The real reason stress keeps coming back at work

Stress doesn’t usually announce itself.

It shows up as back‑to‑back meetings. A constantly full inbox. That feeling of being busy all day but unsure what actually moved.

And for many people, it feels normal.

Until it doesn’t.

When pressure becomes the default

In our recent Stop the Stress Cycle skills booster, we shared one pattern that came up again and again.

People aren’t overwhelmed because they can’t cope.

They’re overwhelmed because work has slipped into a permanent state of urgency.

Decisions get rushed. Thinking time disappears. Everything feels important, so nothing gets proper attention.

Why stress keeps repeating itself at work

One of the biggest myths we explored is that stress is mainly about workload.

In reality, it’s more often driven by how work is structured day to day.

Constant interruption. Unclear priorities. No space to recover between demands.

When those conditions are in place, stress becomes self‑reinforcing. People react more. They plan less. The cycle tightens.

Watch the recording

If everything feels urgent, this recording will help you step back and see what’s really going on.

It’s especially useful if:

• Your days are full but your head is fuller
• You’re stuck in reactive mode
• You want calmer, more sustainable performance

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is pause long enough to choose a better way forward.

If this resonated for you or your team, many organisations explore these ideas further through our wider productivity and wellbeing workshops.

They focus on helping people slow down, reduce reactivity, and create practical habits that protect energy and attention in everyday work.

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