Work-related stress: How to recognize it, What causes it, and simple ways to cope with

In today’s fast-paced world, we all face pressure at work, no matter your age, experience, or job title. As responsibilities grow and expectations rise, many people begin to feel overwhelmed. While some pressure can help us stay motivated, too much can lead to stress, something that affects not just our performance at work but also our health, our relationships, and our overall quality of life.

Why it matters in Vietnam

Vietnam’s economy is growing rapidly, and with that growth comes increasing pressure across industries. Studies show that the rate of job-related stress in Vietnam ranges from 6.5% to 90.4% in different occupations, including health workers, factory workers, students, and academic staff. Stress at work is not a personal weakness, it is a health issue that affects many people.

At Survival Skills Vietnam-SSVN, we understand that job-related stress is not just an individual burden, it’s a growing public health issue. Therefore, we have First Aid for Mental Health workshops to help employees, their family, friends and managers recognize signs of stress and respond with practical support.

What is workplace stress?

Workplace stress happens when the demands of your job are more than what you can manage, especially if your tasks feel beyond your abilities, or you don’t have the time, tools, or support to do them well. Or work related skills such as time management, project management, etc.

Other additional causes can be issues with

• Your physical or/and mental health
  
• Livestyle
  
• Toxic relationships in personal or/and professional aspects
  
• Financial related issues, etc.
  

While a little bit of pressure can help you focus and stay motivated, long-term stress can lead to serious problems:

• Mentally: anxiety, depression, or emotional exhaustion, sleeplessness;
  
• Physically: higher-than-normal risk for damage to your cardiovascular system, nervous system, and immune function.
  

In Vietnamese workplaces, people may hesitate to speak up about being overwhelmed, fearing they will be judged or seen as lazy or weak. But hiding your stress doesn’t make it go away, and over time, it can affect both your work and your personal life. Taking care of yourself not only benefits you, but also the people around you.

Common signs of workplace stress

If you’re experiencing stress in the workplace, you may notice changes in the way you work or interact with others. Everyone experiences stress differently, but here are some typical signs:

Emotional changes:

• Feeling withdrawn or unmotivated;
  
• Losing confidence in your abilities;
  
• Getting upset or irritated more easily;
  
• Feeling helpless or constantly overwhelmed.
  

Thought patterns:

• Making assumptions without considering the facts;
  
• Focusing only on problems or mistakes;
  
• Blaming yourself for things out of your control;
  
• Overthinking or making small issues feel bigger than they really are;
  

Behavioral changes:

• Avoiding work or people;
  
• Working overtime without taking breaks;
  
• Having trouble concentrating;
  
• Taking work home or working during the holidays.
  

Physical changes:

• Headaches;
  
• Digestive issues;
  
• Trouble sleeping;
  
• Body tension or fatigue, etc.
  

Long-Term effects of chronic stress: Prolonged stress can lead to serious health issues, such as:

• Cardiovascular disease;
  
• Musculoskeletal disorders (body aches, fatigue);
  
• Depression or anxiety disorders;
  
• Increased risk of workplace injury.
  

What causes stress at work?

• Too much to do in too little time;
  
• Low salary or job security;
  
• Lack of career development opportunities;
  
• Feeling bored or unchallenged;
  
• Poor communication or little support from coworkers or supervisors;
  
• Unclear job roles or expectations;
  
• Being asked to do tasks outside your expertise;
  
• Not have enough control over job-related decisions;
  
• Toxic work environment: bullying, favoritism, or unfair treatment;
• Fear of failure or putting too much pressure on yourself.
  

How to manage stress: 5 practical tools

1. Identify your stress triggers

Keeping a journal in a CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) format can help you observe and regulate your emotional responses.

Here’s a simple CBT journaling structure you can try:

• What happened? (Objective event)
  
• What did I think? (Initial thoughts and alternative thoughts)
  
• What did I feel? (Reality and emotion if you change perspective)
  
• What did I do? (Initial reaction and behavior may be different if thinking differently)
  

→ Journaling for just 5–10 minutes a week can effectively improve cognition and emotions.

2. Develop healthy habits

• Gentle exercise (walking, yoga, stretching);
  
• Take short breaks during your workday. Even 5–10 minutes away from your screen or desk between every hour of work can refresh your focus.
  
• Get enough sleep: Avoid caffeine 6 hours before bed, reduce screen time at night, and keep a relaxing bedtime routine.
  

Make time for hobbies and hanging out with family and friends. It’s important to have things outside of work that bring you joy.

3. Set clear boundaries

• Not checking work email after work hours;
  
• Turn off your phone during dinner or designated rest time;
  
• Use a calendar to block out “focus” time and break time;
  
• Practicing saying “no” if taking on an additional task would lower the quality of your work.
  

If someone at work makes a request that feels unreasonable to add to your workload:

• Ask questions to understand why they are making the request or suggestion so you can problem solve together.
  
• Offer alternatives if you are not able to complete the task.
  
• Reflect before saying yes or no—weight the benefits and the negatives of completing their request.
  

Let them know when you’ll follow up with a decision on whether or not you can complete the task.

4. Use grounding techniques in the moment

Box breathing:

• Close your eyes and inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds. Feel the air enter into your lungs and your belly expand;
  
• Hold your breath for 4 seconds;
  
• Slowly exhale for 4 second;
  
• Wait 4 seconds, then repeat steps 1 to 3 for at least three to five rounds.
  

→ This type of breathing helps to bring your heart rate back to normal, so you can feel more calm. Deep breathing can also be used to prepare for situations where you might feel panicked, anxious or nervous, like an important meeting or interview.

5. Talk to someone you trust

Employee health has been linked to productivity at work, so your boss should be motivated to create a work environment that supports employee well-being. Start by having a conversation with your supervisor to come up with an effective plan for managing the stressors you’ve identified. The purpose of this conversation isn’t to list out complaints, it’s to make adjustments so that you can do your best work and better support your team.

If you’re not comfortable speaking to your supervisor right away or have already tried and it didn’t help, know that coworker support can also play an important role. Research shows that having supportive coworkers can improve motivation, create a greater sense of comfort, and enhance work quality (Le et al., 2024). Colleagues can also offer emotional or professional advice and help you feel less alone in managing stress.

The key is: you don’t have to do it all on your own. The people around you may not have all the answers, but they can help you carry the weight. A meal or a short conversation can also help you feel better.

When should you get more help?

You should see a psychologist if:

• Lasts for several weeks;
  
• Interferes with your daily life or sleep;
  
• Feels too overwhelming to handle alone.
  

In Vietnam, there can be pressure to suppress emotions. This silence often leads to burnout, low job satisfaction, and missed opportunities for support.

At Survival Skills Vietnam, we have First Aid for Mental Health workshops to provide individuals and organizations with tools to address mental health early before it becomes a crisis. We also develop a national directory of trusted mental health professionals to help people access care confidently and safely.

Taking care of your mind is just like taking care of your body. There’s no shame in asking for help.