5 ways to reduce work-related stress

An overflowing inbox. Competing deadlines. A difficult conversation with a colleague. Even when you enjoy your job, work can sometimes feel overwhelming. And when those pressures follow you home, it can become difficult to switch off and enjoy the rest of your life.

October is Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month, an opportunity to consider how our workplaces support health and well-being. It is also a good time to check in with yourself: How is work affecting you, and what might need to change?

Managing stress involves both personal support and workplace change. Unrealistic expectations, inadequate staffing and unhealthy workplace cultures need attention from employers. Individual coping strategies can help, but addressing the source of stress matters too.

Here are five practical ways to start.

1. Identify what is causing your stress

When everything feels overwhelming, it can be hard to pinpoint what needs to change. Start by paying attention to the situations that leave you feeling tense, frustrated or drained.

Is your workload consistently more than you can manage? Are expectations unclear? Do frequent interruptions make it difficult to finish tasks? Perhaps you feel pressure to be available after hours.

For a few days, jot down stressful moments and what was happening when they occurred. Look for patterns rather than judging your reactions.

Getting specific gives you something concrete to address. “I feel stressed” may be difficult to act on. “I keep receiving urgent assignments just before the end of my shift” opens the door to a conversation about deadlines and expectations.

2. Make your workload a conversation

A growing to-do list can leave you feeling as though everything is urgent. Rather than trying to do it all at once, identify your most important tasks and break larger projects into smaller steps.

If competing demands make your workload unmanageable, ask your manager to help clarify priorities. You might say: “I have three projects due Friday, and time to complete two. Which should take priority, and can we adjust the third deadline?”

This makes the problem visible and gives your manager an opportunity to respond.

Discuss what support would help, whether that means clearer instructions, additional training or redistributing responsibilities. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recommends participating in planning with your manager to balance workload and demands.

3. Create clearer boundaries around work

Checking one evening email can quickly turn into another hour of work. Without clear boundaries, your workday may never feel finished.

Where your role allows, establish a consistent finishing time and discuss expectations for after-hours availability. Clarify what counts as urgent and how you will be contacted if something truly needs immediate attention.

If you work from home, try a simple end-of-day routine: write down tomorrow’s priorities, close your laptop and put work materials away.

Boundaries also apply during the day. Before accepting another task, explain how it will affect existing commitments. Try: “I can take this on, but we will need to move another deadline.”

Being clear about your capacity helps others plan realistically.

4. Build recovery into your day

On busy days, breaks are often the first thing to disappear. You might eat lunch while answering emails or work through the afternoon without stepping away.

Try making room for brief pauses that fit your job. Take your scheduled breaks, stretch, get some fresh air or eat a meal away from your workstation when possible.

Outside work, protect time for activities you enjoy and people you care about. That might mean walking with a friend, listening to music, gardening or spending an evening reading.

You do not need an elaborate wellness routine. Start with one manageable habit. Taking breaks, getting enough sleep and engaging in physical activity are among the healthy habits that the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety identifies for managing stress.

5. Reach out for support—and encourage workplace learning

You don’t have to wait until you feel completely overwhelmed to ask for help. A trusted colleague, supportive manager or counsellor can help you explore what is contributing to your stress and identify steps forward.

Employers can also support mental well-being by creating opportunities for teams to learn together. Workshops can open up conversations about stress, boundaries and burnout while introducing practical strategies employees can use.

Just Us offers low-cost, engaging mental health workshops for employers, delivered by our counselling interns. Topics include stress management, managing emotions, setting boundaries, burnout, self-care, neurodiversity, and first responder stress and resilience, among others.

This Healthy Workplace Month, consider one step you or your workplace can take to support mental well-being. Whether that means discussing your workload, reaching out for counselling or arranging a workshop for your team, healthier workplaces start with making well-being a priority.

Visit justusinc.ca to learn about our free and low-cost counselling services.