When you are dealing with change, it’s easy to let your wellbeing take a backseat and allow stress to take control of your working day. The first step in being able to dealing with change-related stress is by listening to and meeting your own needs.
There are lots of small, daily things you can do to give you the best chance of changing your life or coping with constant change.
Take control of your time
In 2026, approximately 37% to 44% of UK workers are working from home in some capacity. And while remote and hybrid working offers many benefits, it can lead to isolation when dealing with change in the workplace, making it harder for individuals to navigate changes.
Everyday, it can also be easy for the days to blend into one. By planning out your day and making sure you include activities to support your wellbeing, you’ll feel more in control. This takes a proactive approach to boosting your mental and physical health.
Stay active
There are two parts to staying active: getting enough exercise and avoiding too much sedentary time. The NHS recommends that adults get 150 minutes of exercise a week – that’s about 20-30 minutes a day. When dealing with change-related stress, movement is a great way to get out of a stressful moment of change. Try short but frequent movement breaks from work or watching TV to allow your mind to navigate changes work, reset and refocus.
Be conscious of negative thought patterns
There’s a lot of scary news out there at the moment. Surrounded by these stories and with additional stresses like worrying about friends and family or juggling working from home with childcare, it’s easy to get stuck in negative thought patterns. There are lots of different types of negative thought patterns.
Stay in touch with your support network
We’re social creatures so being isolated from others is really difficult. Take the opportunity to try out new ways of staying in touch, like having dinner together via video call or a virtual games night. Having that support from friends and family is essential for our mental health.
Avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms
Dealing with change-related stress can often trigger periods of low moods. At these times, it’s easy to turn to supposed ‘quick fixes’ like alcohol or smoking. Whilst these things might help us feel better for a moment, they can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health – remember, alcohol is a depressant. Make sure your routine includes positive ways to boost your mental health so that you don’t feel tempted by quick fixes.
Get the basics right
When we’re overtired, it can be even harder to deal with stressful situations. Try keeping the time you wake up and go to bed consistent to make sure you’re getting enough rest. Being dehydrated can affect everything from mood to memory. So, if you’re struggling to drink eight glasses of water a day, try keeping a water chart or downloading an app to prompt you when you need to drink.
Practise mindfulness
Mindfulness is a powerful tool for coping with ongoing change in life. Mindfulness means taking notice of your thoughts and feelings and what’s going on in the world around you to help you stay in the present. By focusing on the present moment, you’re less likely to feel anxious or stressed. Professor Mark Williams, previously the director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, describes mindfulness as “allowing ourselves to see the present moment clearly. When we do that, it can positively change the way we see ourselves and our lives.”
If you are looking for a way to get started building mindfulness into your new routine through change, the Westfield Health team have created a series of resources and guides to everyday mindfulness. Try adding this 10 minute meditation into your working day to reset and refocus.
Talk to others about how you’re feeling
When we try to keep worries to ourselves they can go round and round in our heads, increasing our stress levels. Share how you feel about change; talking it through can help you to come to realisations yourself.