How Do You Know If You’re Suffering from Burnout?
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight—it creeps in, often unnoticed, until it becomes overwhelming. It’s a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. While everyone experiences stress differently, there are five common symptoms that can signal burnout:
- Constant tiredness or fatigue
- Low motivation
- Increased irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble focusing or completing tasks that were once routine
- Feeling ineffective or unaccomplished
- A sense that no matter what you do, it’s never enough, and you’re not achieving anything meaningful.
What Can You Do If You’re Feeling Burnt Out?
Recognising burnout is the first critical step toward recovery. Burnout is a signal from your mind and body that your current lifestyle is unsustainable, and it’s time to take action. Everyone’s experience of burnout is different, and how you manage stress will depend on your unique circumstances. Here are some practical steps to help you regain balance and restore your energy.
Acknowledge It
Start by naming what you’re feeling. Burnout is often the result of prolonged stress, so it’s important to pause and acknowledge your emotions. Take a moment to reflect on the causes. Are they work-related? Personal? Both? Tools like the Wheel of Emotions can help you identify and better understand the range of feelings you’re experiencing.
Practical Tip:
Create some distance from the stressors, even if only temporarily. Whether it’s taking a day off work or simply stepping away for a walk, allow yourself the mental space to prioritise your well-being.
Understand It
Next, assess what’s contributing to your burnout. Is it a lack of balance in your life? Poor sleep or diet? Consider completing our Resilience Assessment to identify gaps in your self-care routines. Small changes can make a big difference.
Practical Tips:
Start by making small, manageable changes to your lifestyle. Focus on basics that rebuild your energy, such as:
Better sleep hygiene: Aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine and avoid screens before bed.
Nutrition: Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and water can help stabilize energy levels and mood.
Movement: Incorporate gentle physical activity like walking, yoga, or stretching to reduce stress and improve your mood.
Shift Your Mindset
Burnout often leads to negative thought patterns and catastrophizing. This is when the brain starts exaggerating problems and focusing solely on worst-case scenarios. Combatting this mindset starts with practicing gratitude, which has been shown to reduce stress and improve overall mental health.
Practical Tip:
Keep a gratitude journal. Every day, write down three things you’re thankful for, no matter how small. Over time, this simple habit will help shift your focus from what’s going wrong to what’s going right, fostering a more positive outlook.
Protect and Serve (Yourself)
Workplace stress is a major contributor to burnout. Setting boundaries and managing your workload is essential for both your mental health and your performance. The goal is to work smarter, not harder:
Prioritize tasks: Focus on completing high-impact tasks first and let go of unnecessary ones.
Delegate when possible: If you have a team, don’t be afraid to share the load. Delegating gives others an opportunity to grow while freeing up your own time.
Establish boundaries: Set clear work hours, schedule breaks, and stick to them. Let colleagues and managers know when you’re unavailable, and use that time to recharge.
Helping Others Recognise the Signs of Burnout
Recognising burnout in yourself is vital, but it’s just as important to be able to spot the signs in others, whether they’re friends, family, or colleagues. Offering support early on can make a significant difference in preventing it from getting worse. Here’s how you can help others recognise burnout and start taking steps to recover:
- Be Observant and Empathetic
Pay attention to the people around you. Is someone close to you showing signs of chronic fatigue, irritability, or withdrawal from activities they used to enjoy? A sudden drop in productivity, missed deadlines, or increased errors at work could also be red flags. Approach them with empathy and an open mind—acknowledging that burnout can be sensitive and personal.
Start with a conversation, not an intervention. Say something like, “I’ve noticed you seem more stressed or tired than usual. How are you feeling?” This opens the door for them to share without feeling judged.
- Encourage Reflection, Not Pressure
Sometimes, people experiencing burnout may not even realize what’s happening to them. Gently encourage them to reflect on their situation and recognize the toll stress is taking on their mental and physical health. Be sure not to pressure them into action before they’re ready, but offer support as they begin to acknowledge it.
You might suggest they keep track of how they’re feeling over the next few days in a journal, or recommend a simple self-assessment like a burnout quiz or a resilience check-in.
- Share Helpful Resources
If the person seems receptive, offer practical tools and resources. This could include recommending mindfulness exercises, suggesting they take a mental health day, or sharing links to burnout-related articles, apps for stress management, or even professional support services.
Offer to share resources that have helped you, such as a meditation app, sleep tracker, or information on healthy work-life boundaries. Suggest small, immediate actions—like scheduling time for rest or taking short breaks throughout the day.
- Support Healthy Boundaries
If you’re in a position to help at work or home, make sure the person has space to recover. This might involve reducing their workload temporarily, stepping in to assist, or simply respecting their need for downtime.
Encourage them to communicate their boundaries clearly, whether it’s to a manager, colleagues, or family members. If possible, offer to help by advocating for them at work or suggesting they delegate tasks that are overwhelming.
- Be Patient and Present
Recovering from burnout takes time, and each person’s journey will be different. Be patient with your friend or colleague as they navigate this process. Offer continued support, and remind them that it’s okay to take small steps toward recovery.
Check in regularly—not to pressure them, but to let them know you’re there if they need anything. Simple gestures, like sending a supportive message or offering to go for a walk together, can make a big difference.
