“Stress. It’s not in your head; it’s in your nervous system.” —Dr. Melody Walford
For some, the holidays are a time to rest and relax with family and friends.
But for those of us working corporate roles, it’s often when the Q4 stress hits. We’re crushed by looming deadlines, financial strain, or holiday pressure.
Our nervous systems aren’t too happy about that.
You’ve probably heard of the sympathetic nervous system—the branch of our autonomic nervous system that triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response.
It’s designed to keep us alive in moments of danger, and it triggers a very real, physiological response. It floods the body with adrenaline and cortisol, quickens the heart rate, tenses muscles, and sharpens focus.
But as it turns out, the brain has a hard time distinguishing between a real threat and a psychological one.
You probably see where I’m going with this.
An impending performance review can trigger the same physiological response as being chased by a tiger.
The result? Fight or flight.
Functional Survival Mode
We’re all familiar with the ‘fight or flight’ response.
But how does this response show up in the workplace?
When we stay stuck in sympathetic overdrive—what I call “functional survival mode”—our decision-making narrows, our empathy wanes, and our creativity shuts down.
Let’s look at how it manifests in our daily routines.
➡️ The FIGHT response:
The ‘fight’ response often shows up as overcontrol or overproductivity. It means pushing harder, micromanaging, or staying up late to finish “just one more thing.” Stillness starts to feel unsafe, because “there’s just so much to get done.”
This can lead to feelings of irritability or reactivity when something isn’t under your control, or when your coworkers aren’t working as hard as you think they should.
➡️ The FLIGHT response:
The ‘flight’ response often leads to disassociating behaviors—procrastinating, scrolling, drinking, mindless busywork, or binge-watching. Because the mental overload is too much to handle, the mind starts looking for an escape from the stress.
The key is recognizing that these are protective responses, not personal failings. Once we can name what’s happening, we create space to regulate—breathe, pause, reset—and respond with intention instead of fear.
Recentering and Recharging
The good news is that we can teach our nervous systems to come back to center. The sympathetic nervous system has a counterbalance: the parasympathetic nervous system.
Activating the parasympathetic response isn’t about bubble baths (which are awesome, don’t get me wrong) or escapism—it’s about safety signaling. Small, consistent cues that tell the body, “You’re okay. You can ease up now.”
Simple, evidence-based ways to recharge and safety signal include:
- Grounding through breath: Exhaling longer than you inhale activates the vagus nerve, a key parasympathetic pathway.
- Micro-pauses: Taking 60 seconds between meetings to stretch, hydrate, or simply notice your surroundings resets your system.
- Connection: Authentic human contact, whether a hug or a heartfelt conversation, releases oxytocin and counteracts cortisol.
- Movement and music: Rhythm helps regulate the nervous system, so rhythmic walking, dancing, or even humming (which also activates the vagus nerve) can shift the nervous system toward calm.
- Self-talk check-ins: When you reframe inner dialogue from judgment to curiosity, the body follows the mind’s lead.
- Laughter or comedic relief: Laughter reduces stress hormones, while increasing “feel-good” chemicals such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin.
Q4 stress is not just ‘in your head.’ It can trigger changes in your mood, the way you interact with other people, and even the way you feel physically.
But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
If we recognize how our ‘fight or flight’ response manifests in the workplace, we can take steps to regulate our nervous system and regain balance in our daily lives.
When we practice these small resets, we remind ourselves that rest is not the opposite of productivity—it’s the foundation of it.
