If it’s well-being you seek, then pay off your debt andstart exercising. That’s the conclusion drawn from a study ofemployees conducted by Fidelity Investments in conjunction withresearchers at Stanford.

The survey of more than 9,000 employees finds that 56 percent ofemployees say they experience a reduction in stress after beginningan exercise regime, while 71 percent say it makes them feel happierand 38 percent say it makes them more motivated at work.

Ditching an exercise habit, on the other hand, leads more thanhalf of employees to become more stressed, while 69 percent becomeless happy and 20 percent become less motivated on the job.

Debt is also a major downer for many, whichdoes not bode well for employers whose workers are increasinglysaddled with student loans and big credit card bills.

Women, who increasingly the primary or sole providers forchildren, are much more likely to say they are deeply bothered bytaking out loans. Seventy percent say that debt has increased theirstress levels, while just under half of men saythe same. Similarly, women were more likely to say that getting ridof debt makes them happier and reduces their stress.

Experiencing a reorganization at work is another major driver ofstress, the study finds. Young people and women are particularlylikely to be negatively affected by a big work change, with half ofmillennials saying that it has caused them to lose sleep and 63percent of women saying that such changes have led them to haveless satisfaction with their careers.

The study also shows that it is not just the burdens ofparenting that serve as a barrier to career fulfillment, but theburden of caring for aging parents. Just as women continue to spendfar more time than men caring for children, they are more likely toexperience negative effects from caring for older relatives.

More than three-quarter of women report being more stressed as aresult of becoming a caregiver for a sick or elderly loved one,compared to two-thirds of men, and half of women say they have lostsleep over the matter, compared to only a third of men.

Of course, just as empty nest baby boomers begin dealing fortheir aging parents, many of them are also dealing with adult kidsmoving back into the home because of a lack of good jobopportunities. Two-thirds of such parents reported higher stresslevels as a result of housing an adult child.

The different life events that are shaping employee well-beingoffers employers an opportunity to offer assistance, says KatieTaylor, vice president of thought leadership at Fidelity, in aninterview with BenefitsPRO.

Employee assistance programs are “something that many employersoffer but not many employees take advantage of,” she notes.

Reaching out to employees to let them know about resources tohelp them manage their finances, our learn how to deal with anaging parent, could go a long way in helping workers reduce stressand become more productive and engaged at work, she says.