11 Sad Things That Start To Happen When Someone Feels Constantly Overworked & Underappreciated
GaudiLab | ShutterstockNot many people genuinely feel like 100% present in their daily lives as they manage the chaos of work. Often working themselves very hard toward burnout, it can negatively affect their relationships and time spent alone to recharge. Plenty of individuals believe they're committed to that kind of lifestyle, but the feasibility of actually flexing so many intentional muscles at once feels less realistic the more they take on stress and receive less gratitude.
Unfortunately, there are sad things that start to happen when someone feels constantly overworked and underappreciated, even if they're not actively aware or conscious of what's happening. But their self-esteem suffers and it becomes much more difficult to effectively care for themselves and nurture their relationships. By acknowledging the pressure they put themselves under, they can make space for more productive boundaries, as well as a new mindset that’s reassuring and supportive.
Here are 11 sad things that start to happen when someone feels constantly overworked and underappreciated
1. They feel angry and frustrated about the little things
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Irritability is one of the most common signs of burnout, which can indicate a person is feeling constantly overworked and underappreciated. When we don’t feel valued in a pursuit of attention and validation from others, we’re more likely to take on a negative attitude and mindset that sparks this short fuse.
Everything everyone says is annoying. The basic tasks we do without thought everyday suddenly become grievances. Even the hobbies, conversations, and passions that typically bring us joy start to feel dull. By recognizing where this irritability stems from, you can take actionable steps towards better boundaries and intentional quality time with yourself.
2. They struggle to sleep
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Working long hours or feeling drawn towards work as an escapist route from our personal struggles can take away time we’re meant to spend sleeping. The average adult should sleep between 8 and 10 hours each night, but there’s more nuance to the connection between our emotional state and sleep patterns.
A study from Sleep Medicine found that the cognitive and emotional impairment sparked by burnout, both in professional spaces and in our personal lives and relationships, are two of the biggest predictors for our duration and quality of sleep. When we’re stressed, no matter how or where it’s happening, we're less likely to get the sleep we need to effectively function.
3. They're constantly sick
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Being overworked with long hours and insurmountable tasks can be physically exhausting, taking a toll on the immune system and general health in profound ways. There’s even a link between the emotional turmoil we face and our body’s general well-being.
Our bodies tend to react negatively to long-term stress and emotional distress in a variety of ways, sparking gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and immune system problems. If someone is feeling “off” or can’t get rid of a nagging cold, they might want to consider their mental and emotional health, not just fend off symptoms with reactionary medicine and annoyance.
4. They yearn for gratitude
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Even after finishing a project at work or accomplishing a series of tasks for their boss, the nagging, empty, and uncomfortable feeling of resentment may bubble up when they're not met with gratitude for their work. They're driven toward small acts of kindness, but disappointed every time when they’re not reciprocated or met with kindness or thanks.
Making a routine of doing small acts of kindness is beneficial in its own ways, but those positive feelings can be quickly overshadowed when we don’t feel appreciated. At the end of the day, it's best to pinpoint these moments of discomfort and figure out how to open conversations about feeling unheard.
5. They dread going to work
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Workers who are burdened with the symptoms of burnout often dread going to work everyday, overcome with an inescapable feeling of anxiety and chronic stress when they think about being there. Of course, there’s a million reasons why someone might feel this way, whether it's stagnancy in their career or limited growth opportunities.
Anxiety can feel all-encompassing, from our emotional experience to our physical one. That feeling of dread may seem like it's the end of the world, but finding productive ways to calm anxiety makes it easier to craft basic boundaries at work.
6. They speak negatively to themselves
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Even the most confident and self-assured people fall into ruts where they can’t help but be overly critical towards themselves. While it might feel impossible in the moment to acknowledge and work out of, figuring out what’s causing that negative mindset can be profoundly impactful.
The people we surround ourselves with in the workplace can shape our reality and overall mood. So, when we’re feeling unheard, overworked and underappreciated in those daily interactions at work, it can mold our mindset in negative ways, urging us to echo and digest the uncomfortable feelings and criticisms of our peers onto ourselves.
As workshop leader Elizabeth Scott suggests, even if you can’t fully transform your negativity into positivity, consider opting for neutrality instead. Catch your inner critic in its tracks and retrain your brain towards more productive language. For example, “I can’t” becomes “this is challenging,” and “I hate” becomes “I don’t prefer.”
7. They procrastinate more often
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In addition to having trouble concentrating and completing tasks, when someone feels constantly overworked and underappreciated, they may begin to procrastinate, despite being labeled a “high-achiever” or successful time-manager their entire lives. Often happening on autopilot, procrastination manifests as a escapist route towards dopamine or rest, something people experiencing burnout have struggled to prioritize for themselves.
By not making space for the things we enjoy or the rest our bodies and minds need, our brains inevitably force us to prioritize a break with procrastination. By recognizing what your brain escapes to during these moments of forced restfulness, you can narrow down what it is that you need.
8. They don't make plans or leave the house
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Even the most sociable people fall victim to isolating habits and other symptoms of loneliness when they feel burnt out or underappreciated. Their negative self-talk persuades them to cancel plans, and their endless stream of work projects stresses them out too much to leave the house. It’s an experience everyone has likely lived through, whether they were consciously aware of it or not.
Author and life coach Dr. Whitney Gordon-Mead argues that this kind of isolation, sparked by stress, anxiety, and overwhelm, tends to feed into a larger cycle of discomfort that only exacerbates these negative emotions and experiences. The more we isolate ourselves, the less we connect with others, and the more time we have for overthinking and doomscrolling.
9. They're not motivated to set new goals
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Struggling to envision the future is often a defense mechanism to deal with unresolved trauma, especially in people struggling emotionally. Sparked by distrust of and disappointment in the people around them, their lack of motivation can result from feeling constantly overworked and underappreciated.
They're unable to set new goals and envision their future life. But by committing to small habits like journaling or speaking with a trusted loved one, people can open up about their struggles and get to the bottom of what could be pessimism or deeper emotional turmoil.
10. They feel a misguided need for control
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Because their needs are consistently unmet and their emotions are invalidated in the workplace, it’s common to experience a misguided need for more control. The anxiety and chronic stress associated with toxic relationships, even at the professional level, can be taxing to the point where we feel we need to take control in unhealthy and unproductive ways.
It could be caused by something as simple as a boss taking away certain privileges after an error or giving a promotion to someone undeserving of it. People want to control the narrative of this relationship in ways they believe will make you them heard and appreciated.
11. They never feel good enough
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Whether it's colleagues or bosses putting them down for not pulling their weight, missing deadlines, or even scolding them despite reaching their goals, when someone is underappreciated and overworked, they may begin to believe that they aren't deserving of anything good. As a result, they feel anxious, disconnected, and build resentment.
If a job is making a person feel this way, it's important for them to take a step back from the situation, consider whether they want to stay at this job, and even seek out professional help. Their co-workers and managers may not see them as essential, but their work speaks for itself at the end of the day.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
