Stress is a natural part of working life, especially as you climb higher in your career. With more responsibility comes more pressure, and stress often signals just how much you care about what you do. But when left unchecked, it can seriously impact your health, energy and effectiveness.

Here’s the good news: while stress might be inevitable, it’s absolutely manageable. In fact, a little pressure can even fuel performance and innovation – if you know how to handle it well. The key is learning to spot stress early and develop the tools to manage it before it manages you.

Over the years, we’ve supported leaders across industries, and one thing is clear: stress doesn’t discriminate. But resilient leaders share one trait – they don’t ignore it! They learn how to deal with pressure in the moment and build habits to keep it under control long-term.

Real Clients, Real Change: How Coaching Helped

Here are two examples of how coaching helped transform the stress of two leaders (names have been changed for privacy):

David: The Overcommitted CEO

David was leading a high-growth company and feeling completely overwhelmed. His calendar was jammed, he barely slept, and the weight of constant decisions left him drained. He described the experience as “being pulled in ten directions while standing still.”

Through coaching, David realised he was overcommitting and undervaluing his own needs. We helped him start delegating more effectively, create non-negotiable daily breaks and begin his mornings with a phone-free walk. Just weeks later, David reported clearer thinking, better sleep and more energy. The stress didn’t disappear, but it no longer controlled him – he had tools to respond, not react.

Priya: The Perfectionist Director

Priya, a Marketing Director at a global firm, took pride in her high standards, but it was costing her. She worked late, triple-checked every detail and felt unable to switch off. Burnout was looming.

In coaching, we unpacked the beliefs behind her perfectionism – chiefly, a fear of not being seen as “good enough.” She started to set boundaries: no emails after 7pm and one intentionally “imperfect” project per month. Slowly, she reclaimed her balance and discovered that her team could thrive without her micromanaging.

 

 

5 Practical Ways to Start Managing Your Stress at Work

Whether you’re feeling stretched like David or stuck in perfectionism like Priya, here are five simple, powerful ways to reduce work stress starting today:

1. Guard Your Calendar
   Don’t just book meetings – schedule thinking time, breaks, and space for reflection. Your calendar should reflect your priorities, and that includes time to breathe.
2. Start Your Day With Intention
   Before diving into emails, take a moment. A few deep breaths or five minutes of quiet can ground your nervous system and set a calm tone for the day ahead.
3. Set and Share Your Boundaries
   You train others how to treat you. Let your team know when you’re available and when you’re not. Ignoring that 10pm message models healthy limits for everyone.
4. Move Your Body
   Physical movement is one of the fastest ways to reset your stress response. Take a brisk walk, stretch between meetings, or just stand up and breathe, it makes a difference.
5. Tame Your Inner Critic
   Notice your self-talk. Would you speak to a colleague the way you talk to yourself? If not, rewrite the narrative. Over time, positive self-talk becomes second nature.

Make Stress Work for You

Managing stress isn’t about eliminating pressure – it’s about strengthening your response to it. Leadership will always involve demands. But it doesn’t have to cost your wellbeing.

Small, consistent shifts lead to big changes. Sometimes it really is as simple as taking a breath before the next meeting.

Ready to take control of your stress? Haus of Coaching specialise in tailored strategies that match your unique role, mindset and challenges. Get in touch today – we’re here to help you lead with resilience.