When Work Makes You Feel Worthless: Burnout, Trauma, and the Pressure to Overperform
- Honest Hour
- May 22
- 3 min read
Are you feeling anxious, burnt out, or constantly worried you're not doing enough at work? You’re not alone—and you’re not broken. At Honest Hour Therapy, we want you to know: your worth isn’t measured by productivity.
Why “Lazy” Isn’t Just a Word—It’s a Trigger
If you’ve ever been called lazy—especially as a kid—that word hits harder than most people realize.
Maybe being “lazy” meant you weren’t being helpful enough. Maybe it meant getting ignored. Maybe it meant shame or criticism when you needed support. Many high-achieving adults learned early on that being helpful and productive was the only way to feel safe, seen, or loved.
Fast forward to adulthood: being called “lazy” by a boss or colleague doesn’t just sting—it triggers shame, self-doubt, and the need to overperform all over again.
Signs You’re Burnt Out (Even If You’re Still Showing Up at Work)
Burnout doesn’t always look like total exhaustion. Sometimes it looks like:
Dreaming about work—and waking up tired
Constantly second-guessing your value and skills
Dreading the job you used to enjoy
Feeling reactive, not proactive
Experiencing physical symptoms from stress (headaches, stomach issues, fatigue)
Wondering if you’ll ever feel fulfilled in your work again
These are all burnout symptoms, even if you’re still functioning and “doing your job.”
Why Trauma Makes Work Feel So Personal
When your nervous system was shaped by criticism, abandonment, or constant pressure to perform, work becomes more than a job—it becomes a mirror. A test. A place where your younger self tries to prove: I am enough.
So when your boss questions your performance, it confirms the fear you’ve been carrying for years.
This isn’t being dramatic. It’s your body remembering what it had to do to survive.
Is It the Job... or a Repeating Pattern?
t every job is inherently toxic—but sometimes we unconsciously choose roles that mirror past trauma:
Constantly serving others at your own expense
Following directions without using your voice
Holding everything together emotionally or logistically
Why? Because it’s familiar. But just because it’s familiar doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
If you find yourself stuck in cycles of burnout, people-pleasing, and career confusion, the issue may not be just the job—it may be what the job represents.
Choosing Yourself Might Feel Wrong (But It’s Not)
Maybe you’ve never had permission to put yourself first. Maybe choosing yourself still feels like a risk. But healing is about remembering you don’t have to earn your rest, respect, or joy.
It can start small:
Letting yourself log off on time
Taking a real lunch break
Not checking your email in bed
Saying “no” without guilt
You get to choose you—even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when it’s new.
Virtual Therapy for Burnout and Workplace Trauma
At Honest Hour Therapy, we work with cycle-breakers, high achievers, and folks learning how to stop shrinking themselves to survive.
If work has become overwhelming, anxiety-inducing, or tied to past trauma, we’re here to help.
Together, we can:
Explore your patterns and how they formed
Support you in processing work-related trauma
Help you regulate your nervous system through burnout
Clarify what’s next—for your career, your boundaries, and your healing
You Deserve to Feel Safe in Your Work Again
We offer virtual therapy in New York and New Jersey, accept Aetna, UMR, and United, and offer private pay options.
📅 Book your free consultation today
Your story matters. Your rest matters. You matter.
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