Q: Our office had to close for two days due to the approaching storm that, thankfully, never arrived. We were paid for the missed days, which is appreciated by all. But even though there’s a sense of relief, everyone is still feeling stressed out. My boss doesn’t get it and wants everyone to get right back to work and even stay overtime to catch up. How do I explain the exceptional stress that our front line staff are feeling even though “nothing bad happened?”

A: Even though the stress of an impending natural disaster is something shared by every person in the geographic area (we are all glued to the news, all are preparing and all are worried), the stress grows exponentially if you are financially pinched and working full-time.

Your boss might be financially comfortable and may not stress about having to spend a few hundred dollars on hurricane groceries, batteries and an extra tank of gas. But for someone living from paycheck to paycheck, these expenses can easily wreck a budget.

Plus, employees with kids or pets or elderly relatives will get an extra helping of stress because all types of planning and expenses (school, child care, pet care, medicine) are needed.

And it’s not just money stress. It’s also “being-pinched-for-time” stress. After work, the lines for gas are longer, the grocery stores are packed and even parking lots are stressful. If you are retired or self-employed, you might avoid the rush. If you work, you have no choice.

Maybe your boss doesn’t have that much exposure to the lives of those who work there, which is not unusual (I’m not judging, plus paying for the off days was generous). But you can do your part in bridging this gap in understanding by explaining that even when “nothing bad happened,” just preparing for the worst can leave us drained and tired.

Another way to explain it is to compare it with the year-end holidays and Christmas. Yes, it’s stressful for everyone, but even more so if you feel responsible for others, are stretched financially and pinched for time.

Hope this helps growing some empathy all around. We all have a little PTSD — Post-Traumatic Storm Disorder.

Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box — tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to Eva@evadelrio.com