Why you can’t switch off from work (and what might help)
If you’ve ever found yourself checking emails late at night, thinking about work in bed, or waking up already feeling tense about the day ahead, you’re not alone.
A lot of people struggle to switch off from work, even when the working day is over, even when the laptop is closed, your mind is still going.
This is a common sign of work stress or burnout.
Quick answer
If you can’t switch off from work, it’s often because your mind is still in a state of stress or alert. Slowing your breathing, grounding your attention, and releasing physical tension can help your system settle.
If you need something practical you can use straight away then try these tips: Learn how to calm work stress quickly
It’s not just about workload
People often assume this is just about being busy, or unsupported at work. Of course, that doesn’t help anyone, but the underlying reasons can be broader. Stress is usually linked to things like:
Responsibility and pressure
Feeling like things might go wrong
Wanting to stay on top of everything
Not wanting to let people down
Why your brain won’t switch off
Over time, your mind gets used to staying “on”. When stress builds, your nervious system can therefore stay in a kind of “alert” mode. It is this state, or this feeling, which is why you might:
Overthink conversations or decisions
Replay the day in your head
Think ahead to tomorrow constantly
Feel unable to properly relax, even when you’re tired, your mind keeps going.
What actually helps in the moment
Trying to “just stop thinking about it” rarely works. I’m sure you’ve been told that before. It didn’t work then either!
What helps more is giving your mind and body somewhere to shift to. This might be through:
Slowing your breathing
Bringing your attention back to the present
Releasing physical tension
If you want simple step-by-step reset advice you can find some ideas here: Learn how to calm work stress quickly.
These ideas are all about Emotional Regulation. The concepts and ideas might seem new, strange, simple, or minor - but they can work. Emotional Regulation skills are things which absolutely can be learned and we can fall back on again and again - I’ve got another blog coming up on that soon.
If this is happening regularly
If you’re finding it hard to switch off from work most days, it’s usually a sign something deeper is going on. It might be:
Ongoing pressure
Burnout
Feeling stuck or overwhelmed
Carrying too much for too long
That’s something that can be worked through and you don’t have to keep managing it on your own.
If work stress is making it hard to switch off, it can help to step back and make sense of what’s going on beneath the surface, with the help of someone skilled alongside you every step of the way to help you get there.
If you’d like my support with that then you can book a free, confidential initial assessment with me where we can discuss how I might help. Click this link to take you to my booking site, and you can pick a time and date that suits you.
Final thoughts
Struggling to switch off from work doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It usually means your system has been affected by, and adapted to, stress. It is responding, but maybe in an unhelpful way. With the right support you can fix this.