How to Manage Stressful Workdays

Been through product launches, 100-hour weeks, impossible deadlines. Here's how I manage stress—no fluff, just real tactics 👇 1. Intentional Pauses Even when swamped, I schedule 5-minute breaks between tasks. Sounds counterintuitive, but it's a game-changer. Microsoft research backs this up: short breaks reduce cumulative stress. I step away from screens, breathe, or stretch. These "unproductive" moments boost clarity. 2. Tech Boundaries No badge of honor for always being "on." I use Do Not Disturb, block notifications, and set clear availability windows both during and after hours. The Digital Wellness Institute confirms: boundaries reduce burnout and boost productivity. Tip: Designate "deep work" hours. Share this with your team to align expectations. 3. One Non-Negotiable Routine When busy, don't drop all self-care. Double down on one thing. For me, it's a midday walk without my phone. Find your one habit and protect it fiercely. Real-world example: During a major client workshop with tight deadlines, I used these tactics. Result? More clarity, energy, and presence for both team and clients. Remember: Small acts compound over time. Prioritize what truly matters. Your well-being isn't indulgent—it's essential for peak performance.

Don’t blow your cool… When you are working with customers you must be ready for the unexpected and for the occasional unhappy customers. So, it’s important to have a mindful way to remain calm when others may be out of control. 1. Get comfortable with pausing. Don’t imagine the worst when you encounter a little drama. When someone is acting irrationally, don’t join them by rushing to make a negative judgment call. Instead, pause and take a deep breath. A moment of calmness in a moment of tension can save you from a hundred moments of regret. 2. Think bigger. When we think bigger, we can see that small things matter very little in the grand scheme of things. It’s not worth our energy. 3. Respect people’s differences. Being kind to someone you dislike or disagree with doesn’t mean you’re fake. It means you’re mature enough to control your emotions and do the right thing. Just because someone does it differently doesn’t make it wrong. Period. 4. Put yourself in their shoes and give them grace. When you can put yourself in the other person’s shoes, you give them the space to regroup without putting any extra pressure on them. Hey, we all get upset and lose our temper sometimes. So, remind yourself that we are all more alike than we are different. When you catch yourself passing judgment, add “just like me sometimes” to the end of a sentence. 5. Don’t take things personally. If you take everything personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life. Even when it seems personal, rarely do people do things because of you, they do things because of them. The way people treat you is their problem, how you react is yours. 6. Create positive morning routines to start your day right. Don’t rush into your day by checking your phone or email. Create time and space for morning routines that get you moving in the right direction. 7. Cope using healthy choices and alternatives. When we face stressful situations, we often turn to unhealthy choices — drinking alcohol, eating sugary snacks, smoking, etc. It’s easy to respond to stress with unhealthy distractions. So, pay more attention to how you cope with stress, and replace bad coping habits with healthy coping habits. 8. Remind yourself of what’s right. At the end of the day, reflect on your small daily wins and all the little things that are going well. Count three things that happened during the day that you’re grateful for. And then pay it forward — do something for someone else that makes them grateful at the end of their day. 9. Establish and enforce healthy and reasonable boundaries. Practice becoming more aware of your feelings and needs. Note when you’re resentful of fulfilling someone else’s needs and gradually build healthy boundaries by saying no to requests that cause resentfulness in you. What else can you do to keep your cool when it seems everything is out of control? #personaldevelopment #motivation #customerrelations #leadership

We're all familiar with burnout but often, it's the annoying drip, drip, drip of "microstressors" that truly erode our well-being. These are the seemingly minor daily irritations we tend to shrug off: - That colleague whose "quick question" torpedoes your concentration. - The relentless barrage of notifications fracturing your focus. - The extra minutes tacked onto your commute that have now become the unwelcome norm. Individually, these moments might feel insignificant. Yet, like a silent, persistent army, they accumulate, steadily draining our mental and emotional bandwidth. Ignoring them because they seem "not that big of a deal" is a losing strategy. The key lies in proactively designing a life where they have less opportunity to take hold. 1. Master the Art of "No" (and "Not Right Now") Instead of an automatic "yes" to every request, cultivate the awareness to assess your capacity and priorities - and practice saying "Sorry, I'm tied up right now." 2. Carve out Time for Deep Work Resist the urge for immediate responses to every email, message, or ping. Designate specific blocks of time throughout the day to respond to notifications and time to turn them off. 3. Optimize Your Environment Identify and actively address persistent environmental irritants. This goes beyond a tidy desk. Is it distracting noise? Poor lighting? An uncomfortable chair? Small, consistent improvements to your workspace can significantly reduce daily friction and boost your sense of control. 4. Take a Breath Most microstressors arise from our reaction to events rather than the events themselves. When they pop up, take a breath and ask yourself, "Will I be stressed about this next week?" Microstressors are inevitable... Don't ignore them, just build a few systems to minimize their impact.

When I worked at Amazon, this is how I would wind down from a busy day. I’d go home, watch some shows, and turn my mind off. I viewed it as stress relief and decompression. It felt like it was a way of practicing self-care. But, in reality, it was a way of 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 and 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 my emotions. Had a bad day at work? An episode of Game of Thrones could easily take my mind off it. Yet, underneath, my mind was still running in overdrive. I just shifted its focus from solving a hard coding problem at work to figuring out if Jon Snow will end up slaying a dragon. Making ourselves feel “better” in the short term doesn’t mean we’re taking care of ourselves. When we use screens as de-stressors, we’re actually numbing our minds while keeping our nervous system in a state of “fight or flight”. Here’s a simple test: ➡️ Do you wake up in the morning with your mind racing from the day before? If so, your self-care has failed. You’re not dealing with the root cause and just stuffing life’s challenges into your mental piggy bank. And, it’s only a matter of time before it cracks. Instead, here are three ways of practicing self-care that bring relief and reduce stress: 1. Journaling. Write down three things that went well Write three things that didn’t go as well. Feel the emotions and spill them onto the paper. 2. Listening to music. Play songs that make you feel relaxed and empowered. Feel them in your body. Let the stress and emotions flow out with the music. 3. Physical activity. Stress is physically stored in the body. Working our body releases feel-good hormones that melt away stress and bring more calm to our minds. Stress is a part of life but it doesn’t have to take us down. The key is to deal with our emotions and mental fitness in a healthy way. Learn to stop numbing, masking and suppressing. You’ll be mentally rejuvenated and ready to tackle even the toughest challenges. —- ✍️ How do you deal with your daily stress? Comment below. ♻️ Reshare if this was helpful.

If you want to stay positive at work, read this carefully. Here are 7 daily practices that actually work in high-pressure jobs: 1. End-day reflection → list 3 things that went well. 2. Set clear work boundaries → no emails after specific hours. 3. Take 2-minute breathers every hour → step away from your desk. 4. Time-block your tasks → reduces overwhelm and increases focus. 5. Practice active acknowledgment → note 3 wins daily, no matter how small. 6. Use the "pause technique" → count to 5 before reacting to stressful situations. 7. Start with a 10-minute morning routine → meditation, gratitude list, or quick stretching. I've tested these extensively, and here's what I noticed: • Consistency matters more than perfection • Better boundaries = better performance • Your energy affects your entire team • Small actions compound over time The key is starting small. Don't try all 7 at once. Pick 2-3 practices and stick to them for 21 days. Then add more gradually. These aren't just "nice to have" - they're essential for long-term success in demanding roles. Keep showing up. Stay consistent. (Share this with your team) P.S. Which practice will you try first? Let me know below.

If you do business, you’ll get stressed. It’s unavoidable. You need to survive stress to succeed. Here are 10 ways I’ve learned to deal with stress: 1/ Don’t pretend it doesn’t suck. In our culture, leaders and CEOs are supposed to pretend stress doesn’t get to them. Don’t fall into that trap. Acknowledge it’s tough, and you’ll deal with it better. 2/ Don’t delay. Sometimes, waiting can be just as stressful as the thing itself. If you’re avoiding a tough conversation or a change you need to make, just do it. You have to be knocking out the stressors in your life. 3/ Make time for inspiring projects. It took me a while to realize I was drawing no joy from my work. That eats away at you. So even if it’s just 5% of your time, find something that excites you. Find a way to tap dance to work, at least sometimes. 4/ Find people you can FULLY open up to. Do you have people you can cry in front of? As a man, that can be difficult, but you need a place to let it all out. Keeping it bottled up is a fast track to getting overwhelmed. Find the person who’ll listen and keep your secrets. 5/ Keep perspective. I learned in my peer group that there’s always someone with a bigger problem. Theft, bankruptcy, and even cancer. And suddenly, my stuff feels a lot easier to deal with. 6/ Put the phone down. The more anxious I was, the more time I would spend on my phone. That would make me even more frustrated or worried. It was a vicious cycle. Spend time away from screens—read a book, walk, talk to someone face-to-face. 7/ Touch grass—literally. Don’t just put down the phone. Go outside, walk around, and touch some grass. Get out of your normal routine and clear your head. Temporarily check out from that cycle of worry. 8/ Eat well. Stress can lead to terrible eating habits. For me, it was coffee and chocolate on some days. (One cigarette away from going full European.) When I started a balanced diet—fruits, veggies, all that good stuff—it made a huge difference in my stress. 9/ Sleep well. Stress messes with my sleep. And without good sleep, everything falls apart. I use a sleep tracker (Whoop) to ensure I’m not under-rested. If you’re stressed, prioritize sleep like it’s your job. 10/ Exercise—but not too much. Exercise helps with stress, but you can overdo it. I made that mistake this year. I worked out too much, and I just felt more tired and anxious. Don’t exhaust yourself to the point of adding more stress to your life. — That’s what I’ve got! What else can you suggest? If this was helpful, give it a like / comment / repost so more people see it!

7 Scientific Ways to Beat Work Stress: (and how you can action right now) Work stress isn’t just exhausting— It physically changes your brain. Chronic stress shrinks the prefrontal cortex (which controls decision-making) And increases amygdala activity (which triggers anxiety). But science has a solution. Here are 7 research-backed ways to reduce stress and protect your brain: 1. Take Microbreaks → Just 5-minute breaks can lower cortisol levels and improve focus. → Rest rewires your brain and helps you solve problems. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Stand up, stretch, or step outside—small pauses boost resilience. 2. Breathe Like a Navy SEAL → Box breathing (inhale 4s, hold 4s, exhale 4s) reduces stress hormones by 25%. → Controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, calming the body. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Before meetings or deadlines, use box breathing to stay calm and clear-headed. 3. Swap Coffee for Green Tea → L-theanine in green tea boosts focus while lowering stress. → Unlike coffee, it provides energy without triggering cortisol spikes. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Replace one coffee a day with green tea for sustained energy without the crash. 4. Use the "Two-Minute Rule" → Completing small tasks (under 2 minutes) gives a dopamine boost, reducing overwhelm. → Quick wins create momentum and reduce procrastination. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately to feel in control. 5. Listen to Binaural Beats → Certain sound frequencies reduce anxiety and enhance concentration. → Studies show 6 Hz beats improve focus and lower stress levels. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Play binaural beats while working to create a calmer, more productive mindset. 6. Reframe Stress as a Challenge → Viewing stress as fuel (not a threat) lowers its negative impact. → People who see stress as helpful perform better under pressure. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Instead of saying “I’m overwhelmed,” say, “This will help me grow.” 7. Schedule "White Space" Time → Unstructured time improves problem-solving and reduces burnout. → Free time lets your brain make unexpected creative connections. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Block 15 minutes daily for reflection, deep thinking, or creativity. Small changes = Big impact. Your brain will thank you. What else helps you manage work stress? Drop your go-to stress relief tips below 👇 --- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost for your network. ➕ Follow Dr Alexander Young for daily insights on productivity, leadership, and AI.

How to handle stress at work? Today, William asks: — “I’m feeling overwhelmed and swamped at work. What can I do to get a handle on this stress?” — Welcome to Episode 148 of AskMatty! Here’s my answer, William: — Ever tried the SOBER technique? It helps you feel less stressed and overwhelmed. It stands for: →    S — Stop →    O — Observe →    B — Breathe →    E — Expand →    R — Respond Let’s get started! 1.    S — Stop First things first: take a breather. Say you're juggling a big project and feeling the pressure. Okay, just stop for a moment. →    Hit the “pause” button on your stress →    Close your laptop →    Take a short break to reset 2.    O — Observe Now, check in with yourself. Notice what’s happening inside you. Notice: →    Your feelings →    Your thoughts →    Your physical sensations Ask yourself: →    Am I tense? →    What’s on my mind? →    Do I feel anything specific happening in my body? For example, you might feel a tight knot in your shoulders. At the same time, your mind might be racing with worries about deadlines. 3.    B — Breathe Alright! Now, take a few deep breaths. Just to calm down. → Breathe in slowly through your nose → Hold it for a second → Then breathe out through your mouth Do this five times. Just let the air flow in and out. And focus on calming your mind. This helps lower your stress level — pretty much immediately. 4.    E — Expand Alright, we feel a bit better now, right? Look at the situation from a broader perspective now. Think about other ways to tackle the issue. Try exploring different options to solve the problem. Ask yourself: →    What else can I do? →    Is there another way to handle this? For example, you might wanna reach out to a coworker for support. Or prioritize your tasks differently. It’s all about seeing the problem from a different perspective. Perspective matters, right? 5.    R — Respond Now, based on the options you’ve considered, do this: →    Decide on a thoughtful response “Um, what do you mean, Matty?” I mean: →    Instead of reacting out of stress, try to choose your next steps carefully For example: →    Try to divide the project into more digestible steps →    Or talk to your manager about extending the deadline Just try to be a bit more thoughtful :) That’s it. This is how to use the SOBER technique to handle stress effectively. — Alright! Thanks for your question, William. Question of the day: →    Meditation or time in nature? What do you prefer? Let me know in the comments :) “Let’s build a more inclusive world by spreading wellbeing globally!” – Matty 

76% of employees say workplace stress negatively impacts their well-being (APA). Chronic stress doesn’t just affect your job—it affects your entire life. Here’s how to recognize the signs and what to do about them: 1. You feel drained before the day even starts. → Prioritize rest, set a consistent sleep schedule, and start your mornings with a calming routine. 2. Setting boundaries makes you feel guilty. → Remind yourself that boundaries protect your energy and help you perform better. 3. Speaking up feels unsafe or discouraged. → If direct communication isn’t safe, document concerns and seek HR or external support. 4. Your mistakes are punished, not learned from. → Find mentors or colleagues who encourage growth and constructive feedback. 5. Toxic positivity dismisses real concerns. → Surround yourself with people who validate your experiences and offer real solutions. 6. You doubt your abilities more than before. → Keep a success journal to track accomplishments and rebuild confidence. 7. Work stress follows you into your personal life. → Set a mental "off switch" by creating end-of-day rituals and tech-free time. 8. There’s constant pressure to do more. → Push back by clarifying priorities and setting realistic goals with your manager. 9. High turnover leaves teams unstable. → Observe patterns—if great people keep leaving, it might be time to consider your options too. .10 Recognition is rare, but criticism is frequent. → Advocate for yourself, celebrate small wins, and seek out supportive environments. 11. You’re praised for overworking, not impact. → Define success on your own terms and set limits on after-hours work. 12. Your gut tells you something isn’t right. → Trust that feeling. Assess whether staying aligns with your values and goals. Recognizing these signs is the first step toward change. Ignoring them only deepens the cycle of stress and burnout. Prioritizing your well-being means valuing yourself and your future. No job is worth sacrificing your mental health. Every week, I share an actionable tool to help purpose-driven business leaders reach their highest level of impact, success, and fulfillment with less effort. Signup free here: https://lnkd.in/dr7H_NsA 🔃If you found this post helpful, please add your insight and repost it with your network. Always walking with you, because your journey matters. #mentalhealth #wellbeing #founders

𝟱 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Feeling overwhelmed and on the edge of burnout? You’re not alone. Today, let’s find ways to reclaim your strength and motivation with simple, actionable steps you can begin to implement today! Ready? Whenever I'm in a space of burnout, feeling frustrated, or in an extremely high stress environment, I remind myself that more effort isn't always the answer. Sometimes, stepping back is. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆... Burnout erodes your resilience—not just your energy. Rebuilding resilience can help you regain control and find balance even in high-pressure situations. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲. 1. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀: Intentionally disconnect for 5-10 minutes every hour. Use this time to stretch, breathe deeply, or simply rest your eyes. Short breaks can significantly reduce stress and refresh your mind. 2. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Choose one essential task to accomplish each day. This helps create a sense of achievement and control without overwhelming yourself with a long to-do list. 3. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲: Each day, write down or mentally note one thing you’re grateful for. Gratitude shifts your focus from problems to positivity, enhancing emotional resilience. 4. 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲: Reduce the time spent on emails and social media during your workday. Constant connectivity can heighten stress. Designate specific times to check digital communications. 5. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Talk to a friend, mentor, coach, or counselor about your feelings. Sharing your load can lighten it, and they may offer perspectives or solutions you hadn't considered. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂: Remember, resilience isn't about enduring more; it's about managing effectively. Small steps can lead to big changes. You have the strength to turn this around, one simple action at a time. >>𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Have you tried any of these strategies, or do you have others that work for you? Share your experiences in the comments. Your story might be the encouragement someone else needs today. Wishing you a lighter and productive day! 𝗣𝗦: 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 "𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧" 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲.