Course description

Feeling stretched by work, family, caring or money pressures? This course gives you practical, everyday ways to manage stress, step by step, from spotting what sets it off to writing a wellbeing plan that works for your life.

It's a full course, not a few quick tips. There are 10 sections and 50 written lessons, each with clear steps and a practical task, plus printable worksheets, step cards and a cheat sheet for every section. Throughout the course you follow a school business manager from Bolton as she juggles a demanding job, family life and caring for her dad, and finds what helps.

What you'll learn

• Understanding stress: what it does to your body and mind, the signs to look out for, and when to get help.
• Your triggers: a stress diary and stress map to see what you can change, influence or accept.
• Calming your body: breathing, muscle relaxation, activity, sleep and daily routines.
• Thoughts and worry: spotting unhelpful thinking habits, questioning stressful thoughts and managing worry.
• Problems and time: step-by-step problem-solving, prioritising, saying no and switching off.
• Stress at work: the main causes, your employer's duties, talking to your manager and spotting burnout early.
• Support and resilience: asking for help, supporting others, learning from setbacks and knowing what matters to you.

Your personal plan

The final section brings everything together into your own wellbeing plan, with your early warning signs and what to do when life gets busy.

Who this course is for

• Anyone who feels under pressure and wants practical ways to cope.
• People dealing with stress at work, including managers and busy professionals.
• Parents and carers juggling several responsibilities.

Please note

This is a self-help skills course, not therapy or medical treatment. If stress, worry or low mood are lasting, getting worse, or affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP. Every section explains where to get urgent help if you need it.

What will I learn?

• Recognise the signs of stress in your body, thoughts and behaviour, and know when to get help
• Find your own stress triggers with a stress diary and a stress map
• Use breathing, relaxation, activity and sleep habits to calm your body
• Question stressful thoughts and manage worry
• Solve problems step by step and make decisions under pressure
• Plan your time, prioritise and set boundaries
• Understand work-related stress, your employer's duties and how to raise it
• Build support and resilience and write your own wellbeing plan

Frequently asked questions