Stress is visible but unaddressed - writing offers a low-threshold solution
The well-being effects of writing have been widely studied, and the results are promising.
Many workplaces talk about well-being at work. There are strategies, development projects and cooperation with the occupational health provider. Yet everyday work can feel quite different: rush, stress and interruptions eat away at concentration and motivation - and, slowly, at work capacity and motivation.
And yes, the load is identified.
I recently did a survey on LinkedIn about whether mental stress is recognised in the workplace. The survey was unscientific and the sample was small, but the answers are thought-provoking:
As many as 38% said that the burden is recognised - but nothing is done.
31% of respondents said they do not recognise the burden at all.
Only 22% responded that the burden is identified and addressed.
In other words, more than two out of three respondents feel that signs of stress at work are either ignored or ignored.
Why?
There are many reasons. Perhaps a lack of courage to stop, or fear of what will be revealed when difficult issues are raised. Or simply not knowing what to do. Mental well-being is easily reduced to words in the absence of concrete measures.
"Writing is a low-threshold method that is ideal for problem prevention."
Writing can be a surprisingly powerful tool
One solution can be found in a surprisingly simple place - the end of a pencil.
Writing is a low-threshold method that is ideal for problem prevention. It helps to relieve stress, structure thoughts and reinforce the feeling of having your voice heard. It requires no special skills and no big investment - just a few minutes, a pen and paper (or a screen and keyboard).
Writing helps
to stop and listen to yourself
see more clearly what is a burden and why
find ways to influence their own work and everyday life
strengthen resilience, or the flexibility of the mind in the face of change.
The effects of writing on well-being at work have been widely studied. Classic studies by psychology professor James W. Pennebaker have found that even brief, repeated moments of writing about difficult experiences can reduce stress, support the immune system and reduce sick leave.
A study by Gortner, Rude and Pennebaker (2006) also showed that expressive writing reduces depressive symptoms, especially when the writer uses reflective and meaning-building language.
Lin Guo's meta-analysis, published in 2022, looked at 31 studies that examined the long-term effects of expressive writing. The results show that writing can reduce depression, anxiety and stress for months after writing practice. The benefits were particularly significant when the writing focused on emotions and meanings rather than simply describing events, and was done over several consecutive days at short intervals.
A domestic perspective is provided by Sari Kortesoja's ongoing doctoral thesis, which examines writing as part of recovery from work-related fatigue. The research material highlights how autobiographical writing can help to structure the experience of exhaustion, strengthen the sense of agency and support the construction of a new kind of work identity. Writing is seen not only as a means of decompression, but also as a way of reconnecting with one's own values and resources.
Writing for a better working life
In the coaching sessions for the wordsmith, writing is not about performance and spelling. We don't write reports, essays or marketing texts, but focus on creating a space where you can pause to reflect on your own thoughts and feelings, safely and without pressure.
The coaching is based on research into the wellbeing benefits of writing, but is also human and gentle. The exercises are approachable and participants don't have to be "writers" - they just need to be willing to try where the pen takes them. Everyone is free to share as much or as little as they like, and sometimes just writing for yourself is enough.
My approach combines creative and therapeutic writing methods. My work is guided both by my experience as a literary arts teacher and literary therapy practitioner and by my understanding of the demands and pressures of working life. I have designed the workshops so that they are also well suited to developing work communities, supporting coping or dealing with change situations.
"Mental stress doesn't show up in Excel - but it shows up in absenteeism, in the atmosphere and ultimately in the results."
What if we stopped before we had to?
Mental stress doesn't show up in Excel - but it shows up in absenteeism, atmosphere and, ultimately, results. Of course, writing is not the answer to everything, but it can be a start. Even a small pause can make a big difference - and often writing can help you express feelings and thoughts that would otherwise remain hidden.
👉 Want to hear more? Contact us to book a time for a chat. Together, we can find ways to strengthen well-being and work capacity in your workplace.