Managers under pressure: 5 concrete keys to alleviate the mental load without revolutionizing everything

To be a manager today, it is both exciting... but also intense. Between coordinating teams, anticipating needs, responding to management requests and remaining available for everyone, the mental load can quickly add up. And yet, it is not inevitable: it is not a defect, but a reality to be managed collectively.

HR managers and HR managers know it: Overloaded managers are a risk for performance, but also for the commitment and serenity of teams. According to a recent APEC study, 58% of managers say they experience intense stress at work, compared to 52% of non-manager managers. In addition, 70% of managers believe that the mental load has increased over the last two years, an observation that is all the more alarming as 30% are considering leaving their job to preserve their mental health (source: Morning).

Faced with this reality, however, there are concrete and accessible levers to simplify daily life: better understand what you wear, prioritize your priorities, delegate intelligently, set up simple rituals and rely on HR resources.

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1/ Understand your mental load: know what you are really wearing

Being a manager is a bit like carrying two bags at the same time.

The first contains the visible tasks : meetings, reports, decisions to be taken. You see them, you know they are there, you check them off... and yet, they are only part of the story.

The second bag, heavier and often invisible, contains the invisible responsibilities : anticipate what will happen tomorrow, coordinate teams, reassure someone who doubts, serve as a relay between management and operations. This bag is often dragged around without realizing it... and it is he who tiredness really.

To take a step back, there is a simple but powerful gesture: Keep a load log for a week. Write down everything, even the little things: this urgent email, this question solved at the moment, this concern of an employee... Then look: which tasks take up the most space? What responsibilities weigh the most on your shoulders?

It's a simple exercise, but it reveals a lot. Many managers admit to feeling overwhelmed by the volume of their responsibilities. And that's exactly where the levers to ease the mental load.

2/ Prioritizing intelligently: the art of the non-urgent vs important

When the bag is full, the first step in lightening the daily routine is knowing what to put down and what to keep.

No need for a complicated method: a little trick is enough to get a clear picture. Think of your tasks as a grid: Urgent vs important.

• What is urgent and important needs to be done right away.
• What is important but not urgent deserves a dedicated window, before it becomes urgent.
• Anything else? Either it can be delegated, or it can wait... or disappear.

To make this concrete, two simple actions:

1. Organize your tasks each morning: fast, five minutes is enough. Put them on the “urgent/important” matrix and write down your priorities.
2. Block micro-blocks of time for your strategic tasks. Even 30 minutes a day without interruption can be a game changer. Take the opportunity to turn off notifications and emails: your brain will thank you.

The secret is regularity. Every day, a quick look at your grid, a strategic block, and you Take back control of your mental load. It's not spectacular, but it works. And most importantly, you're starting to free up space for what really matters, instead of chasing everything that screams “urgent! ”

3/ Relying on your team: delegating without feeling guilty

Delegate, it's often the word that makes managers shudder. It feels like you're giving up, losing control. In reality, it's just the opposite: delegating means sharing the burden and empowering your team, while at the same time.freeing up mental space for what's really strategic.

For this to work, two simple principles:

1. Clarity above all : each delegated mission must have a specific objective, an expected result and a deadline. No room for vagueness: everyone knows who does what.
2. Small regular dots : a mini-check of 10 minutes per day or a few minutes at the end of the week is enough to monitor progress, adjust if necessary, and reassure everyone.

Tip: make the mental load visible. A simple board, a shared to-do list, or even a “who is wearing what” as a team. When everyone sees what is being taken care of and what remains to be done, stress decreases, trust is increasing, and Overload becomes collective rather than individual.

Delegating is not a sign of weakness, it is a tool for performance and well-being. The sooner you start, the sooner you free up mental space... and you rediscover the pleasure of being a manager.

4/ Create anti-overload rituals: micro-habits that make a difference

Sometimes, it's not a big revolution that changes everything... but a small daily habit. A few simple actions can Transforming mental load into energy rather than under stress.

• Strategic break : 5 minutes to breathe, walk or just look up from the screen. It's short, but your brain loves these mini-resets.
• End of week debrief : Take 10 minutes to list what has been achieved and what is left. This simple gesture gives you a clear vision and prevents you from ruminating all weekend.
• Mental dashboard : a notebook or a note shared with your team to visualize current tasks, priorities and progress. Nothing complicated, just a common thread that lightens your head.

These rituals do not require radical change, but They set up a rhythm. With them, you start to feel that the load is manageable, that the bag is getting lighter, and that you can breathe without feeling guilty.

5/ Capitalize on HR and organizational resources

Mental load cannot be managed alone. Managers need a framework and support to transform their daily lives. And this is where HR can play a key role, with simple but powerful actions.

• Targeted training : a few short workshops on prioritizing, delegating or managing the unexpected can change the perception of daily life. No need for long courses, just practical tools to use right away.
• Tracking tools: shared dashboards, checklists, collaborative agendas... they make it possible to make visible what is happening in the team and to avoid everything relying on the memory of a single manager.
• Fast coaching: a 30-minute exchange every 2-3 weeks can help the manager to take a step back, identify points of tension and find appropriate solutions.

The role of HR is not to control everything, but to create the conditions for the mental load to become manageable, while valuing the autonomy of managers. Structural support turns overload into opportunity: better performance, more serene teams, and managers who find pleasure in their role.

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Regaining control, unleashing managers' energy and mental load

Lightening the mental load on managers is not an unattainable dream: with a few simple actions, good prioritization, team support and regular rituals, it is possible to Transforming pressure into positive energy and in sustainable performance.

At Qualisocial, we offer training courses exclusively dedicated to managers, designed to give them concrete and immediately actionable tools in order to better manage their mental load and that of their teams.

Want to know more? Contact us to find out how to support your managers towards greater serenity and efficiency on a daily basis.

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