Feeling burned out at work? It may be time for a change.

ATLANTA - A 2022 Gallup poll found that stress among workers around the world is at an all-time high, and women in the US and Canada are some of the most stressed employees worldwide.

So, what can you do if your job is no longer working for you?

Licensed professional counselor Natolie Gray says the pandemic made many of us more aware of what needs to change at work.

"Any time you're away from something going back to it, you can see it from a different lens, you can feel it in a different way.," Gray says.  "And, people are experiencing that, where they are now more aware of what was already there. And, some people are deciding they don't want to do that anymore. They want to see changes."

Gray says some employers are changing, allowing employees more flexibility, about where and how they do their jobs.

But employees who work in industries like healthcare, with long hours and little control over their assignments, may be at higher risk of burnout.

On its website, Mayo Clinic says signs of burnout can include:

• Feeling cynical, or overly critical at work
• Being irritable or impatient with coworkers or clients
• Lack of energy
• Difficulty concentrating at work
• Feeling disillusioned, or unsatisfied

There can also be physical signs, such as frequent headaches or stomach upset.

And, Gray says, some of the stress we are feeling may be self-imposed.

"I read some statistics that said 90% of the things we worry about never happen, 90% of them never happen," She says.  "So, we do have what I call self-imposed stress. We do want to be mindful of that. But, also having a work/life balance that will certainly help us, having things to look forward to beyond work. Those things also could support someone who's having work stress."

So, when should you think about quitting?

Gray says that depends on how you are feeling about your situation.

"There are other people who have what I consider more of a lower tolerance, and they're like, 'I can't do this anymore,' Gray says.  "They just feel physically exhausted, emotionally exhausted, mentally exhausted."

If that sounds like you, you may need to make a change.  

Still, Gray says, the lowest-stress way to finding a new job may be to keep the one you have while you are looking for a better fit.