7 ways to reduce stress at work-using the science of behavioral therapy

"At its best, work can be energizing, creative, and meaningful. It can also be emotionally exhausting and stressful. Even in healthy organizations, we all deal with interpersonal tension, stinging feedback, impossible deadlines, and the constant pressure to perform. Add in the rapid pace of change and a steady diet of uncertainty, and it's no wonder many of us feel perpetually on edge."

"Stress isn't just a sign that something's wrong-it's a signal that something matters. Emotions like frustration, anxiety, and excitement all contain useful data about what's important to us, what we value, and what we need. Yet in most workplaces, we're trained to treat emotions as distractions from rational thought rather than as essential information that guides it. When we ignore or misread that emotional data, we lose access to one of our most valuable internal resources."

"Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), originally developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan to help individuals struggling with chronic emotion dysregulation, offers a powerful framework for understanding and responding to emotions effectively. DBT isn't about suppressing or indulging emotions-it's about interpreting them accurately and acting wisely in response. The same skills that help people navigate crises and build healthier relationships can help you stay centered in a difficult meeting, receive feedback without spiraling, and recover from professional setbacks with greater resilience."

Work can be energizing, creative, and meaningful, but it can also be emotionally exhausting, stressful, and filled with interpersonal tension, stinging feedback, impossible deadlines, and constant pressure to perform. Stress signals that something matters, and emotions such as frustration, anxiety, and excitement contain data about priorities, values, and needs. Treating emotions as distractions diminishes access to this internal information. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) provides a practical framework to interpret emotions accurately and to act wisely rather than suppress or indulge them. DBT skills support avoiding reactive behaviors, staying centered in tense moments, receiving feedback without spiraling, and recovering from setbacks with greater resilience. Applying these principles helps manage stress and intensity at work.

Read at Fast Company