Work can be incredibly stressful, whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by deadlines, or are struggling to adjust to a hybrid working style as more companies decide to adopt remote working on a more permanent basis. Stress is very bad for your health, and can affect your life outside of work more than you might think. If work stress is getting too much, it’s important to take action against it. Here are some key signs that it’s time to seek help for your stress levels.

1. You get a sick feeling in your stomach when you think about work, especially on a Sunday night.
   
2. You have panic attacks on the way to work, at work, and after work. 
3. You have nightmares about your home and wake up feeling sick and scared. 
4. You are often ill. 
5. You have a racing heartbeat and butterflies in your stomach. 
6. You feel the need to hide in the toilets at work to get away from the stress for a little while.
7. You feel unhappy outside of work, because you can’t switch off from work.
8. You think about calling in sick, even when you’re well, because you have too much work to do or can’t face going in.
9. You can’t enjoy the last few days of a holiday, because you are anxious about going back to work. 
10. You have Googled stress at work, or something similar. 
11. You have had an emotional breakdown at work because you cannot cope.
12. You start experiencing health problems due to stress, such as heart palpitations, high blood pressure, stomach issues, or skin problems. 
13. You are starting to show signs of depression and you are sure that is because you hate your job and feel trapped. 
14. You can’t sleep at night and wake up feeling exhausted every day. 
15. You have begun to rely on having a glass of wine every night to calm you down and you have to drink a lot of caffeine to get you through the day. If you are relying on alcohol to cope, it might be worth looking into rehab centers. 
16. You have become withdrawn and you don’t have the energy or the time to socialise with your colleagues. You have started skipping lunch just so you don’t have to talk to people. 
17. You work really hard and spend too long in the office, but you can’t leave on time, as you are so swamped with work.
18. You have developed some nervous habits such as pacing around the room, biting your nails, shaking your legs, or sweating excessively. People can tell that you are visibly rattled. 
19. You can’t concentrate on your work anymore because you are so unhappy and stressed out. 
20. You start to think negative thoughts and have begun to feel as though you are terrible at your job.
21. You can’t cope with easy tasks, like going to meetings or presenting to clients. 
22. You are short-tempered with your colleagues and loved ones. 
23. You feel overwhelmed and get easily confused. 
24. You have lost interest in your job and each day drags. 
25. You have tried all kinds of herbal stress remedies.