Business executives may be notorious for being hardworking, but that doesn’t mean that said work does not take its toll. Even amongst young, hungry workers, odd hours, high stakes, and long workdays can start to wear them down.
The good news is that the importance of a healthy work/life balance is known to everyone, and, as a bonus, we’re also waking up to how much of a black hole endless social media feeds can be.
That’s why business executives and other stressed workers from all walks of life are looking for new ways to de-stress in 2026 and beyond:
Gaming
One way that workers are looking to de-stress and have fun is by gaming. Thanks to advancements made both to phone hardware and by game developers, mobile gaming has reached record highs.
Not only does this mean the appetite for making new mobile games is strong, but it also means that the field of options is absolutely massive.
You could challenge yourself to a live game of poker on Lonkero casino, or treat yourself to a quick slots game between meetings or on your lunch break, for example. You can also try out a puzzle game, a shooter game, or even a racing game. There are endless titles to choose from, ranging from 100% free to premium.
Podcasts
Podcasts are excellent, short-form, and episodic. Unlike full audiobooks, they can be listened to on your commute into work and be finished by the time you pull into the parking lot or during your lunch hour. You may even be able to listen to podcasts during work, if you’re doing something manually or mentally simple, like data entry.
Podcasts can help take you out of your environment, and their shorter-form content means you can start and finish them in a snap. You can learn something new, listen to comedians, catch up on the news in your favorite sport, and so much more.
Wellness Gyms
Increasingly, workers are heading to wellness gyms that offer more than just a place to do strength training and cardio. These gyms include saunas, steam rooms, and jet tubs to allow for a full-body reset. You cannot take your phone into these spaces either, giving executives who feel digitally burnt out for the day to detox both physically and mentally. You may also want to look into classes like yoga or breathing meditation to further the benefits.
Massages
Many top firms and businesses are now offering their employees free massages at work. Even if you have to get a massage outside of work, there are now plenty of providers offering subscription-based massages that allow you to spread out payments and benefit from relaxing massages that can help eliminate physical stress in your body.
Health Tracking
So much of our health and our ability to manage stress boils down to our physical health. That’s why you’ll find more executives today using wearable health trackers and apps to keep up to date on their micros, macros, and general health. Something as simple as making sure to eat more iron can make a big difference in your energy levels and ability to handle stress, for example.
Boundary-Setting
Finally, you’ll find that more executives and hard-working professionals today are building better boundaries. These can be mental. For example, listening to a podcast or audiobook on your way home that has absolutely nothing to do with work can help you switch off and reset for when you get home. Add in boundaries like the fact that you do not look at your work email at home, and you can really start to build downtime that actually works.
