How to manage work stress before it affects your health
Learn your own early signs of stress, protect some recovery time after work, keep one small habit that helps you (a walk, sleep, talking to someone), and see a GP if stress is affecting your health or you're worried about symptoms.
Why is this harder than it sounds?
The NHS describes stress as the body's reaction to feeling under pressure, and notes that long-term or severe stress can lead to exhaustion often called burnout. Work stress rarely stays at work: it shows up in sleep, appetite, headaches, mood and how much we drink or exercise. The trouble is that the habits that help are the first to go when work gets busy.
What should you do?
Know your signs
The NHS lists signs such as irritability, feeling overwhelmed, racing thoughts, headaches, stomach problems and changes in eating, drinking or exercise. Which ones show up first for you?
Separate the day from the evening
A short walk, a change of clothes, ten minutes before you look at your phone. A small, fixed transition helps.
Protect one habit
Sleep, a walk, a meal you sit down for. Pick one and guard it on the busiest days.
Write down what's weighing on you
Getting it out of your head can make the next step clearer, and shows patterns over time.
Talk to someone
A friend, a colleague, your manager or occupational health if you have one. You decide what to raise and with whom.
Know when to see a GP
The NHS advises seeing a GP if you have symptoms you're worried about or feel you have more severe stress.
What tends not to work
Piling on coping strategies. One that you actually do is enough.
Waiting for a quiet period that never comes.
Ignoring physical symptoms because "it's just stress". Get anything worrying checked.
Common questions
What are the signs of stress?
The NHS lists emotional signs like irritability, worry and feeling overwhelmed, physical ones like headaches, stomach problems and muscle pain, and changes in habits like eating, drinking or exercise.
When should I see a GP about stress?
If you have symptoms you're worried about, or feel your stress is more severe. In a crisis, call 999 (911 in the US) or NHS 111 in the UK.
Where Nura fits
Nura can check in after your shift or working week, at a time you set, including "after work" (it asks once when that is and remembers). It asks how things felt and helps you pick one small step, without telling you what to do about your job. If you mention thoughts of self-harm or immediate danger, it tells you to contact emergency or crisis services straight away.
Sources
General information, not medical advice. Nura does not diagnose, prescribe or replace your clinician. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US); in the UK, NHS 111 can help if you need medical help but it isn't an emergency.