Let’s be real—managing stress in tech isn’t exactly something they teach you in a bootcamp. Whether you’re coding at 2 a.m., buried in Figma files, sitting in back-to-back Zooms that could’ve been Slack messages, or juggling five product launch deadlines, burnout is real. And it’s not just “oh, I’m tired.” It’s more like: my brain has 42 Chrome tabs open and none of them are responding.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re not just going to tell you to “breathe” or “drink water.” (Though… please do.) We’re getting into the realities of working in tech—whether you’re new in your role or part of the C-suite—and sharing real strategies to manage the stress that comes with it.
The pressure to always be “on” is exhausting
Let’s start with the obvious: tech careers are intense. If you’re remote, it can feel like you’re always working but never “doing enough.”
You’re juggling constant context switching—between meetings, client asks, campaign metrics, product updates, user feedback, and whatever project just got escalated to “urgent.” There’s a cultural expectation in tech to move fast, say yes, and optimize everything—including your time, your energy, and your personality.
And while growth is great, burnout isn’t. Here’s your permission slip: it’s just a job. A well-paid, often exciting, occasionally soul-crushing job. But your worth isn’t measured by velocity charts, deliverables, or whether your slide deck had the “right vibes.”
Boundaries are your best debugging tool
Setting boundaries isn’t a luxury—it’s a survival strategy. Turn off Slack notifications after 6 p.m. Don’t answer emails on your lunch break. Say no to meetings without agendas. You’re not “difficult.” You’re prioritizing your mental health like a responsible adult.
Not sure where to start? Try:
- Actually using your PTO (yes, all of it—it’s there for a reason)
- Blocking time for deep work—and protecting it
- Setting a hard stop to your day (and sticking to it)
Take a walk. Touch grass. Log off.
Sometimes the best fix isn’t more time at the keyboard—it’s getting away from it entirely. Nature doesn’t need Wi-Fi. Go for a walk, get some sun, or just leave your phone in another room and stare at a tree. The world won’t implode if you don’t answer a Slack thread about color palette revisions within the next 60 seconds.
Self-care that doesn’t feel like a chore
Self-care gets marketed like it’s all bubble baths and green juice. But real self-care might look like:
- Closing your laptop before your eyes cross
- Saying “I don’t know” instead of pretending you do
- Asking your manager for support when you’re overwhelmed
- Cleaning your digital life to remove the unnecessary clutter in the background
If you’re a GA student, this is where our crew comes in. From your instructors to our student success team, you’ve got people in your corner who genuinely care and want to help. Ask for what you need. You’re not alone—we’ve all been there.
Remember: you are not your output
Tech culture has a way of tying your identity to your productivity. More deliverables. More learning. More results. More metrics to track. Whether you’re pushing code, launching campaigns, leading sprints, analyzing data, or designing user flows, the pressure to perform is real.
But here’s your reminder: you’re allowed to unplug. You’re allowed to say no. You’re allowed to go through a whole weekend without opening your email—and still be amazing at what you do.
A few simple things that help (and don’t cost a thing)
Here’s a short, non-exhaustive list of ways to lower your stress levels without deleting your life and moving to the woods:
- Use the PTO you’ve been “saving” for no reason
- Say no to a task that doesn’t align with your priorities
- Take a real lunch break (not a sad desk salad situation)
- Go outside during daylight hours (shocking, we know)
- Leave your phone in another room for 30 minutes
- Tell someone you trust, “Hey, I’m not okay today”
And if you’re learning tech skills with us, know that we see you. This stuff is hard. But we’ve got your back.
Managing stress in tech is about working smarter—not harder
There’s no perfect productivity system or magical Notion template that’ll fix burnout. What will? Boundaries. Rest. Support. A little sunlight. And the radical idea that you are allowed to take care of yourself—even if your to-do list is on fire.
Managing stress in tech isn’t one-size-fits-all, but one thing’s for sure: your mental health is worth protecting. Tech will always be there. Your sanity? Let’s keep that too.
From all of us at GA: log off when you need to. We’ll still be here.