May is a good time to add a to-do-list item that might bring some relief to your work life: Check your stress levels. It’s Mental Health Awareness Month. With many Americans living with chronic stress and burnout, we’re offering practical ways to recognize and address these struggles.
“When we’re navigating mental health issues or experiencing increased stress, our mental energy is spent on coping with these problems and just getting through each day,” says Maryann Siebert, a mental health clinician and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) supervisor with ThedaCare At Work. “This leaves less energy to focus on other areas of life such as work.”
The mental strain can result in increased errors or lower productivity at work, interpersonal conflicts, attendance issues and an inability to stay focused and remain effective on the job. Conversely, workplace stress also can spill over into people’s personal lives.
Increasing Issue
Multiple studies and surveys have shown cause for concern over the state of mental health as it relates to work life.
- Around 75% adults in an American Psychological Association survey reported physical or emotional symptoms related to increasing levels of stress over the past five years, impacting relationships at work and home.
- Up to 38% of employees felt their productivity — including staying focused on work — suffered due to mental health, according to a 2025 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) poll.
- In a 2024 NAMI study 52% of American workers reported feeling burned out at work.
Compounding Problems
Siebert notes people might try to “fix” the situation and get life back on track by seeking a new job. However, that not only leads to higher turnover for workplaces but also a greater likelihood of financial difficulties and employment instability for the individual.
Rather than jumping to a solution, it’s better to address the root cause of dissatisfaction. Think about what’s happening when you find yourself disengaged or unable to meet obligations or perform to previous standards, Siebert says.
“Ideally, we want to have a healthy lifestyle established that helps us weather stressful times,” she says. “But when we just can’t find the energy and motivation and don’t feel effective in our work, or we’re easily overwhelmed, it could be a sign of mental or emotional exhaustion.”
What happens outside of work also can impact performance on the job. Examples include going through a major life change such as divorce or the death of a loved one. Even positive changes such as getting married or having a child can bring new stresses.
“Someone who is going through something on a personal level could appear irritable and less reliable and productive at work, but they are actually experiencing very normal aspects of a life change,” Siebert says.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of extreme stress and overwhelm can include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Increased negative feelings
- Withdrawal from others
- Irritability
- Inability to focus
- Muscle and headaches
- Digestive programs
Healthy Habits to Adopt
To effectively treat stress and overwhelm, Siebert says it’s important to manage mental health issues in all areas of life: both at work and outside of it.
She recommends three ways to do so:
1. Reflect on what has worked in the past and recommit to those practices.
2. Take care of your whole body by ensuring you are:
- Feeding your body well
- Getting exercise daily
- Giving yourself adequate rest
- Maintaining healthy social interactions with a good support network
- Allowing downtime to pursue fulfilling activities and hobbies
3. Find someone dedicated to listening often. This may or may not be a mental health professional. Just having someone to hear or understand us can be the first positive step to feeling well again.
When to Seek Help
“It’s important to seek help from experts when things don’t seem to be getting better despite your best efforts,” Siebert says.
Depending on your situation or resources available to you, this could come from:
- EAP experts, who can guide you through short-term and solution-focused services available through quick and easy access.
- Primary care teams, who can assess how stress might be impacting physical health. They also can help connect you to additional treatment and resources.
- ThedaCare Behavioral Health specialists, who can address mental health concerns. ThedaCare Behavioral Health Walk-in Care in Neenah is open Monday through Friday and offers a no-appointment-needed way to connect to mental health care.
For concerns about physical or mental safety, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Additional help for mental health crises is available through calling 988 or texting HOPELINE to 741741.
Happy and Whole
“When people can bring their best selves to work, it leads to greater well-being,” Siebert says. “We want everyone to know help and support are available to them.”
Employers seeking EAP workplace mental health solutions can explore more through ThedaCare At Work.
