How to manage stress at work
Category: For Employees
Publication: 2026-08-26
How to manage stress at work
What matters
- Stress comes back after vacation because of your cortisol levels. It's normal, not a weakness
- The real problems: not knowing what's next, losing control, too many interruptions, no time to rest
- 5 simple solutions that work together, not alone: With Wellpass, you get 6 free apps (breathing, fitness, yoga, running, outdoor, food) included in your plan
- Most people see changes in 2-3 weeks
Why stress always comes back after vacation
Your inbox has 247 emails, priority meetings pile up, work from before the break is waiting. After 48 hours, you feel the same stress as before. Like your vacation never happened.
And there's a biological reason to that. During vacation, your cortisol (stress hormone) goes down. Your nervous system relaxes. You sleep better. And you don't need me to tell you that sleep is everything.
But your brain has a short memory. As soon as you get back to stress (office, emails, deadlines), cortisol goes up again. The first two weeks are always the hardest.
But you don't have to come back to the same stress level. You can create habits so stress doesn't climb as fast and you recover better. Let's break this cycle together.
What really causes stress at work
Many people think it's too much work. Partly true. But the real problems are different.
Problem | Why it stresses you |
|---|---|
You can't predict what happens | You don't know what emails are coming. You don't know if plans will change. Uncertainty causes stress. |
You have no control | When you can choose how to do your work, stress is lower. When everything is decided for you, stress rises. |
Too many interruptions | Slack every 5 minutes. Sudden meetings. Urgent calls. Your brain can't rest. It's tiring. |
No time to recover | No breaks. You eat while working. You check emails at night. Your nervous system never comes down. |
Result: quiet burnout. You might not feel overwhelmed (you "manage"), but tiredness builds silently.
5 simple solutions for stress
1. Take back control: block out time every day
2. Create a morning routine before work
3. Get proper sleep: that’s when everything recovers
4. Move regularly
5. Conscious breathing: 5 minutes really makes a difference
Solution | How to do it | Why it works | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
Block 90 minutes | Morning with no meetings or emails | Natural brain rhythm (called ultradian rhythm) | -30% stress in 2 weeks |
Morning routine | 15-30 min calm before work (walk, yoga, breathing) | Cortisol goes down before chaos starts | First 3 hours of work feel better |
Good sleep | Same time each night + cold room (16-18°C) + no screens after 9 PM | This is where your body recovers | -40% stress overall if you sleep 7-8 hours |
Movement | 30 min 3-4 times a week (gym, walk, yoga, dance) | Releases trapped stress energy from your body | Better sleep, clearer thinking |
Breathing | 5 min 4-7-8 breathing at night (or at work) | Calms your nervous system fast | You feel the change right away |
The key point: These 5 work together. Just one? It's a band-aid. All five? That's when things really change.
Build a stress system, not just one fix
The trap is looking for one answer: meditation, fitness, sleep or breath work. But it's not one or the other.
Stress affects your whole body. If you don't sleep well, exercise doesn't help enough. If you don't move, breathing is just a band-aid. If you don't breathe right, sleep stays broken.
But do all of them and your nervous system comes back to normal in 2-3 weeks.
Wellpass gives you exactly this: movement and free apps in your plan to build this system.
Petit Bambou: Breathing & relaxation
Even if you've never done this before, the app guides you into a calm state. The sessions are recorded by psychologists and meditation experts (no AI, real human voices). You get access to programs for work stress, anxiety, sleep, and even heart coherence.
Only 5 minutes really does calm your nervous system. Perfect after a stressful meeting or before sleep.
It's free with Wellpass and often the thing that actually changes your mood everyday.
RunMotion: Running training
RunMotion creates a smart training plan that adapts to your level. Whether you're a beginner or experienced runner, your progression is structured so you advance without getting hurt (which runners usually forget).
Running regularly is one of the best ways to lose stress, and your sleep improves dramatically too. Every session you finish brings you closer to better stress management and better health.
Lifesum : Food tracking
You can take a photo of your plate, scan a barcode, or type what you ate. The app adapts to your personal goals (weight loss, muscle, balance) and creates custom meal plans. It also shows you your Life Score every week, which evaluates your overall health based on what you eat, your hydration, and your activity.
Why does it matter? Because food directly changes your stress. Sugar spikes equal cortisol goes up. Lifesum helps you see these patterns and eat more stable, which also stabilizes your stress.
Gotta Yoga: Yoga and stretching
Gotta Yoga is yoga for everyone, you don't need to be super flexible. It combines movement and breathing at the same time. So you work on both together.
The sessions also have relaxing music to help your nervous system come down. Great at night to sleep better, or in the morning before your day starts.
The movement and breathing combination is what really changes your mood fast.
FizzUp: Home training
FizzUp is a personal coach with over 200 workout programs of 20-30 minutes. The programs include cardio, strength, abs, yoga, and even meditation. You can follow a 6-week progression or create your own routines.
Every exercise is on video, so you know exactly how to do it. FizzUp also adapts to your goals (weight loss, muscle, balance).
People who do 30 min regularly with FizzUp see measurable results in 6 weeks. It changes everything in your daily routine and your sleep.
FAQ — How to manage stress at work
Discover the EGYM Wellpass offer
Wellpass supports companies focused on improving employee well-being by providing access to more than 8,000 sports and wellness partners through a single, flexible, commitment-free membership.
