DR has published five pieces of advice on avoiding stress from business psychologist Thomas Lange, citing figures that make September and October the peak season for stress-related sick leave in Denmark.
The article was published on September 8, 2026, by DR. It presents recommendations from Thomas Lange, a business psychologist who is also commercial director at the company AS3 Transition.
According to DR, figures from Danica Pension and Djøf, among others, show that September and October are high season for stress-related sick leave. The outlet lists sleepless nights, headaches, a short temper and difficulty remembering as symptoms that can creep in gradually.
DR illustrates the pressure with everyday examples. Among them are a full email inbox, notifications from the school platform Aula, unanswered phone calls and a report due to the boss.
What the psychologist recommends
The first tip, as reported by DR, is also the simplest: say it out loud. Lange points to a manager, a colleague, HR, a union representative, a partner, a friend or a professional adviser. Per DR, stress is not the individual’s fault alone, so the solution should not rest on one person either.
The second tip is to ask where 80 percent is enough instead of 100 percent. According to DR, many people place higher demands on themselves than their surroundings actually do. The point is not sloppy work, but identifying what is genuinely good enough.
Third, Lange notes that extra tasks are often added on top of an already pressured day. He uses a children’s birthday party as an example, where cutting fruit into cubes may not be necessary. Sometimes the best option is to leave it out, according to DR.
The fourth tip concerns creating an overview. DR writes that the instinct when falling behind is to speed up, which can worsen symptoms if the body is already strained. Lange suggests stopping, separating what is urgent from what can wait, and involving a manager in setting priorities.
The fifth point is duration. Per DR, stress is not only about how busy someone is right now, but how long it has lasted and whether there is time to recover. Lange compares the symptoms to warning lights in a car that eventually stops if they are ignored.
DR also notes that stress is frequently not about being unable to handle pressure. It can instead be about having handled the pressure for too long, according to Lange. Headaches, breathing difficulties and heart palpitations are listed by DR among possible signs of stress.
