Feeling like crying at work? Ground yourself with these soothing techniques

When it rains, it really pours. And that adage seems apt for a difficult workday. Some days at work feel especially painful and draining. Your heart races. There’s a heaviness in your chest. Maybe it’s a missed deadline. Maybe it’s tension with a colleague, or even your manager.

In that moment, it’s hard to separate yourself from the wave of physical sensations washing over you. Worse, you feel on the verge of tears, but breaking down at the office is the last thing you want. But, you’re unable to think clearly, and you can't go home yet.

What's happening is: Your body is filled with cortisol and adrenaline, preparing you to react to the threat.

Over time, the constant activation of this response can wear down the body, leading to fatigue, burnout, anxiety disorders, and even cardiovascular issues. What makes it worse is that in a professional setting, people often feel they must suppress these emotions, which increases internal pressure and physical discomfort.

It might seem impossible to ever return from the spiral, but there are a few techniques, as Cassie Mather Reid, a Dubai-based life balance coach explains.  “When you’re panicked and overwhelmed at work it’s important to remember not to just react. Often when in this state we react quickly and not always on the best manner,” she says.

She adds further: If you can take yourself away from a situation for a while, try and reflect on how you’re feeling and what it was that got you there. “Journaling can help with this reduction piece and with planning what comes next,” she adds.

·         Another way is bringing yourself back to your body, use the 5,4,3,2,1 technique.

·         5 things you can see

·         4 things you can feel

·         3 things you can hear

·         2 things you can smell

·         1 thing you can taste

“It’s a great technique for grounding and also gives you time to calm the nervous system,” she explains.

Studies show that stress at work doesn’t just stay in your head, it floods your entire nervous system. The Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that grounding techniques like mindfulness and sensory awareness can be powerful tools to reduce emotional overwhelm. And as research from the American Psychological Association, suggests, learning to pause and regulate in high-pressure moments isn’t just about emotional control, it’s a skill that supports your mental and physical wellbeing in the long run.

Another method that’s proven to reduce emotional intensity is simply naming the emotion you’re feeling. It might sound overly simple—but neuroscience says it works. When we identify and label what we’re experiencing, like saying to ourselves, I feel anxious, or I’m overwhelmed and hurt, it can actually calm the brain’s emotional centre.

This technique, popularised by psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Siegel and backed by research from UCLA’s Matthew Lieberman, shows that labelling feelings helps reduce activity in the amygdala (the brain’s fear and emotion centre), while increasing regulation from the prefrontal cortex.

In other words, putting feelings into words helps you take back control of your reaction, instead of being hijacked by it.

Chronic stress doesn’t just live in your mind, it affects your entire body. Learning how to regulate your emotional response isn’t just about staying professional at work. It’s about protecting your long-term mental and physical health.

So the next time your heart’s racing and the tears are close, remember: You’re not weak. You’re overwhelmed—and there are ways to find your way back.