Simple Stress Relief Techniques You Can Use at Work

Work stress can show up as a racing mind before a meeting, a tight jaw after a tense exchange or the feeling that your to-do list is impossible to finish. You may not be able to change the whole workday, but you can use brief techniques to interrupt the stress response and make a clearer next move.

This guide covers quick breathing and movement breaks, ways to handle a heavy workload, practical email boundaries and how to ask your manager for help. It also explains when to look beyond self-help, including how an Employee Assistance Program may fit in.

Start with a one-minute reset

When you feel wound up, pause before trying to solve everything at once. A short reset can help you notice what is happening and choose your next step instead of reacting automatically.

Slow your breathing without forcing it

Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Let your shoulders drop, breathe in gently through your nose if that feels comfortable, then breathe out a little more slowly than you breathed in. Repeat for several breaths, keeping the pace easy. You do not need to take unusually deep breaths or hold your breath.

If focusing on breathing makes you feel worse, stop and breathe normally. Some people feel dizzy or more anxious when they try to control their breathing. Instead, look around and name a few ordinary things you see, or focus on the feeling of your feet against the floor.

Use a quick grounding check

Try this simple sequence at your desk: notice your feet on the floor, relax your jaw, lower your shoulders and identify the next small task. The point is not to make stress disappear. It is to give your attention a concrete place to land.

Pro tip: Pick one reset to practice when you are calm. It may be easier to remember when pressure rises if you have already tried it during an ordinary part of the day.

Take a short break and move

A micro-break does not need to be a formal workout. Stand up, change your position, refill water or walk briefly if your work setting allows it. A short pause can give your eyes and attention a rest, especially when you have been sitting or looking at a screen for a long time.

Try a simple desk movement routine, adjusting it to your comfort and mobility:

1. Put both feet on the floor and sit tall without straining.
2. Roll your shoulders gently a few times, then let your arms rest.
3. Stand, if comfortable, and take a short walk or shift your weight from side to side.
4. Look away from your screen and focus on something farther away.
5. Return to work by choosing one task, not by reopening every message at once.

If you have pain, an injury, a disability or a medical condition that affects movement, choose movements that are safe for you and ask a clinician or physical therapist for individualized guidance. You can also take a break seated by changing position, relaxing your hands or looking away from the screen.

When possible, put breaks between tasks rather than waiting until you feel completely drained. Even a brief walk during lunch or before work can support a more active routine. For a gradual plan, see Walking for Fitness: How to Start and Stay Motivated.

Make a heavy workload more manageable

When every task feels urgent, start by getting the work out of your head and into a list. Include deadlines, estimated effort and who is waiting on each item. Then sort the list by what has a firm deadline, what has the greatest impact and what can be delayed or delegated.

A simple triage can look like this:

• Do next: A time-sensitive task with a real deadline or a significant consequence if it slips.
• Schedule: Important work that needs focused time but is not due immediately.
• Clarify: Work with an unclear owner, deadline or definition of done.
• Defer or delegate: Lower-priority work that can wait or be handled by someone else.

Break a large task into a first action you can complete in 10 to 20 minutes, such as opening the relevant file, outlining three sections or asking one person for missing information. A small, defined step is easier to begin than a broad instruction like “finish the project.”

If the list still cannot fit into your available hours, treat that as a planning problem to discuss, not a personal failure. Ask which work should move if a new priority is added. You might say, “I can complete the report by Friday or take on the new request by then, but not both. Which should come first?”

Good to know: A written priority list is most useful when the people assigning work agree with it. If two deadlines conflict, confirm the tradeoff with the person who can set priorities rather than quietly absorbing both.

Set workable boundaries around email

Email can make a workday feel as if every request deserves an immediate answer. Unless your role requires constant monitoring, try setting a few predictable times to check messages and tell colleagues how to reach you for genuinely urgent issues.

For example, you might review email at the start of the day, after lunch and before you finish. The right schedule depends on your job, customer needs and team expectations. If you are responsible for time-sensitive support, coordinate coverage instead of simply going offline.

A few adjustments can reduce unnecessary interruptions:

• Turn off nonessential message alerts during focused work, if your workplace permits it.
• Close your inbox while drafting, analyzing or completing another task.
• Use a calendar block to show when you are working on a priority assignment.
• Write a short status message when you will be unavailable and name the appropriate backup for urgent matters.
• Avoid sending messages that imply an immediate response unless one is truly needed.

If after-hours messages are common, clarify expectations with your manager. You can ask which situations require a response outside your scheduled hours and how to handle them. For help setting limits with devices more broadly, read How to Cut Back on Screen Time Without Giving Up Your Phone.

Talk with your manager about the work, not just the stress

A manager may not know that deadlines conflict or that your workload has become unsustainable. A calm, specific conversation gives you a better chance of leaving with an agreed plan. Bring examples rather than waiting until you are at a breaking point, if you can.

Before the conversation, write down:

• The tasks or conditions causing the most pressure.
• What is already on your plate, with deadlines and approximate time needed.
• What you have tried so far.
• The change that would help, such as a priority decision, adjusted deadline, clearer instructions or temporary coverage.

You could say, “I want to make sure I am focused on the right work. I have A due Wednesday and B due Thursday, and the new request will take about half a day. Can we decide what should move?” Or: “I am having trouble completing this amount of work within my scheduled hours. Can we review the workload and agree on priorities?”

Keep the discussion concrete and follow up in writing with the decisions you reached. If your manager is part of the problem or you cannot raise the issue safely with them, consider another appropriate workplace contact, such as HR, a union representative or an ombuds office if your employer has one. The best option depends on your workplace and circumstances.

Know when to seek more support

Workplace techniques can help with ordinary pressure, but they are not a substitute for care when stress is persistent or severe. Consider talking with a doctor, licensed mental health professional or another qualified clinician if stress is interfering with sleep, relationships, concentration or your ability to function, or if symptoms are getting worse.

An Employee Assistance Program, often called an EAP, may offer short-term counseling, referrals or help with practical concerns. Services and eligibility vary by employer and plan. Ask HR or the benefits administrator what is available, how to access it and what confidentiality protections apply. Do not assume your employer receives no information at all; ask the program directly about its privacy practices and any limits.

If you have health insurance, you can also check your plan for mental health coverage and in-network professionals. A primary care clinician can help assess symptoms and discuss options. If you are in immediate danger or may harm yourself or someone else, contact emergency services or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Stress can also make it harder to recover after work. If you are carrying tension into the evening, a consistent wind-down routine may help support rest. See How to Build a Sleep Routine That Actually Sticks for practical ideas.

Safety note: If breathing exercises bring on significant discomfort, stop and return to normal breathing. Seek urgent medical care for severe or sudden symptoms, such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, rather than assuming they are caused by stress.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to fix everything with one technique: A breathing pause may help you steady yourself, but it will not resolve an unrealistic workload or an unsafe workplace. Pair personal coping tools with practical changes where possible.
• Waiting until you are overwhelmed to speak up: Raise workload conflicts early, using specific tasks and deadlines to explain what cannot all be completed at once.
• Treating every message as urgent: Check what your role actually requires and agree on a clear way to handle emergencies.
• Taking breaks only after you feel exhausted: Brief pauses are easier to use when they are part of your day, not a reward you have to earn.
• Assuming asking for help will solve everything immediately: A conversation may take follow-up, and an EAP may have limits. Keep notes on what you have requested and seek another appropriate source of support if the first step does not help.
• Blaming yourself for stress caused by work conditions: Personal habits can support you, but staffing, workload, unclear roles and workplace behavior may also need attention from people with authority to change them.

The Bottom Line

For a difficult moment at work, start small: slow your exhale, ground your attention, take a brief movement break or write down the next action. Then look at the cause of the pressure, especially competing deadlines, constant interruptions or unclear expectations.

If the workload is too large, ask your manager to set priorities and confirm the plan. If stress keeps affecting your health or daily life, contact a qualified professional and ask whether your workplace offers an EAP. You do not have to rely on quick resets alone.