Still Feeling Anxious After Your First Week Back at Work? You’re Not Alone
For many people, the first few days back at work feel like something to get through. You open the inbox, attend the meetings, and tell yourself things will settle once you’re back in routine.
But a week in, you might still feel tense, exhausted, or on edge. The anxiety hasn’t lifted. You’re functioning, but it doesn’t feel comfortable. You might even be telling yourself you should be coping better by now.
If that’s where you are, you’re not failing. Ongoing anxiety after returning to work is extremely common — and it’s one of the reasons people often reach out for support at this time of year.
What I Often See in the Therapy Room
When people come to me after returning to work, they often describe similar experiences:
A constant feeling of pressure or urgency
Difficulty switching off in the evenings
Self-doubt about performance or capability
Overworking to keep anxiety at bay
Feeling emotionally drained despite “managing”
These experiences aren’t a sign that someone can’t cope. They’re usually a sign that the nervous system has stayed in a heightened state for too long.
A big part of my work involves helping people understand why this is happening and what keeps it going — without judgement or pressure to “just push through”.
Why Anxiety Can Linger After You’re Back
Many people expect anxiety to ease once they’re back in routine. When it doesn’t, self-criticism often creeps in.
In my work, we slow things down and look at:
The expectations you’re placing on yourself
How you’re responding to pressure at work
The ways you might be coping that actually keep anxiety going
Patterns that may have been present long before the break
Often, anxiety lingers not because you’re doing something wrong, but because you’ve been relying on coping strategies that worked short-term but are no longer sustainable.
How I Help With Work-Related Anxiety
Rather than focusing on labels, my approach is practical and collaborative. I help people:
Make sense of what’s driving their anxiety
Identify unhelpful patterns in how they think, work, and respond to stress
Reduce constant tension and overworking
Rebuild confidence in a way that feels steady rather than forced
This isn’t about changing who you are or lowering standards. It’s about working in a way that protects your wellbeing while still allowing you to function and perform.
Addressing the Pressure to ‘Be Back to Normal’
One of the most common themes I work with is the pressure people put on themselves to “be back to normal” after a week or two.
Together, we look at:
Where these expectations come from
Whether they’re realistic or fair
How they affect your mood, energy, and anxiety
Learning to relate differently to these internal pressures often reduces anxiety far more than trying to silence it.
When Overworking Becomes Part of the Problem
Many people cope with work anxiety by working harder. Staying late, skipping breaks, constantly checking emails — these behaviours often come from a place of responsibility, not weakness.
In therapy, I help people recognise when these patterns are:
Maintaining anxiety rather than reducing it
Contributing to exhaustion or burnout
Reinforcing fear about slowing down
From there, we experiment with more sustainable ways of working that still feel safe and responsible.
Rebuilding Confidence Without Forcing It
Confidence rarely returns just because we tell ourselves everything is fine. In my work, I help people rebuild confidence gradually, by:
Noticing what they’re already coping with
Reducing self-criticism around performance
Testing out changes at a manageable pace
This often leads to a steadier sense of confidence — not the kind that depends on constant reassurance or perfection.
Is This About Anxiety, Burnout, or Both?
For some people, returning-to-work anxiety is a sign that burnout was already present before the break. Therapy can help clarify what’s going on, rather than treating everything as the same problem.
Together, we look at:
Emotional exhaustion
Boundaries and workload
Long-term stress patterns
What needs to change to prevent ongoing strain
This understanding helps guide practical, realistic changes.
When It Might Be Helpful to Reach Out
You don’t need to be at breaking point to benefit from therapy. Many people contact me when:
Anxiety hasn’t eased after returning to work
Work stress is affecting sleep or relationships
They feel constantly “on edge”
This pattern repeats after every break
Early support can often prevent anxiety from becoming more entrenched.
Support That’s Practical and Grounded
If work-related anxiety is lingering after your first week back, therapy can offer a space to pause, reflect, and work out a different way forward.
My focus is on helping you feel more settled, more confident, and better able to manage work pressures without burning out or constantly pushing yourself.
If you’d like to explore whether working together might be helpful, you’re very welcome to get in touch.
