Work stress can make a busy week feel like a series of demands you cannot get ahead of. A useful planning conversation starts with the demands themselves: what is being asked of you, what time is available, and who can help change the situation?
This guide offers a simple worksheet for discussing workload and choosing one realistic change. It does not diagnose stress or promise that personal habits can solve an unhealthy workplace.
Separate the workload from your response
Draw two columns. In the first, record concrete pressures: conflicting deadlines, unclear instructions, interruptions or an unfilled role. In the second, record your usual response: checking messages late, skipping a break or agreeing before you have considered your capacity.
This distinction matters because not every pressure is yours to fix. An unrealistic deadline may require a conversation with a manager. A repeated habit of agreeing immediately might be something you can explore with a coach. Both can belong in the same plan.
Write a priority question before the next request
Prepare a sentence you can use when another task arrives: “I am working on A and B. If C is now urgent, which task should move?” This turns an unclear expectation into a decision that someone can answer.
Record the answer and confirm the next deadline. If the response is still unclear, ask for a short planning conversation. Avoid treating every request as equally urgent simply because it arrived recently.
Choose a manageable experiment
- Pick one situation. For example, requests that arrive in the final hour of your day.
- Choose one response. Ask about priority before agreeing.
- Set a review point. After a week, note what happened and what needs a different approach.
You can combine this with an after-work wind-down routine, but a routine should not become a substitute for addressing excessive demands.
Know when to seek more support
The NHS work-related stress guide describes changes in feelings, thoughts and behaviour that can accompany work stress. If stress is affecting your daily life or mental health, seek advice from a healthcare professional. Workplace support may also include a manager, occupational health service or employee representative.
Use coaching for reflection and follow-through
A coaching discussion can focus on the decisions within your control: how you describe a boundary, prepare a conversation or review an experiment. Read how Zoltecs coaching works and about Linnéa before deciding whether that support fits your needs.
For a related exercise, explore setting boundaries at work. You can ask a question or compare session packages when you want to discuss a coaching arrangement.