Leading under pressure  Stress Awareness Month

Stress can manifest itself in many different ways and isn’t defined by how we’re feeling or what we’re thinking. It’s actually defined by the NHS as ‘the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure.’

For some people, these reactions may be things like fatigue, mood swings or irritability, all of which are common symptoms of stress. Others may have no visible reaction at all to difficult situations. That doesn’t mean they don’t feel stress – it just means they react differently to it.

Leadership can be highly rewarding, but recognising when pressure becomes too much, and learning to respond effectively, is a critical skill.

But before getting to management strategies, it’s worth firstly looking at the factors that can cause stress. Doing so will help you tackle the root cause of the issue and leave you better equipped to tackle it.

Common factors that can cause stress for directors

Delivering results

As a director, you’re ultimately responsible for the success of your company. And the targets never end. Being under pressure to meet them week after week, quarter after quarter, and year after year is always going to cause stress and anxiety, even for the most experienced directors.

Economic uncertainty

If results begin to fall below expectations, it’s likely to be reflected in your company’s overall performance. And any financial challenges your company faces won’t just create stress for you – it can create stress and uncertainty for your staff, too. Remaining calm and reacting positively in times like these will benefit your entire company.

Looking after your staff

They say a happy workforce is a productive workforce, but that’s easier said than done. Making sure your staff are happy in their roles, working productively and not scared to flag any issues is a tough balancing act. Finding that balance is one of your main responsibilities, so it’s only natural that it could lead to stress.

Domestic and global conflicts

Sometimes, factors outside of your control can lead to stress. Conflicts and wars seem to be an increasingly regular fixture in the news cycle, and that kind of global uncertainty can lead to existential worries, financial downturns and distress amongst staff.

Poor work/life balance

If any problems arise at work, the instinct is often to work harder and longer to fix them – but that isn’t always the most effective approach. Overworking can soon lead to burnout and exhaustion, creating extra stress. Finding a balance between having a settled personal life and running a successful business is difficult, but possible.

Identifying the signs of stress early

Stress doesn’t always manifest itself as a flash of anger or erratic behaviour. In fact, most of the time the signs of stress appear in far more subtle ways. For instance:

• Perhaps you still feel tired even after sleeping for eight (or more) hours a night. You might feel fatigued throughout the day and unmotivated to accomplish certain tasks. This isn’t just normal tiredness from running a business. It’s a sign of mental burnout and exhaustion.
• You might also be struggling with sleep, either unable to fall asleep or waking up throughout the night. This also has the knock-on effect of reduced energy levels the next day.
• Perhaps you’ve noticed increased mood swings throughout the day. You might feel ultra-motivated at 9am and angry with the world by 11am.
• But maybe the most obvious sign of stress is displaying unusual behaviour outside of your normal or expected actions. You might be doing and saying things that you would never say normally. Maybe you’ve been struggling to make it to the office by 9am, when it wouldn’t have been an issue before. People exhibiting early signs of stress may also be eating and drinking more or less than usual.

It’s important you pick up on any of these changes in behaviour as early as possible. Ignoring them or hoping they go away isn’t a way to deal with them.

Tips for managing stress effectively

If you suspect you’re experiencing stress, your first action should be to identify the root cause. For instance, you might be overworking to try and meet company objectives. This could quickly lead to burnout and exhaustion, and is only likely to make the original issue worse.

Once you have a better idea of what could be causing your stress, it’s time to make a plan to deal with it. Here are a few ideas.

Talk to someone about it

One of the best ways of dealing with stress is to talk about it with your support network. They don’t necessarily have to be mental health experts – simply having a channel to talk about these things can have numerous benefits on your mental wellbeing and resilience to stress.

Create an open dialogue about mental health at your organisation

There’s no reason why your support network shouldn’t extend to the workplace and ideally there should be initiatives in place to encourage employees to discuss their own challenges with stress – and you should be part of that. After all, if you’re not willing to speak about it, why should your employees be?

Manage your time and delegate effectively

A truly effective leader can motivate other people in the organisation to do what’s necessary to succeed. In other words: delegate tasks and motivate staff rather than attempting to do it all yourself. For example, consider getting help with your schedule, possibly through a personal assistant or secretary. It’ll take some time out of your week and potentially give you extra hours to de-stress.

Seek professional help

These tips and coping strategies can only go so far. Sometimes, you need professional help to come up with solutions that address your specific causes of stress. If you find stress to be a constant presence in your life, it may be time to take out personal private health insurance, which can give you access to professional mental health support whenever you need it.

*As of March 2026, this comparison to other products in the market is based on Bupa’s and Defaqto’s interpretation of the differences between the Bupa’s Bupa By You health insurance and other health insurance products offering mental health cover. The comparison excludes any special offers or promotions which may temporarily alter the cover offered. Cover comparison information is for personal use and guidance only and does not constitute any contractual representation, warranty or obligation by either Bupa or Defaqto about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability of the comparison. Neither party accepts any liability for errors, omissions, direct or consequential loss in relation to this comparison. See PDF How we compare: Individuals (PDF 1.0MB).

**Applies to eligible Institute of Directors members on quotes for new Bupa By You policies, and is not available in conjunction with any other offer (e.g. months free, guided care options). Discount will be reviewed on 22/10/2026 and any changes will apply to renewals and new quotes thereafter. Quotes are valid for 14 days. Terms and conditions apply.

†Families pay 10% less for a joint policy compared to the price of separate policies for each family member. Cover must include at least one adult and one or more children. Children do not have to live at the same address as the main member. This offer applies to the Bupa By You Comprehensive and Treatment and Care health insurance policies. This offer may change or be unavailable when you renew. Terms and conditions apply.

††Add more than one child under 20 years old to your policy and you’ll only pay for the eldest child, no matter how many more children you add. Children aged 20 or over cannot receive free cover or count as an ‘eldest child’ for this offer. Cover must include at least two children aged 19 or under. You’ll still receive our 10% family discount if you have free child cover. Children do not have to live at the same address as the main member. This offer may change or be unavailable when you renew. This offer applies to the Bupa By You Comprehensive and Treatment and Care health insurance policies. This offer may change or be unavailable when you renew. See full terms and conditions here.

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Bupa health insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales with registration number 3956433. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Arranged and administered by Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales with registration number 3829851. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.