Stress Relief & Self Care in Research

09/16/2026

Written by Jessica Salamacha, BS, CCRC, NRCMA, Sr. Quality Assurance Analyst at CommonSpirit Research Institute

The day ends and you close your laptop, but does your mind stop? Do you continue to worry about your to-do lists? As clinical research professionals, we are trained to anticipate needs, monitor risks, and manage details. However, this forward-focused approach often prevents us from slowing down. Many of us constantly multitask, juggling current and future demands. While our work is exceptionally meaningful, it can cause exhaustion and, without proper stress relief and self-care, lead to burnout.

Self-care has become a popular topic, but we often think it requires considerable time commitments like extensive workouts, tracking our hydration intake, or daily affirmations. While important, these are not always realistic in light of our endless to-do lists.

Let us take a moment to explore four small practices to manage stress and practice self-care.

Smile
A smile reduces stress. Train your brain to release those feel-good chemicals like endorphins and serotonin. Even a fake smile can slow your heart rate and relax your body!

Pause
In our profession, we rarely allow ourselves a moment to mentally reset as we move continuously between participants, projects, and meetings. After you take a moment to read this article and before you move to your next task, I encourage you to pause for a one-minute break. Roll your shoulders down and away from your ears, let out your breath, and relax the jaw that you just realized you were clenching. Take a long breath in and then out, and ask yourself what positive outcome you can identify from the task you just finished. Our brains require time to transition between activities. When you take a moment to reset, you reduce your stress.

Step Away
Don’t eat your lunch at your desk or while multitasking. Too often it is easier to just continue with the task at hand instead of taking the time you deserve. Prioritize your earned meal break by changing your environment. Go outside or find a peaceful spot to have your lunch and step away from your workspace. This can be an effective self-care practice that helps reduce stress.

Celebrate
In a world overloaded with data requirements, meetings, and requests, remember to celebrate your work wins, such as the completion of a successful monitor visit, the early identification of an issue, or the acquisition of a new skill. Find and create joyous moments that reduce stress and increase serotonin and use that to your advantage!

Self-care in clinical research does not have to be about adding more tasks to your already packed schedule. It is about you and how you make the choice to reclaim small moments of peace throughout your day. Tomorrow, when you feel the stress build, choose just one of these practices. Pause, smile, step away, or celebrate a win. Take care of yourself first to ensure you have the energy and clarity to continue doing the vital, life-changing work your trials demand.