Women and workplace stress

Balancing a career with everything else expected of you can leave you feeling stretched thin. You are allowed to take your stress seriously.

What it is

Women at work often navigate pressures that go beyond the job itself - being spoken over in meetings, carrying a heavier share of "office housework" like organising events or taking notes, facing bias around promotions, or managing safety concerns that colleagues may not think about. Add household and caregiving responsibilities on top of a full workday, and it is easy to end up running on empty.

This kind of stress is not a sign that you are not coping well. It reflects real, cumulative pressures that build up over time, often without much acknowledgement.

Signs to notice

• Feeling exhausted even after a full night's sleep
• Dreading meetings or feeling invisible in them
• Constant low-level irritability or tearfulness
• Difficulty switching off from work thoughts, even at home
• Physical symptoms like headaches, tension or stomach upset linked to work stress
• A sense of having to work twice as hard to be seen as equally capable

What helps

• Name the specific stressors. "Work stress" is vague - identifying whether it's workload, being overlooked, or unclear boundaries helps you address the real issue.
• Protect small pockets of recovery time during the day, even five or ten minutes, rather than waiting for the weekend.
• Practise saying no, or "not right now", to requests that aren't yours to carry, including informal "office housework".
• Build a support network at work, even one trusted colleague, to reality-check situations and share the load of navigating tricky dynamics.
• Separate work and home as much as possible - a clear end-of-day ritual, like changing clothes or a short walk, can help your mind switch off.
• Speak up about unfair patterns where you feel able to, or use your EAP to think through how to raise it safely.
• Track your wins and contributions yourself, in writing, rather than relying only on others to notice - this can help counter self-doubt and support you if you need to make a case for recognition or promotion.
• Take your full lunch break and leave days where you can. Constant availability is not the same as good performance.

When to reach out for help

Reach out if stress is affecting your sleep, appetite or mood most days, if you dread going to work, or if you are experiencing harassment or discrimination. These are not things to simply push through alone, and they are not a normal cost of having a career.

Getting help in South Africa

Cleared Mind's EAP counsellors offer confidential support for workplace stress, including help thinking through difficult workplace dynamics. SADAG's Mental Health Line (011 234 4837) is also available if stress is affecting your daily functioning.