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thrive at work/Signs of overworking

Guide · Workload

Signs of overworking.

Overwork creeps in quietly: one more evening, one more weekend. These are the signs that the pace has become a problem.

By Jerry Fiser, Founder & CEO · Reviewed by Marcin Bulik, Research Director · Updated November 8, 2026

Last reviewed November 2026
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What are the signs of overworking?

Common signs are working most evenings and weekends, struggling to switch off, poor sleep, constant fatigue, more mistakes, irritability, skipping breaks and holidays, neglecting health and relationships, and feeling that you can never catch up.

Key takeaways
  • Overwork shows first in sleep, mood and focus.
  • Long hours for weeks lower output, not raise it.
  • Overworking can lead to burnout if recovery does not return.
  • Managers should look at team workload, not just individuals.

12 signs of overworking.

The WHO and ILO analysis of long working hours found working 55 or more hours a week linked to higher risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Psychological Association guidance on work stress describes how chronic work stress affects health.

  1. 01
    Evenings are work time. Most evenings include work.
  2. 02
    Weekends disappear. Saturday email is normal.
  3. 03
    You cannot switch off. Work thoughts at night.
  4. 04
    Sleep suffers. Tired after a full night.
  5. 05
    Breaks vanish. Lunch at the desk, every day.
  6. 06
    Holidays postponed. Or spent checking email.
  7. 07
    More mistakes. Small errors pile up.
  8. 08
    Shorter temper. Irritation over small things.
  9. 09
    Health slips. Less exercise, more caffeine, more illness.
  10. 10
    Relationships strain. Less time and patience for people.
  11. 11
    Never caught up. The list only grows.
  12. 12
    Pride in exhaustion. Busy becomes identity.
An employee checking work on his phone late at night

Overworking or burnout?

OverworkedBurned out
Main feelingToo much to doNothing left to give
After a breakRecoversDoes not recover
Attitude to workStill caresDistant, cynical
What helpsLess work, real breaksChanged conditions and longer recovery

Why working long hours is a problem.

Long hours for a few days rarely cause harm. Long hours for weeks, without recovery, lower focus and output and raise health risks. The World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization found that working 55 or more hours a week is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Overwork also crowds out sleep, exercise and time with people, the things that restore energy.

What to do about overworking.

Track your hours for two weeks, agree priorities with your manager, set a stopping time and protect sleep. For managers: look at hours and recovery by team and remove work. Overwork that continues for months is the main route to burnout.

If you are overworked.

  1. 1
    Write it down. List what you are working on and how long each task takes.
  2. 2
    Talk to your manager. Bring the list and ask which tasks matter most.
  3. 3
    Set a stopping time. Pick an end to your working day and keep it most days.
  4. 4
    Protect sleep. Recovery starts with rest; it is not optional.

How to tell your manager you are overworked.

  1. 1
    Prepare a list. What you are working on and how long it takes.
  2. 2
    Focus on priorities. Ask which tasks matter most, not whether you are working hard enough.
  3. 3
    Suggest options. Move a deadline, drop a task, share the work.
  4. 4
    Agree a check-in. Review in two weeks whether the change helped.

For managers: spotting it in a team.

Look at patterns rather than individuals: messages sent late at night, vacation days not taken, meetings that keep running over, and the same few people doing most of the urgent work. These show a team whose workload has outgrown its capacity.

Act on the work, not the person. Remove or postpone tasks, clarify priorities, spread hard problems, and make it normal to switch off. Then ask the team what changed. People who have been overworking for months often need time before their energy returns, so expect recovery to take a while.

Check capacity again after a few months to confirm that the changes stuck.

Measure it

thrive at work measures engagement (purpose, leadership, connection, growth) and capacity (energy, recovery, focus, resilience) in one anonymous survey: the employee engagement survey.

Measure capacity, not just mood

Most overwork problems show up first as falling energy, recovery and focus. thrive at work is a workforce performance platform: an employee engagement platform that also measures capacity to perform, so you can see strain by team before it turns into absence or resignations. Read more about employee capacity.

Sources.

  1. WHO and ILO analysis of long working hours. www.who.int
  2. American Psychological Association guidance on work stress. www.apa.org

Common questions

What is the difference between overworking and burnout?
Overworking is a pattern of excessive work; burnout is the state of exhaustion, distance and reduced effectiveness it can lead to.
How do I tell my manager I am overworked?
Bring a list of current work, estimate the time each item needs, and ask which to drop or delay.
What are the signs of being overworked?
Poor sleep, constant tiredness, irritability, trouble focusing, more mistakes, skipping breaks and working evenings and weekends.
Can overworking cause health problems?
Long-term overwork is linked to stress-related health problems. If symptoms persist, talk to a doctor.
How many hours a week is overworking?
There is no single number; it depends on the work and the person. Warning signs are poor sleep, constant tiredness and working long hours for weeks without real recovery.

See overload before it becomes burnout.

A 30-minute call covers what a first measurement would show.

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