06/22/2026
Stress in the Workplace: A Common Pattern We See
Consider “Mark,” a composite of many professionals we’ve worked with.
Mark is in his late 30s. He’s competent, reliable, and well-liked at work. Over the past year, his responsibilities quietly expanded. A colleague left and wasn’t replaced. Meetings increased. Deadlines tightened. Leadership emphasized “doing more with less.”
At first, Mark stepped up. He told himself it was temporary.
But months passed.
He started waking up at 3:00 a.m. thinking about unfinished tasks. He checked email before getting out of bed. He stopped going to the gym because he “didn’t have time.” At home, he felt irritable and distracted. Small inconveniences felt overwhelming.
When he came to therapy, he didn’t say he was burned out. He said, “I just need to manage my time better.”
As we explored further, it became clear the issue wasn’t time management. It was chronic over-responsibility, unclear expectations, difficulty setting limits, and a nervous system that hadn’t slowed down in months.
Mark didn’t need to become less ambitious. He needed:
• Clearer communication with leadership
• Permission to stop over-functioning
• Consistent boundaries around availability
• Tools to regulate stress during the day
Once those shifts began, his sleep improved. His irritability decreased. And work felt demanding but no longer all-consuming.
We recently published a blog on workplace stress and burnout. If this feels familiar, you can read more here: https://core-centers.com/blogs-and-articles
