How do I handle the stress of leaving a job well?

You want to leave the right way, but the mechanics of it, the notice period, the handover, the awkward exit talks, wind you tight. That stress makes sense. Leaving well means staying gracious in a stretch where part of you has already gone. That is genuinely hard. Here is what steadies it: leaving well is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about being clear, calm, and kind for a short, defined stretch. The notice period ends. The handover gets finished. These are temporary tasks, not a test of your whole character, and you can be decent without being flawless. Make one simple handover list, what you are working on and where it stands, and let it carry most of the weight. Keep your exit talks short and warm. You are not managing a crisis. You are closing a chapter with care, and a few good weeks are all it takes.