My 4x4 Stress Hack

In my late 20s when I was working at Goldman Sachs, I had a bad stretch where I lived with extreme stress.

I was consumed by the fear of not being good enough, not performing

Resulting indaily panic attacks.

I was fortunate - at that time, the company had just set up “sick rooms”- meeting rooms set aside for nursing moms and anyone who may not be feeling well.

There was a bed, an alarm, soft lights. The bedding was changed after each use.

And most importantly, use of the rooms was anonymous - so I didn’t have to worry about being found out to be “sick.”

Those rooms were a daily lifeline for me as I worked through one of the most stressful periods of my life.

For this, I am ever grateful.

And so when clients share with me about their stress or panic, I get it.

I get that no one can fully understand what you’re going through, because each person’s situation is different.

And I also get what you're going through because even though I could never claim to have gone through the same,I have had to deal with similar emotional challenges and feelings.

So it was concerning for me to see that on my recent Asia speaking tour, I noticed that mental health is more of an issue than ever before.

Anxiety over… getting a job, keeping your job, stress on the job.

For both the senior leaders I coach, and also the MBA and MSc students I speak to each year on campus.

This is also the first speaking tour where I finally gave up - and wore sneakers all this past trip.

Switching to sneakers was my way to self-care - so I wouldn’t aggravate my pain/injuries from years of standing for long periods in heels for speaking work.

I could probably put a down payment on a house with the money I’ve spent over the years on all sorts of physical therapy.

Which is why I was happy to get on a call again this year with the expert consultants Tony Tsui and Mike Khan from the global HR consultancy Mercer Hong Kong.

We share the same principles - strategic, specific, targeted, preventative, needs-based solutions.

Instead of focusing on cost-cutting in this unstable business environment

Mercer helps HR leaders design sustainable, cost-effective, “best fit” benefits solutions.

One size doesn’t fit all.

Interested to know more?

Check out our video chat on the types of benefits solutions that work for their clients, and get in touch with them for consultations: https://www.mercer.com/en-hk/solutions

And for those of you interested to know how I suggest my clients manage their stress and emotions.

It’s not rocket science… but it is part neuroscience, part behavioral science to hack your mind and body, to hack your emotions.

Here’s my 4+4 list I shared with my clients recently:

4 simple daily habits

1. Abdominal breathing

2. Exercise

3. Get some sun, best before 10am

4. Sleep (well, enough, early)

4 things to move forward

• Get absolute clarity on your priorities and ultimate goals (your “Why”)

• Minimize complaints

• Take action

• Get (qualified) help.

-Natalie

Speaking:My 2026 calendar is open for keynotes and panels, and I've already booked in events for January (US) and March (Asia). If you’re organizing a conference or corporate event and would like to explore collaboration, do get in touch.

1:1 Coaching:I work closely with a select group of senior leaders to co-create the life and success they want. My program is currently full, and my next spot is likely opening up in February 2026 - if you're interested, contact us to sign up for the waitlist.