Anxiety & Stress at Work: Don’t Overlook Internal Causes
Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night replaying work conversations, or waking up with a knot in your stomach wondering how you’ll get through the week?
Anxiety and stress at work are far more common than most people admit - especially for professionals in midlife, who are often carrying the weight of responsibilities at work and at home. At this stage in your career, the pressure to perform, stay relevant, and keep all the plates spinning can feel relentless. And while a little stress is good for you, when it becomes continuous and overwhelming it erodes confidence, energy, health, and even our sense of purpose.
There is a lot written about the external causes of anxiety and stress at work, such as excessive workloads and lack of control.
But the internal causes, such as a lack of fit with the role and feelings of underperformance, are just as important and are often overlooked.
The good news? These internal causes are more within your control to work on and resolve.
Finding a more “authentic” fit with work and improving self-confidence might be the most fundamental shift you can make for reducing anxiety and stress at work for good.
The External Causes of Anxiety & Stress at Work
Anxiety and stress at work caused by demands & pressure
Unmanageable workloads, unrealistic deadlines, constant urgency, and insufficient resources can all trigger heightened stress levels.
How control and clarity affect anxiety and stress at work
Low autonomy, unclear expectations, shifting priorities, or a toxic work environment increase anxiety and stress.
The external causes are what your job demands of you or does not provide - these are often outside your control, or at best can only be influenced.
They need system-level fixes - for example, better role design, leadership, policies, workload, or psychological safety. As such, they are the responsibility of the company to fix.
The Internal Causes of Anxiety and Stress at Work
Internal causes are often underestimated. They are less visible but no less damaging - shaping how you relate to your role and how capable you feel within it.
Values, interests, and strengths alignment reduces anxiety and stress at work
When your role doesn’t align with your values or fails to use your strengths, it can leave you uninspired, demotivated, and anxious.
Self-perceived competence and anxiety and stress at work
Feeling under-skilled, lacking experience, or believing you’re underperforming - sometimes referred to as “imposter syndrome” - is another key driver of workplace anxiety.
Internal causes often get overlooked, and the result is that efforts made to reduce anxiety and stress are only partly successful.
Anxiety and Stress at Work: Imperative #1 – Find the Primary Source
One of the first steps in addressing workplace stress is identifying the root cause. Ask yourself:
Are your stressors internal or external?
Is the workload overwhelming, or is the issue that you feel underqualified?
Do you hate your job but feel trapped because you’re the main breadwinner?
Are boundaries and coping habits the missing link?
Clarity about the true source is the foundation for deciding whether to push for change in your current role, develop new coping strategies, or to transition to a better-fitting role.
Solutions at Work: Imperative #2 – Boundaries and Coping Habits
External causes are typically the responsibility of the employer to fix. However, you can still take steps that improve your resilience, such as:
Talking openly with your line manager about workload or clarity.
Building stronger boundaries (saying no, disconnecting after work hours).
Prioritising self-care - healthy sleep, exercise, diet, and relaxation techniques.
If your anxiety becomes overwhelming, don’t hesitate to seek medical support from your GP or counselling.
Imperative #3 – Improve Confidence and Fit
Better coping habits are important but often insufficient if the root of your anxiety lies in role misalignment or self-perceived performance gaps. Unlike external causes, these are within your control.
Six practical ways to address internal drivers of anxiety and stress at work:
Clarify your values and assess alignment with your workplace.
Conduct a strengths assessment and compare it with your role.
Define your ideal role and non-negotiables.
Audit your skills - can you fill the gaps, or is a new role required?
Seek an objective perspective on your performance.
Work with a coach to navigate these questions and build confidence.
For more resources see: Not motivated to work: Midlife Solutions; Career change advice: Does it pay to be Bold?; Career transition coach: Are they Worth It?
Want help working through the root causes of your anxiety and stress at work?
Book a free Discovery Call to build a plan for recovery and rediscover a fulfilling career.
Author: Tim Storrie
-------------- About the Author: Tim Storrie
Tim Storrie is an ICF-accredited career coach with an Oxbridge education, an MBA, and a corporate background. Having overcome his own burnout and career transition, he helps men over 40 who feel lost, burned out, or stuck to find clarity, confidence, and a career path that excites them.
Would you like to understand how career coaching can help you get clarity on a more fulfilling future?
Book a free Discovery Call at: https://www.timstorriecoaching.com/contact-me