Recognising Stress and Anxiety at Work
Stress and Anxiety at Work – Article 2
Stress and anxiety do not always arrive dramatically. They often build slowly through small changes in sleep, concentration, patience, confidence and physical wellbeing. Because these changes can become part of everyday life, many people continue working without realising how much pressure they are carrying.
In this article, I explore the early signs of stress and anxiety at work with a practical and compassionate focus. These signs may appear physically through headaches, muscle tension, digestive changes or exhaustion; emotionally through irritability, worry or feeling overwhelmed; and behaviourally through withdrawal, avoidance, mistakes or working increasingly long hours.
The resource considers why people may dismiss these warning signs or believe they simply need to push through. Workplace cultures that reward constant availability and treat exhaustion as commitment can make it particularly difficult for employees to admit that they are struggling.
I have written this for employees who want to understand their own experiences, and for managers, colleagues and organisations that want to respond earlier. Recognising a change does not require diagnosing somebody. It means noticing with care, creating space for an honest conversation and knowing where appropriate support can be found.
The article also encourages us to avoid comparison. What feels manageable to one person may feel overwhelming to another, and the same person may cope differently depending on what else is happening in their life. Awareness is more useful than judgement.
My hope is that this resource helps make the early signs easier to recognise before stress reaches crisis point. A supportive check-in, a realistic review of workload or one small adjustment may prevent months of worsening difficulty.
We do not need to wait until someone can no longer function before their distress is taken seriously. Early support protects wellbeing, relationships and the ability to continue contributing at work.
By Maggie Learoyd
Psychotherapist | ADHD, Autism & ARFID Specialist
Founder of Space to Breathe Therapy
