Work-related stress is a significant issue for millions of professionals. Research from the management system experts at Moodle found that 66% of American employees are experiencing a form of burnout in 2025.

Stress is sometimes considered a good thing, and medical professionals even note that acute stress can help to sharpen focus and compel some people to reach their full potential. However, the Mayo Clinic reports that chronic stress has been linked to a host of serious health problems, including anxiety, depression, digestive issues, and heart disease.

The American Institute of Stress notes that work is a major stressor for professionals. Embracing strategies to manage work-related stress can help professionals reduce their risk for some serious health conditions.

The American Psychological Association (APA) advises professionals to monitor their stressors by maintaining a journal for a week or two in which they document situations that trigger stress. When documenting stressors, people should also jot down their responses and feelings, as well as details about the environment when stress kicked in, such as the people around them. Keeping a journal can help to identify the sources of stress and determine if there are any patterns that trigger it.

People are advised to embrace healthy responses to stress. The APA notes that exercise, yoga, or any other form of physical activity is generally helpful and a healthy response to stress. Too often individuals lean into unhealthy responses, such as drinking alcohol or eating unhealthy foods after a stressful workday. But the Cleveland Clinic notes that relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism for stress only exacerbates the feelings of depression and anxiety that stress can trigger.

Stress may be reduced by establishing boundaries between one's professional and personal life. The APA notes that the digital era has led many professionals to feel pressured to be available around the clock, but work-life boundaries can be vital to combatting career-related stress. Turning off notifications from work email accounts at the end of the workday can help to establish a boundary. In addition, people should resist any temptation to check emails before going to bed, as doing so might trigger stress that makes it hard to fall asleep.

Using personal or vacation time can be helpful as well. The 2024 Sorbet PTO (Paid Time Off) Report found that 62% of professionals did not use all of their PTO in 2023, which marked a 5% increase in unused PTO from the year prior. The APA notes that time off is linked to reduced stress as well as lower rates of heart disease, depression, and anxiety. In addition, professionals may or may not be surprised to learn that time off has been linked to improved productivity.

Work is a significant source of stress for millions of professionals. Embracing healthy ways to combat work-related stress can benefit both a person's personal and professional life.