Empathy might just be your superpower at work. Using it inwardly and outwardly can make a world of difference in your stress levels.

“When someone says something particularly stressful to you at work it can trigger negative self-critical thoughts you can’t control, and that impacts how we feel and perform,” says Mimi Nicklin, host of The MiMi YouYou Show and author of Softening The Edge. “However, you can use your outward self-empathy to redirect how much stress this creates for you. This means that when these moments occur, you can look at the bigger picture to identify the intention behind the comment rather than the comment itself.

“Focusing on the bigger picture – why are they complaining? What are they trying to guide you to? Why do they care about this? – instead of thinking about how to reply or feel about the comments, will allow you to significantly reframe away from ‘stress’ to perfectly manageable ‘datasets’.”

Similarly, self-empathy is vital. Be gentle with yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed, and be curious, not judgmental, about your emotions.

8 experts share their top tips for tackling stress at work