Five questions to help manage stress

Feeling stressed? Start with these five questions

If that’s where you’re at, know this: you’re not alone, and there are ways through it. Here are five questions we ask when people call the Advice Line to help people check in with themselves and start to ease the pressure. Try them for yourself:

1. What do you need most right now — from work, from your people, from your GP?

Your workplace can only support you if they know what’s happening. Could it help to speak with your manager or HR? Maybe it’s about asking for some flexibility: working from home, shifting your hours, or changing up projects for a while.

With friends and family, think about what you truly need. Is it their support wrapped around you — or could you do with some space to breathe and reflect?

And don’t forget your GP. A chat with them could open up options: time off, therapies, or other treatments that might help.

2. How can you take care of yourself today?

Go back to basics. What helps you reset? A walk, a workout, a quiet moment with a book, or a phone call with someone who lifts you up? Cooking, journaling, fresh air — whatever grounds you, lean into that. When you’re looking after yourself, the rest often feels a little more doable.

3. What feels manageable right now?

Forget the past for a second — this is about today. If your energy only stretches to stepping outside for some air, that’s okay. It’s more than okay. Focus on what’s realistic right now, not what you used to juggle.

4. When have you got through tough times before?

Think back. Maybe you’ve handled job changes, money worries, or a heavy workload in the past. What helped you then? Could those same tools — or even just that reminder of your resilience — help you now?

5. How could you get back a little control?

Stress often spikes when things feel out of our hands. Could finding out more about your options help you feel more in charge? That might mean gathering information, making a plan — or reaching out to someone impartial.

That’s where we come in. NABS is here for everyone in the industry — whether you’re trying to steady yourself, bounce back from a tough patch, or just keep thriving.

These five questions might give you a new way to look at things. And if a confidential chat would help, give us a call. Sometimes, talking it through with someone outside your situation makes all the difference.