Workplace Stress and Burnout
“We don’t have to do all of it alone.
We were never meant to.”
Brené Brown
Are you feeling constantly overwhelmed and out of control at work? Do you dread waking up in the morning to another work day? Do you get the Sunday blues and feel down or depressed the night before the workweek starts? Maybe you are noticing yourself forgetting things and double booking yourself for appointments. You may be constantly procrastinating on projects and then feeling guilty and ashamed for letting things accumulate until the last minute. You may be avoiding certain people at work because the relationships are so tense and uncomfortable. You may be giving everything you have just to keep up with work and have very little left at the end of the day for your family, friends, and yourself.
If you are noticing these signs and symptoms, you may be experiencing unhealthy levels of job stress and symptoms of burnout.
Stress at work is one of the most common and biggest stressors in American’s lives. If you are feeling stressed at work, you are not alone. According to the American Institute of Stress, 80% of American workers experience work-related stress and 50% report that they need help in managing the stress better. Workplace stress and burnout can affect your personal life by bleeding into your relationships with friends and family, disturbing your sleep, and negatively impacting your mental and physical health. The Center for Workplace Mental Health reported that workplace stress causes over 120,000 deaths per year.
If you have tried to manage stress and burnout on your own but have not had lasting success, we can help. Our compassionate therapists can help you identify the causes of your stress, learn skills to manage burnout, rebuild your confidence in the workplace, and restore work-life balance so that you are thriving as a professional.
Below are some common symptoms of work-related stress and burnout that shows up in different areas of your life:
Behavioral Signs
- Perfectionism and being overly self-critical
- Procrastination
- Self-sabotaging behaviors
- Workaholism and being the over-functioner
- Difficulty following through on tasks and projects
- Forgetfulness or memory difficulties (e.g., forgetting your keys, walking into a room and forgetting why you are there, double booking appointments, etc.)
- People-pleasing behaviors
- Lack of boundaries, feeling like you cannot say “no”
- Taking on more and more responsibilities
- Depending on stimulants like caffeine to perform
- Poor work/life balance
- Taking more sick time or vacation time
- Arriving to work late more often
- Unable to relax even when you are not working
- Racing thoughts and obsessive thoughts about work
- Using instant gratifications such as TV, food, substances, and shopping to cope
- Low productivity and achievement
Emotional Signs
- Imposter syndrome
- Feelings of loneliness at work
- Feelings of dread going to work
- Fear and uncertainty about your job security or your reputation
- Fatigue and exhaustion
- Feeling tearful, sensitive, angry, irritable, cynical, or resentful
- Low motivation and apathy
- Low self-esteem
- Lost of confidence in or loyalty to the organization
- Feeling helpless, hopeless, or powerless to make changes
- Symptoms of depression
- Symptoms of anxiety
- Symptoms of trauma
- Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Physical Signs
- Muscle tension
- Shortness of breath
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Sleep difficulties (troubles falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up tired)
- Gastrointestinal problems
Relational Signs
- Not being present with your friends and family
- Not able to enjoy the things that you used to find pleasurable
- Increased irritability and conflicts with your partner and/or children
- Withdrawing from social events
- Needing more and more alone time
- Talking about work to your partner, friends and family all the time
- Forgetting important dates, events, and commitments
- Not attending to your partner, children, and friends’ needs
- Stepping away during family gatherings and vacations to work
- Decreased libido
- Your partner, friends, and family have noticed significant changes in your mood and emotional availability
If left unattended and untreated, job stress and burnout can cause long-term harm including:
- Substance use and abuse
- Decreased immune functioning
- Heart disease
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- High blood pressure
- Type II diabetes
- Damage to key brains structures can lead to reduced abilities to cope with stress
- Chronic anxiety and depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Some of the common causes of work-related stress and burnout include:
- Heavy workloads
- Working long hours
- Tight deadlines
- Workplace harassment and bullying
- Workplace discrimination and bias
- Job insecurity
- A lack of sense of belonging
- A lack of representation of people who share your identities in your peers and leadership
- Cut-throat competitiveness
- The organization lacks clear systems or policies
- Lack of clarity in expectations for performance
- Favoritism and nepotism
- Professions where there are direct or vicarious trauma (e.g., first responders, ER doctors, firefighters, therapists, etc.)
- Difficult relationships or conflicts with co-workers, supervisors, or supervises
- Lack of sense of trust from your supervisor to handle more responsibilities
- A mismatch between your values and the values of the organization
- A mismatch between your skills, time, energy, and resources with the organization’s expectations
- Feeling underpaid or undervalued for what you do
- High turnover of employees
- Changes in leadership
- Lack of supervision and mentorship to support your growth and development
- Lack of meaningful recognition for your achievements
- Feeling that your work does not have meaningful impact
- Lack of opportunities for advancement
Therapy can be a confidential and safe space for you to express and explore your relationship with work. Collaborating closely with a therapist who specializes in workplace stress and burnout can help you assess the risks to your mental and emotional health, explore the causes of your stress, practice effective coping strategies, and identify the next steps that you may want to take in your life and career. These next steps may include:
- Rebuild your self-esteem and confidence
- Break out of the patterns of overwork, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, or self-sabotaging behaviors
- Practice identifying and setting good boundaries
- Develop the assertive communication skills to have difficult conversations with your colleagues and supervisors
- Identify allies, mentors, support networks, and resources
- Advocate for your needs and provide feedback to your organization
- Apply for leave of absence due to mental health concerns
- Decide when to leave a work environment that is toxic
- Explore your career options
- Prepare for life transitions if you do decide to leave your job or career
Begin Therapy for Stress and Burnout in Our Seattle Clinic
Chronic workplace stress and burnout do not have to be your daily reality. If you are ready to have more peace, joy, and work/life balance again, we can help. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation today to learn more about therapy for stress and burnout. Our skillful therapists can help you establish a healthy relationship with work again. We look forward to connecting with you.
