“My stomach knots up on Sunday evenings.”
Work stress and burnout
Endless workload, being unable to switch off, struggling to go in each morning. Burnout is not a diagnosis, but it is a sign to take seriously.
The World Health Organization describes burnout not as a medical condition but as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It has three dimensions: exhaustion, mental distance or cynicism towards one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy. Clients often put it as “I can’t stand the job I used to love”.
In sessions we first make the load visible: is it the work itself, the way of working, or the place work has in your life? Then we move on to setting limits, prioritising and working with the self-critical inner voice. Sometimes most of the problem lies in the workplace and individual work has limits; we talk about that openly too.
If tiredness and physical complaints have lasted a long time, I recommend seeing a doctor; physical causes such as thyroid problems or anaemia can produce similar symptoms.
What you may notice
- Spending the weekend recovering
- Your mind staying at work after you get home
- Growing distance or cynicism towards work you once enjoyed
- Getting angry at small things, impatience
- Headaches, stomach problems, getting ill often
Who is it for?
- People working at a high pace, always catching up
- Those newly promoted to management who feel the weight of responsibility
- Those thinking of leaving but unable to decide
- Those returning to work after a long illness or leave
Work stress and burnout: how we work
Making the load visible
We read one week of your calendar together and separate what drains from what restores.
Boundaries
We write the hard sentences (“This won’t be ready this week”) and try them in the session.
The critical voice
We look at perfectionism and the thought “I don’t work hard enough”.
Recovery
Small but regular steps on sleep, breaks and switching off.
Other areas of work
- Anxiety and constant worryI can’t switch off the “what ifs” in my head.
- Panic attacksWhy does my heart start racing out of nowhere?
- Depression and low moodNothing I used to enjoy gives me pleasure any more.
- Relationship patternsWhy do I keep ending up in the same kind of relationship?
- Self-criticism and perfectionismWhatever I do, it is never good enough.