10 Warning Signs When You Feel Too Stressed at Work

We all get stressed at work. It happens. Yet, there’s occasional stress, and then there’s full-on being overwhelmed. Recognizing the signs of that feeling is important, allowing you to address the cause and get you back on your feet.

When we are going through stress, it is not uncommon to have trouble concentrating at work. The ability to focus and be productive relies on a mind that’s ready to do so. Some of us can continue working unknowingly at reduced productivity, while others can’t even concentrate on their work. Either way, stress can affect our work performances.

Don’t let feelings of being overwhelmed go unaddressed and make sure you talk to a professional psychotherapist regularly. Depression and anxiety breed off sentiments like being overwhelmed. Check out these ten signs of feeling overwhelmed at work.

One – Sadness

There’s a belief that to be happy, we have to be at our dream job. Yet, that isn’t possible for everyone one to have a dream job. And, even at a dream job, you still run deal tasks you don’t enjoy, yet have to be completed. And, you might not be amped to do. Being sad now and again is normal. If you feel sadness all the time at work, it might be a sign that you need a change.

Two – Frustration

Frustration is another sign of feeling stressed at work. This emotion sometimes indicates your mind is at the end of its rope. Day-to-day frustration that carries over in the long term is especially dangerous. Frustration is something you should leave in the moment. When you take it out on yourself and others, it’s unsustainable.

Three – Irritability

This is very, very common among people struggling with feelings of being stressed at work. You may find yourself more irritable at work or at home. This happens because our systems start believing themselves to be under constant stress, putting your body in a state of ‘quick response’. At the faintest hint of frustration, you snap. This sort of irritability has to be addressed.

Four – Fatigue

Everyone reacts differently to feeling overwhelmed. A lot of us tend to shut down so to speak. The fatigue sets in. We sleep more and want to just stay in bed. Often, we start eating poorly.

Ultimately, we start giving up ourselves and making the most of our days. That’s no way to live. If you’re always fatigued, it might be time to take a break from work, re-evaluate, and find what’s important to you.

Five – Anxiety

If you don’t get fatigued with feelings of being overwhelmed, you may see the opposite occur. Anxiety, agitation, and feelings of restlessness are unfortunately common. If you experience a panic attack or start to feel frustrated without a root cause, it may be a sign that an anxiety condition is presenting itself. Fortunately, this type of anxiety is easier to treat than chronic anxiety.

Six – Lack of Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm can be tough to muster for work sometimes. The difference here is routinely feeling increased negative thoughts towards work and really not wanting to go. Enthusiasm can come and go, but a growing sense of doom is a sign that you’re stressed with what’s going on at work.

Seven – Reduced Productivity

When we are overwhelmed, there’s no way we’re going to be performing our best. You may unknowingly be driving down your performance numbers. Another thing you may noticed is decreased ability. If you’re doing a physical task or manual labor, you may be less focused on what you are doing. Remember to be careful.

Eight – Physical Pain

Yes, being overwhelmed can impact you physically. You start to experience stomach and digestion issues, headaches, general aches and pains, and tiredness. This can be a sign of numerous things, so we may not connect it to being stressed. Do question your work situation and general lifestyle if you start to notice more physical pain-like symptoms present.

Nine – Problems Sleeping

Trouble sleeping with no discernible cause can potentially be related to increased stress at work. The mind is put under so much pressure, and its ability to ‘shut off’ and relax can be non-existent. If you’re going to sleep with worries, stress, or negative thoughts around work, it might be a sign that something is wrong.

Ten – Social Withdrawal

When we’re under a lot of work stress, we can start not feeling like ourselves. An immediate reaction is to withdraw. Disconnecting from the people around you is unfortunately a coping mechanism.

A lot of us don’t want to bring negative emotions to others. Without even thinking about it, we withdraw. Then, others will do it automatically as a protection from the criticism of others.