of a day. In high-pressure environments, the quality of that choice shapes what happens next—for you and for the people around you.

Embed energy recovery

According to Lesley Cooper, founder of WorkingWell and author of Brave New Leader, a simple but key way to cope with work stress is effective energy management.

“There are always going to be times when you have to work to tight timelines, accept difficult feedback, or face things not going to plan. However, managing energy rather than just job lists helps people respond better to these stress-inducing situations,” she says.

If teams are making time for focused effort, they also need allocated time for focused recovery. “Taking time away from screens and engaging in non-work-related activities should be actively encouraged across all levels of the organization to support energy management throughout the day,” she adds.

Intentional recovery—the practice of breaking the linearity of work every 90–120 minutes—should therefore be built into organizational culture so that employees know it’s part of the working rhythm rather than considered slacking. “Stepping away from work tasks will help you and your teams recharge energy reserves and prevent stress from escalating. As a leader, you should model this behavior and ensure others follow suit,” Cooper states.

Lean on your network

Stress tends to manifest itself when people lack a support system, which is why Emma Maslen, founder and CEO of inspir’em and author of The Personal Board of You Inc., recommends turning to your network for help when you feel the demands mounting.

“Especially as a leader, with others relying on your guidance, it can be difficult to seek support within your organization, which is why creating your own personal board of advisers is invaluable.” A ‘personal board’ is a group of people whom you can turn to for advice when you feel stressed and uncertain.

By tapping into your network, you can access fresh perspectives on the situations or decisions that may be causing you stress. Maslen highlights the benefits of forming your own board of advisers: “Regularly consulting a personal board can help refine your goals, ensure you’re on the right path, and keep stress at bay.”

She concludes, “By opening up to others and sharing the load, you’re better equipped to approach challenges with clarity and confidence—without feeling like you have to carry the burden alone.”

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