Design For Life

Advice column: My high-pressure job is putting too much strain on me and my family

This week, psychotherapist Siobhán Murray helps a reader to recognise the signs of burnout and advises how to approach the issue with his employer

Workplace stress can turn into burnout, which can be described as ‘emotional, physical and mental exhaustion’ brought on by ‘long-term emotionally demanding situations’

Dear Expert,

I am a man in my late 30s and work a very high-pressure job. I consider myself lucky – I have a good position that pays well, a wife whom I love and two young children. But I increasingly feel miserable.

I am always exhausted, stressed and irritable. I rarely leave the office before 6pm, never mind 5pm. The emails start pinging on my phone from 7am, greeting me as soon as I ...