Work Stress & Burnout: Signs, Causes, and How to Get Support

You’re not imagining it. That heaviness you carry home from the office — or the dread that sits in your chest before Monday morning — it’s real, and it’s worth paying attention to. Work-related stress and burnout have become something of an epidemic in the UK, and if you’ve landed on this page, chances are you already suspect something needs to change.

This guide walks you through what work stress and burnout actually look like, what drives them, and — crucially — what you can do about it. Not vague platitudes. Practical steps.

What Are Work-Related Stress and Burnout, and How Are They Different?

Work-related stress is what happens when the pressure placed on you exceeds your ability to cope. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines it as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work.” A looming deadline. A difficult conversation with your manager. A project that keeps expanding. That’s stress — and in small doses, it can actually sharpen your focus.

Burnout is a different beast entirely. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. It’s characterised by three things:

• Emotional exhaustion — feeling completely drained, beyond what a weekend can fix
• Depersonalisation/cynicism — growing detached from your work, colleagues, even things you once cared about
• Reduced personal accomplishment — the creeping feeling that nothing you do matters or makes a difference

Feature  |  Work Stress  |  Burnout

Duration  |  Often short-term, situational  |  Chronic — builds over weeks or months

Emotional tone  |  Anxious, overwhelmed, reactive  |  Flat, numb, disengaged

Energy  |  Hyperactive — too much urgency  |  Depleted — nothing left to give

Motivation  |  Still present (often too much)  |  Eroded or absent

Recovery  |  Can improve quickly with change  |  Requires sustained, deeper intervention

Why does the distinction matter? Because the right support looks different. Stress might ease with a holiday or a conversation with your line manager. Burnout rarely shifts without something more fundamental changing — your workload, your boundaries, your relationship with work itself. And left unchecked, burnout can spill into your physical health, your relationships, and your sense of who you are outside your job title.

How Can I Tell If I’m Experiencing Work Stress or Burnout?

You might not recognise it at first. Burnout is sneaky — it creeps in gradually, disguised as “just being tired” or “having a rough patch.” Here’s what to watch for:

Emotional Signs

• Feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope with ordinary demands
• Irritability that seems disproportionate — snapping at your partner over nothing
• Tearfulness, anxiety, or persistent low mood
• A sense of dread about work that doesn’t lift

Cognitive Signs

• Racing thoughts or constant worry, especially about work
• Cynicism — “What’s the point?” thinking
• Reduced confidence and the recurring thought: “I can’t cope”
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Behavioural Changes

• Procrastination or avoidance of tasks you’d normally manage
• Withdrawing from colleagues, friends, social life
• Overworking (paradoxically) — staying late but achieving less
• Changes in eating, drinking more alcohol, or relying on caffeine to function

Physical Symptoms

Your body keeps the score. According to the NHS, work-related stress can manifest as headaches, stomach problems, muscle tension, frequent colds, and crushing fatigue. Sleep disturbance is particularly common — difficulty falling asleep, waking at 4am with your mind racing, or sleeping plenty but waking exhausted.

What Are the Warning Signs That Stress Is Becoming Burnout?

This is the tipping point. Watch for:

• Persistent exhaustion that rest doesn’t fix — a full weekend off and you still feel shattered
• Increased detachment — you stop caring about outcomes at work, and that’s unlike you
• Reduced effectiveness — tasks that used to take an hour now take three, and the quality drops
• Emotional numbness — not angry, not sad. Just… flat. Going through the motions.

If these symptoms persist for more than two weeks and are worsening or affecting your daily life, that’s a red flag worth acting on. Not next month. Now.

What Causes Work Stress and Burnout (and What Makes Someone More at Risk)?

The HSE’s Management Standards identify six key areas where workplace problems commonly arise. But the reality is messier than a neat framework.

Common Workplace Causes

• High workload, unrealistic deadlines, and chronic understaffing
• Lack of control or autonomy — being micromanaged or having no say in how you do your work
• Unclear roles and responsibilities
• Poor management support, workplace conflict, or toxic team dynamics
• Long hours and the “always on” culture — remote working has blurred the boundaries further
• Bullying, harassment, or unfair treatment
• Job insecurity and constant organisational change

Stress Outside Work That Adds Pressure

• Caring responsibilities — whether for children, elderly parents, or both
• Relationship strain or loneliness
• Money worries and cost-of-living pressures (a significant stressor in 2024–2025)
• Health conditions, bereavement, or major life transitions

Risk Factor  |  Why It Matters

Perfectionism  |  Sets impossibly high internal standards; failure feels catastrophic

High-responsibility or frontline roles  |  Healthcare workers, teachers, social workers face sustained emotional demands

Poor boundaries  |  Difficulty saying no; work bleeds into every waking hour

Limited support network  |  Isolation amplifies stress and removes a crucial buffer

Previous mental health difficulties  |  Can lower the threshold at which stress becomes overwhelming

And that question people sometimes search for — “what is the 42% rule for burnout?” This refers to research suggesting that when your workload consistently exceeds roughly 42% of your available capacity (accounting for rest, admin, and non-productive time), you’re significantly more likely to burn out. It’s not a precise clinical threshold, but the principle is sound: chronic overload leads to burnout. Pacing matters.

What Are the Impacts and “Costs” of Burnout If I Ignore It?

This is the bit nobody wants to hear. Burnout doesn’t just plateau — it deepens.

• Mental health: Burnout is strongly associated with anxiety and depression. Research published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2019) found significant overlap between burnout and depressive symptomatology, with some researchers questioning whether severe burnout is separable from depression. It may also be linked to increased allostatic load — essentially, your body’s stress systems becoming chronically overloaded.
• Physical health: Sleep disruption, raised blood pressure, chronic pain flare-ups, and lowered immunity. Does burnout affect physical health? Unequivocally, yes.
• Work performance: Concentration problems, mistakes, reduced productivity, absenteeism — or its opposite, presenteeism (being at your desk but barely functioning).
• Relationships: Withdrawal, conflict, irritability at home. Partners and friends feel shut out. Loneliness sets in.

Early action matters. Recovery is typically faster — and less painful — when addressed before you hit rock bottom. Think of it like a physical injury: a niggling knee treated early is a world apart from a knee that’s been limped on for six months.

What Can I Do Right Now to Cope with Work Stress and Start Recovering?

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life this afternoon. Start small. Start somewhere.

1. Work out what you find stressful. Keep a simple log for a week — note what triggered stress, when it peaked, who was involved. Patterns emerge quickly.
2. Focus on what you can change. You can’t fix your entire organisation, but you might be able to renegotiate a deadline, clarify a confusing brief, or delegate one task.
3. Learn to manage stress in the moment. Box breathing (4 counts in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold). A five-minute walk. Stepping away from your screen. These micro-recovery habits genuinely help.
4. Talk to someone you trust. A colleague, a friend, a family member. Even just naming what you’re going through reduces its power.
5. Reframe unhelpful thinking. Not toxic positivity — but genuinely challenging catastrophising. “I’m going to get sacked” becomes “I’m struggling with my workload and I need to ask for help.”
6. Build resilience gradually. Realistic routines. Pacing. Saying no to one thing this week.
7. Set boundaries and switch off. Stop-start times. Phone on airplane mode after 7pm. Actual lunch breaks, away from your desk.
8. Look after your body. Sleep basics (consistent wake time, no screens before bed), movement, hydration, reducing alcohol. Boring advice. Effective advice.

How Do I Set Boundaries at Work Without Feeling Guilty?

Guilt is the tax your brain charges you for prioritising your wellbeing. It doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. Try these:

1. Clarifying priorities: “I want to do this well — which deadline should move if this is now urgent?”
2. Availability: “I’m offline after 6pm. I’ll pick this up first thing tomorrow.”
3. Capacity: “I can take this on if we pause or hand over [specific task].”

Notice: none of these say “no” outright. They redirect. They’re professional. And they protect you.

How Do I Approach My Manager or Employer About Stress or Burnout?

This conversation feels enormous. But it doesn’t have to be a dramatic confrontation.

What to Prepare

1. Specific examples of workload pressures and their impact (facts, not feelings alone)
2. What adjustments would help — prioritisation, flexible hours, phased return, role clarity
3. A willingness to collaborate on solutions (managers respond better to “let’s solve this together”)

How to Structure the Conversation

Use a simple framework: Facts → Impact → Request → Agreed next steps.

“My caseload has increased by 30% since January [fact]. I’m making errors and not sleeping properly [impact]. Could we review priorities and agree which tasks can be redistributed? [request]” Then document what you agree and set a follow-up date.

If the cause is bullying, harassment, or conflict, you may need to escalate to HR, your trade union, or a trusted senior colleague. If you feel unsafe raising it directly, that’s a valid concern — the ACAS guidance on workplace grievances outlines your options.

What Workplace Tools or Supports Might Help?

1. A workload audit or task prioritisation exercise with your manager
2. Reasonable adjustments or temporary workload reductions
3. Your Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) — many organisations offer free, confidential counselling through these. Ask HR if yours has one.
4. Stress management training or mental health at work resources

When Should I Seek Professional Help, and What Supports Are Available?

There’s no shame in reaching for help. In fact, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) emphasises that seeking support early is one of the most effective things you can do.

Consider professional help when:

1. Symptoms persist for more than two weeks and aren’t improving
2. You’re using alcohol, substances, or other avoidance strategies to cope
3. You’re experiencing panic, persistent low mood, or an inability to function at work or home

Your Options in the UK

Support  |  What It Offers  |  How to Access

GP  |  Assessment, sick note if needed, referral to talking therapies or specialist services  |  Book an appointment with your NHS GP

NHS Talking Therapies  |  Free CBT and other evidence-based therapies for stress, anxiety, and depression  |  Self-refer via NHS

Private counselling/psychotherapy  |  Flexible, often quicker access; wider range of approaches including integrative and mindfulness-based therapy  |  Search BACP or UKCP directories; Buddhist Psychotherapy offers an integrative approach

Employee Assistance Programme  |  Free, confidential short-term counselling through your employer  |  Ask your HR department

Crisis support: If you feel at risk of harming yourself or cannot keep yourself safe, please contact your GP out of hours, call 999, or reach the Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24/7).

Frequently Asked Questions About Work Stress and Burnout?

What Should I Do Next If You Think You’re Experiencing Work Stress or Burnout?

Don’t wait until you collapse. Here’s a realistic checklist:

1. Track your symptoms and triggers for one week — even brief notes on your phone count
2. Choose one or two boundary changes to implement immediately — a proper lunch break, a hard stop time
3. Speak to your manager, HR, or EAP with a specific, practical request
4. Book a GP appointment if symptoms are persistent, severe, or worsening
5. Consider counselling or psychotherapy — particularly approaches that address not just symptoms but the deeper patterns driving your stress

If you recognise yourself in this article, you’ve already taken the first step by looking for answers. At Buddhist Psychotherapy, we offer an integrative approach that combines mindfulness-based practices with established psychotherapeutic methods — helping you not just recover from burnout, but build a fundamentally different relationship with work, pressure, and yourself. You’re welcome to get in touch for a confidential conversation whenever you feel ready.