People Whose Co-workers Seriously Stress Them Out Usually Have 8 Relatable Reasons

Workplace stress is at a very concerning level for workers. The root causes of this stress are different for everyone, but for people whose co-workers seriously stress them out, they usually have their own relatable reasons.

1. They feel pressured to overshare

stressed worker feeling pressured by colleagues to overshare her life fizkes | Shutterstock

Oversharing is a survival instinct for people who just want to feel close with others. But with colleagues in the workplace, fishing for answers to personal questions and pressuring someone to overshare can isolate them further.

It's also stressful for someone to be around others trying to get too close. They end up filtering what they want to say and keeping those people at arm's length.

2. They already have a lot on their plate

Chronic stress can quickly harm our health, creating draining experiences that feed back into that stress. A negative co-worker might seem harmless, but for someone who already feels reactive, it can create an over-the-top reaction.

They're easily frustrated and stressed out by certain co-workers because they're already feeling out of control.

3. They're surrounded by immaturity

As adults, we're still surrounded by immaturity in different forms. We see it in people who play the victim or avoid accountability when they make a mistake. Another person's immaturity can instantly stress out someone in the workplace.

By offloading their responsibilities, these people create more work for everyone else. They might find a way to come off as innocent, but the draining energy they bring is obvious.

4. They prefer to work independently

employee feeling stressed he can't work on his own Prostock-studio | Shutterstock

For introverts who need space to think, being forced into group settings with co-workers is overwhelming. That's especially true when those colleagues don't always know how to respect their alone time.

An extroverted person might feel energized by other people and working through complicated problems, but introverts really need personal space to brainstorm. So, when their co-workers overstep their boundaries, it makes their job more stressful.

5. They're honestly pretty dysregulated already

Emotionally regulated people can show up to work and deal with negative co-workers. They aren't reactive because they're secure and calm inside, no matter what's happening around them. They don't have to control everything because they're comfortable with themselves.

If every single thing a co-worker does is stressing someone out, there's a chance they're feeling dysregulated already. They're missing out on the composure they need to set boundaries.

6. Their colleagues complain all the time

Negativity and the draining energy of a chronic complainer can be wildly contagious in social settings. Even blame-shifting behaviors quick spread in the workplace and are draining for people susceptible to absorbing another person's energy.

When they're around a complainer, they instantly feel overwhelmed and stressed. If they're spending every day stuck in meetings or office space with these people, they're going to have less energy to spend on the things that matter.

7. Nobody can answer a question on their own

Sometimes, helping one another in the workplace is what saves us. We need social support and have to ask for help. But being around co-workers who swing to the opposite side of the spectrum, asking for help too quickly and never trying to solve things on their own, can feel like a huge burden.

No matter how much we appreciate a co-worker, if they're constantly adding to our workload because they're unwilling to work through the things they don't know, it's not worth it.

8. They're spending too much time together

colleagues annoyed and arguing from spending so much time together MAYA LAB | Shutterstock

When we're burnt out, we're more emotionally reactive and irritable. Our emotional regulation skills suffer when we're stressed and exhausted. So, while it might sound silly, spending too much time with draining co-workers can send someone over the edge.

Spending time with someone who's negative for five minutes can leave a mark, but spending time with them day in and day out is another beast.

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.