Burn out and work stress

When people are under extreme work stress, the advice they often hear is “just push back” or “set better boundaries”. In reality, that is not always possible. Your role, workplace culture, financial pressures, or fear of consequences can make pushing back feel risky or unrealistic.

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Therapy can be a place where the situation is taken seriously, rather than being told to simply cope better.

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Some work stress is objective. It comes from the actual conditions you are working in.

This can include:

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• High workload and tight deadlines

• Under-resourcing or constant organisational change

• Unclear roles or expectations

• Exposure to conflict, complaints, or emotionally demanding work

At the same time, some stress comes from the way we relate to work internally, often shaped by earlier experiences or long-standing patterns.

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This might include:

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• Perfectionism and feeling like nothing you do is ever quite good enough

• Harsh self-criticism and difficulty recognising your limits

• Feeling responsible for everything and everyone

• Struggling to switch off or rest without feeling guilty

For many people, it is a combination of both. The environment places real demands on you, and the way you have learned to respond to pressure can make those demands even heavier.

Burnout can show up in different ways.

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You might notice:

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• Emotional exhaustion and feeling “done” or numb

• A reduced sense of achievement, or feeling ineffective no matter how much effort you put in

• Cynicism, irritability, or feeling detached from work or colleagues

• Physical fatigue, changes in sleep, or getting sick more often

In therapy, we take a step back and look at what is happening more clearly. This can include identifying what boundaries are realistic within your actual context, rather than in an ideal world.

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We also look at recognising the early signs of burnout, rather than only noticing once you have already hit a wall. For many people, this involves learning different ways of responding to perfectionism and self-criticism, and making more deliberate choices about work, rest, and life outside the job.

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The goal is not to make you more resilient so you can tolerate unreasonable conditions forever. The aim is to help you understand what is happening, respond with more clarity, and move toward a work-life balance that feels more sustainable.