After a long, stressful day at the office, your first instinct might be to bottle it up and forget about it. However, a clinical psychologist suggests that one of the best things you can do for your well-being is the exact opposite: share your stressors at home. The simple act of being heard can be a powerful antidote to stress.
Our culture often glorifies the “hustle,” pushing us to pursue success and money relentlessly. This creates an environment where stress is normalized, but its effects are deeply damaging. Stress is not just a mental state; it’s a physiological response that impacts our entire body, from our hormonal health to our sleep cycles.
Ignoring this stress or keeping it to yourself allows it to fester, leading to physical symptoms like chronic pain, digestive problems, and insomnia. These issues, in turn, reduce our capacity to perform well at work and at home, contributing to a cycle of burnout, fatigue, and even depression. The weight of our professional lives becomes a silent burden that erodes our overall health.
By including your family or loved ones in your work-related challenges, you create an emotional release valve. The goal isn’t necessarily to find solutions, but to find comfort and validation in being heard. This practice, combined with other techniques like taking short mental breaks during the day, maintaining emotional boundaries with coworkers, and not internalizing criticism, can dramatically improve your ability to cope with modern pressures.