Easing the pressure
Feeling the effects of stress is a normal part of life. It can drive us to take action or help us thrive under pressure. But stress should be manageable, and it should be temporary. When stress affects our mental health, it makes us feel unproductive, irritable and isolated. But with healthy coping methods, we can learn to recognise and control our reaction to stressful situations before they overwhelm us. If you’re feeling the strain and it’s affecting your mood, we’ve got some easy pointers to bust stress and boost your mental health this winter.
Recognising stress
Sometimes the source of our stress is obvious, such as a looming deadline or expensive bill, but often it’s a result of many factors which slowly build up.
While mental health issues certainly take their toll on our emotions, in time they can manifest physically as well. Stress can cause headaches, muscle soreness, tiredness and a raised heart rate. Identifying the source of your worries is the first step to easing them. Some common stressors to watch out for this winter include:
- Work-related stress: Working long hours, feeling unfulfilled or having disagreements with colleagues can make work a constant worry.
- Relationship issues: Such as divorce, childcare problems or an abusive relationship.
- Health and chronic illness: You may be managing pain in your day-to-day life, caring for a poorly relative or recovering from a chronic or long-term illness.
- Financial stress: Such as dealing with poverty, living on a reduced wage, struggling to manage debt or overspending at Christmas.
Bringing your whole self to work
Regardless of its source, stress impacts both our work and personal lives, so don’t feel pressured to leave your troubles at the office door. Problems at home will make it difficult to concentrate at work. Equally, a stressful project might be on your mind all weekend, despite your best efforts to relax. While you may try to compartmentalise your emotions, it’s natural to be distracted by poor mental health. Try to prioritise your work-life balance and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support.
Your workplace might have Mental Health First Aiders who are trained to offer a listening ear, or you might feel more comfortable reaching out to a friend or colleague.
Speak to your employer
If you’re feeling stressed out, whether at work or home, it’s important to let your manager know. Often we fear that we may become a burden, or that we must fix problems for ourselves. Sometimes our own expectations can add further stress and lead us to suffer in silence.
According to research released in March 2026 by MFA England, 35% of employees feel unable to ask for help at work, and a further 49% feel unable to express their needs to their employer.
These statistics demonstrate an urgent need to change, starting from within the company culture to support workplace stress. While an employee’s direct manager may be unable to offer a quick fix, they can likely make a few adjustments to give you some breathing room. If you’re struggling to start the conversation, try these tips to help you prepare:
Decide who to speak to
Your line manager or HR team will be best placed to support you, but if this seems daunting, try having a chat with a colleague first.
Choose a time that works for you
Make sure you’ve got plenty of time to chat, but it doesn’t have to be a formal meeting. A regular 1:1 might provide an opportunity to get things off your chest.
Share what you’re comfortable with
Share as much or as little as you think is helpful. You might decide to plan what you want to say, but remember there’s no pressure to go into detail.
Ask what help is available
Your manager should have plenty of suggestions. Perhaps you can adjust your working pattern, take some time off or speak to a health professional.
Quick stress busters
When it all becomes a bit much, try a simple mindfulness technique to provide some immediate stress relief. The countdown technique can help you ground yourself in the moment and give your brain a break. You can do it wherever you are, just in your head.
- Notice FIVE things around you.
- Find FOUR things you can acknowledge.
- THREE things you notice.
- TWO things you can acknowledge.
- ONE thing you can see, touch, hear, smell and taste.
Taking just ten minutes to focus on the present moment can help you to refocus and relax. If you want to learn more, try guided meditation using a free app – we especially like Headspace for beginners.
Remember that if you find yourself feeling chronically stressed, have physical symptoms that won’t go away or have started using drugs or alcohol, it’s important to speak to a medical professional for further advice.