, , ave you ever been at work and felt the tension before you even opened your laptop?
Your boss is clearly stressed. They’re snappy in meetings. Their emails are landing at 10pm. One moment they’re hyper-focused, the next they’ve forgotten everything they just asked for. And you’re stuck in the middle thinking:
“Do I ignore this? Tiptoe around it? Match the pace? Or just quietly lose my mind?”
I get it. As someone currently working from 4am to 7pm to launch a course, book, card deck and run a business… let me be honest: It’s not personal. But it does have an impact.
And that’s the thing no one tells you – when a manager is overloaded, it doesn’t stay in their inbox. It ripples through the whole team.
So What Can You Actually Do?
- No, you don’t need to take on their stress.
- No, you don’t need to fix them.
- And no, you don’t need to pretend it’s all fine when it’s not.
But what you can do to stay calm, communicate clearly, and protect your own peace while working with someone in the middle of a pressure-cooker moment:
Don’t make it about you
If they’re being short, snappy or vague, it’s likely about their internal chaos, not your performance. Resist the urge to personalise it. That alone can save you hours of mental spiralling.
Clarify instead of assuming
When instructions are rushed or unclear (as they often are when someone’s overwhelmed), ask clarifying questions. Kindly. “Just to be sure, do you need this today, or by end of week?” can save a lot of rework and resentment.
Set micro-boundaries
You don’t need a dramatic confrontation. Try small shifts: delay your reply to late-night emails until morning. Use “Send Later.” Politely say, “I’ll pick this up first thing” rather than replying at 11:23pm with a PowerPoint attachment and a cry for help.
Name the tension (gently)
If things are consistently frayed, it’s okay to say:
“I can see there’s a lot going on right now. Is there anything I can take off your plate, or anything you need from me to make things smoother?”
Sometimes that small signal of empathy defuses the pressure on both sides.
And One Final Thing…
Your boss might be juggling a dozen spinning plates, some of which you can’t even see. But that doesn’t mean your needs don’t matter.
You’re allowed to set boundaries. You’re allowed to protect your time and energy. And you’re allowed to ask for clarity, even if they’re in a rush. Stress travels fast. But so does calm.
And in high-pressure moments, your calm might be the most powerful thing in the room.