If you find yourself waking up with a knot in your stomach before work, replaying stressful moments in your head at night, or feeling on edge during the workday, you’re not alone. Work anxiety is more common than most people realize especially for high-achieving professionals who set high expectations for themselves.

As a Sarasota-based therapist, I work with clients who feel like they’re constantly in fight-or-flight mode at their jobs. Many of them wonder: Why does work make me so anxious?

Let’s break down what might be going on, how it shows up, and what you can do about it.

What Is Work Anxiety?

Work anxiety (also known as corporate anxiety) isn’t just feeling stressed before a big presentation or having a tough week. It’s a consistent sense of worry, dread, or overwhelm that shows up in relation to your job. You might notice it before, during, or even after work hours—sometimes on weekends, too.

If you’re in the Sarasota or greater Florida area and this resonates, know that work anxiety is not a personal flaw. It’s often a combination of environmental stressors, perfectionism, nervous system dysregulation, and sometimes unresolved trauma.

Common Reasons Work Triggers Anxiety

Unrealistic Workloads
Too many tasks and not enough time can keep your nervous system in a constant state of overdrive.
Perfectionism
If you feel like everything you produce has to be flawless, even small mistakes can feel catastrophic.
Toxic Workplace Culture
Unclear expectations, gossip, micromanagement, or poor leadership can make you feel unsafe or unsupported.
Always Being “On”
Many workplaces now expect employees to be available for 8+ hours a day: back-to-back meetings, constant Slack or email notifications, and the pressure to respond immediately. This 24/7 accessibility leaves little time to breathe, process, or recover, keeping your nervous system on high alert.
Fear of Failure or Criticism
If feedback feels personal or your job security feels shaky, anxiety can spike.
Unresolved Stress or Trauma
Past negative work experiences or even experiences outside of work can resurface in workplace dynamics.
People-Pleasing Tendencies
Saying yes to everything and avoiding conflict might keep the peace short-term but can lead to burnout.

How Work Anxiety Shows Up

Work anxiety isn’t just mental - it shows up in your body, too. Some signs include:

Trouble sleeping before workdays
Stomach issues or headaches during the week
Feeling irritable or drained after meetings
Difficulty focusing or making decisions
Avoiding certain tasks or people at work
Hypervigilance: that constant feeling like you’re about to be called out, criticized, or in trouble, even if nothing has happened. Your body might feel tense, restless, or on guard all the time.

If these symptoms sound familiar, they’re signals from your body that something needs to change. Click here to learn more.

How Therapy Can Help

As a Sarasota, Florida therapist, I help clients identify the root causes of their work anxiety and create strategies to regulate their nervous system and set boundaries at work.

I often use approaches like:

EMDR Therapy and intensives to address underlying trauma or anxiety triggers
Mindfulness and Somatic Tools to calm your body in the moment
Boundary-Setting Strategies so you can protect your energy without guilt

When we work together, we don’t just manage symptoms - we get to the root so you can feel more confident, grounded, and in control.

**Why Does Work Make Me So Anxious? | Florida Therapy for Corporate Work Anxiety**

Ready to Feel Better About Work?

You deserve a career and a life that doesn’t leave you constantly on edge. If you’re in Sarasota or anywhere in Florida and you’re ready to address your work anxiety, I can help!

Schedule a consultation to learn more about working together. Therapy can help you not only survive work but start enjoying life outside of it again.

book your free consultation