Get outside, switch off your phone and set boundaries

Never being able to switch off from technology used to cause me stress at work. People assume that, because you have a work iPhone and colleagues all over the world, you’re happy to respond to any minor request at the most ungodly of hours.

My advice for de-stressing is to get outside, switch off your phone and set boundaries. Don’t start your day by looking straight at your phone. Make a concerted effort not to respond to non-urgent queries outside of office hours. Take a lunch break and do something other than work or surf the internet. Learning to breathe properly is a small change that has remarkable effects in helping to cope with stressful periods.

Also, realise that working extremely hard and not taking care of your health is neither sensible nor advisable. Chasing every little work dream in search of the next pay rise or fancier job title means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Being successful is not a bad thing, but striving for impossible perfection is a dangerous game to play. I learned this the hard way. Lindsay Orridge, ex- PR director

Guided relaxation audios are brilliant

I work in theatre, and there are always creatives with big personalities which can clash. Sometimes you are caught in the crossfire. As someone living with an anxiety disorder, I feel it is important to practice self care, even when I feel fine, to be ready for the unexpected stresses of life.

Guided relaxation audios are brilliant when commuting or trying to sleep, especially those with muscular relaxation techniques. I try to keep eating well during hectic periods. A cup of tea can be a respite, but I try to avoid over-caffeinating.

As a freelance worker, I currently have no access to sick pay. So I have to choose contracts wisely so that I don’t end up underpaid and overworked. Emma, theatre technician

I have a strict rule: no email after 6pm

Working in academia, the most stressful aspects of my job include: unnecessary bureaucracy; very tight deadlines and not getting enough thinking and research time. There is also an expectation that you are always and immediately available by email, which is so disruptive for coherent thought.

To relax I walk away. I walk into a wood or on a beach and breathe the fresh clean air and notice the small things and the big things around me. I have a strict rule: no email after 6pm. I do things I want to do, not the things I need to do. I also talk to my family. Anonymous, lecturer

My new job made me realise work isn’t meant to be so stressful

I have started a blog, almost like a journal, which helps me de-stress after work. It gets my thoughts out of my head so my brain can switch off. Also I find having a good stretch helps. I have tension in my back, which always flares up if I am stressed so it’s important for me to keep on top of that.

Having experienced an extremely stressful role, I think it takes a lot to realise that work just isn’t supposed to be like that. I didn’t realise it until I went into a new role, but I have really turned my life around for the better. I am more thankful and positive every day, which sounds cheesy, but I really am. And now rather than annoying my family and friends with my stress I am inflicting smiles and happiness on them. Laura, senior marketing executive

Once the baton is lifted, everything else disappears

The main causes of stress in my role are: government goalposts shifting; a high workload; centralised micromanagement of the assessment system and the pressure it brings on to my staff; managing absent staff and an overwhelming number of daily emails.

Listening to music and playing in a brass band help me relax. Once the baton is lifted everything else disappears out of necessity. I am not in charge – the conductor is, which is bliss. Emma, school headteacher

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