Unfortunately, stress is a common challenge in higher education. As a mentor, coach, and colleague involved in both institutional and professional associations, I am often approached by colleagues seeking support. I feel truly privileged by the trust they place in me when they open up about their emotions and challenges. While each person’s experience is unique, I generally find that identifying the sources of stress is an essential first step. By helping colleagues understand what’s contributing to their stress, we can work together to address it constructively. Listening with empathy and, when appropriate, connecting them with resources, such as counselling services or mentoring networks can make a genuine difference in their well-being.

1) listen with the intention of understanding rather than fixing 2) check if they're up to date on their annual leave allocation. If they have a lot of leave left to take it can be an indicator of separation anxiety as a root cause. 3) ask how they want to be supported. When asked most people know what they need to do. 4) Be aware of the wider context. We all need a little stress sometimes so talking it through may be enough. Or they may need help prioritising or preparing for a conversation with their manager and or team to redistribute workload. Most often in my experience, work related stress in HE is because of unreasonable demands made of people. The more we can do to help people navigate what is reasonable the better.

I listen carefully to identify the cause of his/her stress. To alleviate burden, I assist with specific tasks, help prioritize his/her workload, and discuss time-saving and stress-reducing techniques.