Whether you love your job, tolerate it, or are counting down the days until the weekend, work can be one of the biggest sources of stress in daily life. Tight deadlines, constant notifications, difficult conversations, long hours, and the pressure to always be productive can take a toll over time. While occasional stress can be a normal part of working, feeling overwhelmed day after day can begin to affect both your physical and mental well-being. If you’ve been searching for how to reduce stress, you’re far from alone.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 83% of U.S. workers report experiencing work-related stress. Learning healthy ways to reduce stress at work can protect your mental health and make it easier to enjoy time outside of work.

What is workplace stress?

Workplace stress, sometimes called work-related stress, refers to the physical, emotional, and mental strain that comes from performing one’s job. While it’s not uncommon to experience occasional pressure at work, stress becomes more concerning when it feels constant, overwhelming, or difficult to recover from.

Different situations can contribute to workplace stress. Some people experience pressure from unrealistic expectations or tight deadlines. Others may struggle with challenging workplace relationships, lack of support, job insecurity, or feeling like they’re always expected to drop everything and be available. Outside responsibilities, such as caregiving, parenting, or financial concerns, can also add to stress, making everyday work demands feel even heavier.

When we’re under stress, our bodies activate physiological stress-response systems, including the release of hormones such as cortisol. These responses are adaptive in the short term, but ongoing activation over long periods can contribute to physical and emotional exhaustion and is associated with increased risk for health concerns.

Signs your work may be too stressful

Everyone experiences stress differently, but there are examples of warning signs that your work may be taking a larger toll than you realize.

  • You’re exhausted no matter how much you rest
  • You feel cynical about work you once enjoyed
  • You have no energy left for the people you love
  • You ignore your body’s signals to slow down
  • You’ve stopped enjoying activities or hobbies outside of work
  • You become irritated or frustrated by small things
  • You notice it’s becoming harder to concentrate, stay organized, or perform at your usual level
  • You feel constantly worried or overwhelmed

Persistent feelings of overwhelm, racing thoughts, or difficulty concentrating can all be signs of stress and anxiety in the workplace. If these feelings are affecting your well-being or continue outside of working hours, it may be a sign to start prioritizing your mental health.

Ways to reduce stress at work

While every individual and workplace is different, there are strategies that may help you feel more grounded during stressful moments at work.

1. Practice the STOP skill

One evidence-based strategy from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the STOP skill. The STOP skill is a way to interrupt automatic reactions during stressful situations.

  • Stop: Pause before reacting.
  • Take a step back: Take a step back from the situation and take a slow, deep breath.
  • Observe: Notice your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.
  • Proceed mindfully: Choose your next action intentionally.

For example, if you receive an email that immediately raises your stress level, taking a brief pause before responding may help you react more thoughtfully instead of impulsively.

2. Externalize your tasks onto paper

Our brains can be great at generating ideas but not always great at holding onto dozens of them simultaneously. Writing tasks, reminders, or concerns down can reduce the mental effort required to remember every small detail.

It can be helpful to write these items down on a visible list. This simple habit can reduce the mental effort of trying to remember everything and support healthy stress management throughout the workday.

3. Batch similar tasks together

Switching constantly between unrelated tasks requires your brain to repeatedly reorient and refocus. Setting aside dedicated time blocks for similar work, such as answering emails, making phone calls, or completing paperwork, can reduce interruptions and improve time management skills.

For example:

  • 9:00-9:30AM: Respond to emails
  • 9:30-11:00AM: Focused project work
  • 11:00-11:30AM: Meetings or phone calls

Small, intentional scheduling adjustments can make demanding workloads feel more manageable.

4. Use a fidget object if you feel physically restless

Some people may find that using a small fidget object helps them stay focused during meetings or periods of sustained attention. Research is mixed, and this approach may not work for everyone, but some individuals may find that it helps them manage restlessness without distracting others.

While this may not eliminate stress itself, it can be one of many helpful stress reduction techniques for staying engaged during high-pressure moments.

5. Predefine your priorities each day

Rather than starting the day by reacting to emails or notifications, spend a few minutes identifying your top two or three priorities for the day.

Having clear goals can reduce decision fatigue and help you stay focused even when unexpected tasks arise.

6. Try brief breathing exercises

Simple breathing exercises can help regulate your body’s stress response during overwhelming moments.

One example is box breathing:

  • Inhale for four seconds.
  • Hold for four seconds.
  • Exhale for four seconds.
  • Hold again for four seconds.
  • Repeat.

These types of stress management exercises may help slow your breathing and create a greater sense of calm during challenging workdays.

Tips to relax after work

Managing workplace stress doesn’t end when you log off for the day. Creating routines that help you mentally transition out of work mode can make it easier to recover before the next workday begins.

  • Protect your downtime: If possible, avoid checking work emails or responding to messages after your workday has ended. Establishing healthy boundaries helps create space for rest, relationships, and personal interests.
  • Change clothes when you get home: This simple routine can create a psychological transition between work and personal life. Even changing into comfortable clothes can signal to your brain that the workday is over.
  • Try not to bring work home: While some jobs require occasional after-hours responsibilities, making work the center of every evening can make it difficult to recharge. Protecting time with loved ones and maintaining a healthy balance between work and family life can support long-term well-being.
  • Spend time doing something enjoyable: Whether it’s reading, gardening, cooking, walking outside, listening to music, or another hobby, making space for enjoyable activities reminds your brain that life exists outside of work.
  • Practice mindfulness before bed: Many people find that mindfulness and meditation for stress help quiet racing thoughts before sleep. Even five to ten minutes of slow breathing, guided meditation, or simply noticing your surroundings without judgment may help you transition into a more restful evening.

These can become your own personalized calming things to do after a long work day.

How therapy can help with work stress

A therapist can provide a supportive space to better understand how work is affecting your emotional well-being. Depending on your goals, therapy may focus on recognizing thought patterns, improving coping skills, exploring boundaries, strengthening communication, or developing healthier responses to stress.

For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one evidence-based approach that can help people identify and reframe unhelpful thinking patterns that may contribute to stress. Through therapy, you can better understand your experiences and build skills that support your mental health both inside and outside the workplace.

If work demands become persistent, overwhelming, or emotionally draining, seeking therapy for work stress can be one way to prioritize your mental health.

Takeaway

Learning how to reduce stress at work isn’t about becoming perfectly productive or never feeling overwhelmed. Stress is a normal part of life, but when it becomes constant, it deserves attention. Small, intentional changes, like organizing your workload, creating healthier boundaries, and making time to recover after work, can help support your mental health over time.

If workplace stress has started affecting your mood, relationships, sleep, or daily life, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Connecting with a mental health professional can help you better understand what’s contributing to your stress and develop personalized coping strategies. If you’re ready to take the next step, explore local therapists on findmytherapist.com and find support that fits your needs.