Why April Matters: Stress Awareness Month 2025

April is Stress Awareness Month, a vital time to reflect on how we manage stress—not just as individuals but also as employers, leaders, and organisations. This year’s theme, #LeadWithLove, asks us to approach ourselves and others with kindness, compassion, and acceptance, even when things feel overwhelming.

But first, let’s understand what we’re really up against.

What Is Stress – And What Makes It Different from Pressure?

We often use “stress” and “pressure” interchangeably, but they’re different.

• Pressure is the challenge that motivates us—a presentation, a deadline, a stretch goal. It’s short-term and can improve performance.
  
• Stress occurs when pressure becomes sustained or unmanageable. It’s when the demands placed on us exceed our resources to cope.
  

The Anatomy of Stress

Stress triggers the fight-flight-freeze response—your body’s natural response to perceived threats. Adrenaline and cortisol surge, raising heart rate, increasing alertness, and sharpening focus.

But over time, chronic stress can:

• 🧠 Impair memory and decision-making
  
• 💥 Disrupt sleep and digestion
  
• 😔 Lead to anxiety, depression, and burnout
  

👇 Rethinking Stress: Science Says It’s Not All Bad

Most of us are taught that stress is dangerous. But what if that belief is doing more harm than stress itself?

In this compelling TED Talk, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal explains why changing how we think about stress can change its impact on our health—and even help us live longer.

🎥 Watch: “How to Make Stress Your Friend” – a mindset shift that could change your relationship with pressure forever.

Backed by neuroscience and human stories, this talk flips the narrative: stress isn’t always the enemy—fear of stress might be.

After watching, ask yourself: What if I believed that stress was a sign I care… not a sign I’m failing?

The Alarming Reality of Workplace Stress

Workplace stress is rising fast, and the data paints a concerning picture:

• 🔴 776,000 UK workers reported stress-related ill health in 2023/24
  
• 🔴 16.4 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, anxiety, or depression
  
• 💸 Cost to the UK economy: over £28 billion annually
  

The burden isn’t equally shared. The Burnout Report 2025 highlights that young people (18–24) are most acutely feeling pressure, especially around job insecurity, financial stress, and workload.

As Brian Dow, CEO of Mental Health UK, explains:

“Our second annual health check of stress levels gives a worrying reading of the nation’s continuing risk of burnout… Our findings pose important questions on whether employers are sufficiently adapting to the needs of a modern workforce… Unfortunately, many organisations still offer 20th century mental health support for a 21st century workforce.”

Even the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has stepped in, launching the ‘Working Minds’ campaign to help employers prevent stress and comply with their legal duty of care.

Managers Are Burning Out Too

It’s not just frontline staff. According to Gallup, managers are more likely to burn out than those they manage. And many feel ill-equipped for the challenges ahead.

One major factor?

82% of UK managers have never received formal management training.

Lack of training leads to confusion, poor communication, and disengagement at all levels. Gallup’s global figures estimate the cost of poor management and employee disengagement at a staggering $8.8 trillion—9% of global GDP.

The contrast is clear. Under António Horta-Osório’s leadership, Lloyds Banking Group trained thousands of Mental Health First Aiders and raised over £11 million for Mental Health UK. It was a cultural shift—and a commercial one. Because wellbeing isn’t just ethical—it’s strategic.

MHFA Training: A Small Change, Big Impact

One of the most practical and transformative steps employers can take is Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training.

It equips your people to: ✅ Spot early warning signs.
✅ Respond with empathy and confidence
✅ Encourage open conversations without stigma
✅ Signpost professional help early—before issues escalate

Organisations implementing MHFA consistently report higher engagement, better team dynamics, and improved wellbeing outcomes. Younger workers, in particular, are looking for employers who take these kinds of initiatives seriously.

Real Talk: One Question That Changed Everything

Years ago, during my early training in alternative therapies, a mentor asked me something unexpected:

“Do you love yourself?”

I didn’t know how to answer. Neither did the others in the room.

Today, I ask my clients the same question. And still, many of them don’t know. We’ve become so skilled at managing to-do lists, deadlines, and expectations… that we’ve forgotten how to check in with ourselves.

Workplace stress isn’t just about workload. It’s about how we treat ourselves and others when the pressure hits.

This April, Lead With Love

This month, I’m proud to deliver two webinars for different sections of the NHS, which is currently navigating immense change, uncertainty, recruitment freezes, and the looming risk of job losses.

These sessions are focused on managing stress during difficult times, offering practical support, emotional insight, and genuinely helpful tools. I’m looking forward to seeing how I can support these incredible teams through change and beyond.

Because this work matters.

What You Can Do Today:

🔹 1. Train Your Managers and Mental Health Champions
Invest in MHFA and leadership training—they’re foundational.

🔹 2. Listen to the Younger Workforce
They’re often the most stressed and the least heard. Rebuild trust, open up the conversation.

🔹 3. Modernise Mental Health Support
20th-century wellbeing approaches no longer work for a 21st-century workforce.

🔹 4. Normalise Conversations About Stress
Make psychological safety a cultural norm, not an exception.

🔹 5. Lead With Love
Ask: What does care, courage, and kindness look like in our organisation?

💡 Ready to Lead Differently?

If your organisation is feeling the impact of stress and disengagement, it’s time to act.

👉 Book a free 15-minute consultation to explore how MHFA training and workplace wellbeing strategies can support your people—and your business.

Because stress is inevitable, but suffering in silence doesn’t have to be.

P.S.
Workplace stress isn’t just a wellbeing issue—it’s a strategic priority. The best leaders know that investing in people is investing in performance.

Mike Lawrence: Your Guide to Health & Wellbeing

I’m Mike Lawrence, a passionate advocate for mental health and wellbeing. After overcoming significant health challenges, including brain surgery, I’ve dedicated myself to a journey of self-improvement and helping others thrive. From heart-pounding skydives for charity to soul-enriching travels in Thailand, my experiences have shaped my approach to holistic health.

I love sharing the lessons I’ve learned from these adventures and the powerful audiobooks I devour. Let’s explore the paths to better mental and physical health together. Embrace life’s adventures with enthusiasm and resilience, and remember—you’re never alone on this journey!

Feel free to email me at hello@mikelawrence.co.uk or connect with me on LinkedIn. For more in-depth insights and inspiring stories, read my latest blogs here. Together, let’s create a healthier, happier future!