In the modern workplace, «professionalism» has expanded to include how we talk about our mental health and boundaries. It is no longer a taboo topic; in fact, being able to express your needs clearly and respectfully in English is a vital leadership skill.
This week, at The London Eye – English Consultant, we’ll show you that talking about feelings at work requires a specific vocabulary to ensure you sound assertive rather than «complaining.»
1. Setting «Soft» Boundaries
When we are overwhelmed, we need to protect our time. Instead of saying «I’m too stressed,» try using these professional phrases to set a boundary:
- To ask for more time: «I’m currently at full capacity. Could we revisit this task next week?»
- To protect your «off» hours: «I’m unplugging for the evening to recharge. I’ll get back to you first thing tomorrow.»
- To manage expectations: «I want to give this project the attention it deserves, so I’ll need to deprioritize my other tasks for a few days.»
2. Checking in on Colleagues
In a global, often remote world, «How are you?» can feel a bit empty. If you want to show genuine support for a teammate, try these more meaningful «check-in» questions:
- «How are you holding up with the current workload?»
- «Is there anything I can take off your plate this week?»
- «You’ve been working hard lately—make sure you’re taking some downtime!»
3. Essential Well-being Vocabulary
Understanding these terms will help you participate in HR meetings or read company wellness newsletters:
| Term | Meaning | Example |
| Burnout | Physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress. | «We need to adjust the deadlines to avoid team burnout.» |
| Resilience | The ability to recover quickly from difficulties. | «The team showed great resilience during the merger.» |
| Work-life Integration | A modern version of «balance» where work and life blend more flexibly. | «Remote work has improved my work-life integration.» |
| Psychological Safety | A workplace environment where you feel safe to take risks and speak up. | «Our manager works hard to create psychological safety in meetings.» |
4. Grammar Focus: «I feel…» vs. «It feels…»
When discussing stress or problems, using «It» can sometimes make the conversation feel less personal and more objective, which is often better for a business setting.
- Personal (Strong): «I feel overwhelmed by this project.»
- Objective (Professional): «It feels like the current timeline is a bit unrealistic given our resources.»
Tip: Use «It feels…» when you want to focus on the situation rather than just your personal emotion.
5. The Importance of «Unplugging»
In a world of constant notifications, «unplugging» (completely disconnecting from digital devices) is a buzzword for a reason.
- To sign off for vacation: «I will be completely offline until Monday. For urgent matters, please contact John.»
- The «Digital Detox»: «I’m doing a digital detox this weekend to help me stay focused for our launch on Monday.»
Your Action Step for this week: Practice setting a professional boundary. Imagine a colleague asks you to do an «extra» task when you are already busy. Write your response in the comments using the phrase «full capacity» or «deprioritize.»
Example: «I’d love to help, but I’m at full capacity today. Could we look at this on Wednesday instead?»
The London Eye - English Consultant 