Managing & Reducing Stress Stress is an everyday fact of life. When you have too much stress, or it lasts too long, it can be harmful. At work, unmanaged stress can lead to illness or injury, low productivity, and unsafe acts. But not all stress is bad. The best level of stress is that amount which improves a person’s performance without causing harmful side effects. You can manage stress and make it a more positive force in your life when you identify your stress, understand them, and take charge of the stress by relieving or preventing it. Using alcohol or drugs will...