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It’s not the major deadlines, high-stakes meetings, or once-a-year performance reviews that are grinding down professionals – it’s the little things, according to one crisis intervention specialist.
Speaking with HR Leader, crisis intervention specialist Gary Fahey revealed an important message: the most damaging form of workplace stress doesn’t stem from major, dramatic events, but from the constant accumulation of small, often overlooked irritations.
Known as microstressors, Fahey explained that these seemingly trivial disruptions may appear harmless in isolation, but over time, they accumulate like “emotional papercuts” – slowly eroding mental clarity, focus, and emotional control.
“Microstressors are the seemingly minor pressures we absorb throughout the day; missed emails, calendar clashes, unexpected feedback, group chats buzzing or traffic on the way to work. On their own, they’re easy to dismiss. But cumulatively, they act like emotional papercuts; unseen, unaddressed and relentlessly compounding,” he said.
The real danger of microstress, Fahey explained, lies in its subtlety – quietly infiltrating daily life and, over time, leading to employee burnout.
“What makes them so dangerous is that they fly under the radar of our conscious awareness, but still trigger the brain’s stress response. Over time, this dulls cognitive function, erodes emotional regulation, and chips away at our ability to focus, perform and connect,” he said.
“People don’t burn out from one big event; they get worn down by a thousand small ones. Microstress doesn’t just steal performance, it robs us of presence, clarity and control.”
Survival mode v strategic thinking
When the brain is exposed to a continuous stream of microstress, Fahey warned, it doesn’t just feel exhausted, but rather it begins to function differently as it shifts into survival mode.
“When we’re hit with repeated microstress, the brain shifts from strategic to survival mode. Neurologically, the amygdala, the emotional alarm system, starts hijacking attention and flooding the system with cortisol. The prefrontal cortex, which governs logic, planning and decision making, essentially goes offline,” he said.
As a result of this cognitive shift, Fahey explained, people often begin making reactive decisions they might not have made otherwise, losing the mental space needed to reflect, prioritise, or think creatively.
“That’s when people start making reactive choices, struggling with focus, procrastinating, snapping at colleagues or becoming mentally fatigued even after light workloads,” he said.
“You can’t reason with the world when your own operating system is in crisis. If you’re constantly stuck in low-grade threat mode, you lose the mental bandwidth to step back, prioritise or make clear decisions.”
Breathing as a tactical rest
So, what can be done to combat microstress and reset the brain? Surprisingly, the solution might be as simple as breathing, but done deliberately.
“These aren’t just wellness fads, they’re evidence-based biological resets. When the nervous system is overloaded, these tools act as an immediate off-ramp from panic and overwhelm,” he said.
Fahey highlighted two science-backed techniques for managing microstress: box breathing, which helps restore balance to the nervous system, and the physiological sigh, which re-engages the brain’s rational functions.
“Box breathing, used by elite military units, balances the autonomic nervous system by creating structure and rhythm in breathing, shifting the body from sympathetic (stress) activation to parasympathetic (recovery) control,” he said.
“The physiological sigh, studied by neuroscientists like Dr Andrew Huberman, is one of the fastest, naturally built-in methods to reduce stress. Two short nasal inhales followed by a long exhale instantly lowers physiological arousal, quietens the amygdala and brings the prefrontal cortex back online.”
Practical advice
The trouble with microstress, Fahey warned, is that it doesn’t always register as a problem – until it’s too late.
“If you’re constantly fatigued despite sleeping, irritable over small things, struggling to concentrate or feel like you’re always on but rarely progressing, you’re likely overloaded,” he said.
To stay ahead of burnout, Fahey offered three key strategies:
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Build in space – “Create two to three micro-recovery moments per day, two minutes of box breathing or a physiological sigh can reset your brain more than 20 minutes of scrolling distraction,” he said.
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Audit your inputs – “Slack channels, email pings, back-to-back meetings, each is a hit. Reduce unnecessary exposure, set boundaries and batch responses.”
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“Teach your team to reset, not just push through. High performance isn’t about going harder, it’s about knowing when to pause, reset and return with clarity.”
RELATED TERMS
Employees experience burnout when their physical or emotional reserves are depleted. Usually, persistent tension or dissatisfaction causes this to happen. The workplace atmosphere might occasionally be the reason. Workplace stress, a lack of resources and support, and aggressive deadlines can all cause burnout.
