In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the signs that we’re running on empty. Many of us are struggling in silence between work demands, family responsibilities, and the pressure to keep everything together. If you’ve been feeling emotionally numb or simply not like yourself, you might be experiencing burnout. Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by extensive stress which can be work-related, stem from caregiving, or simply juggling multiple responsibilities. If you’ve ever felt completely drained or running on autopilot, you are not alone. Burnout is increasingly common, but also treatable. This article will help you recognize the warning signs, understand what causes burnout, and offer practical steps to begin your recovery.

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Common Signs of Burnout

Burnout can show up in different ways for individuals. Here are a few common signs:

Physical Symptoms:

• Persistent fatigue and lack of energy
• Weakened immune system; frequent illness
• Regular headaches or muscle tension
• Changes in appetite
• Ongoing exhaustion that isn't relieved by rest
• Sleep disturbances

Emotional Symptoms:

• Feelings of failure or chronic self-doubt
• A sense of helplessness, defeat, or being trapped
• Emotional detachment or feeling isolated
• Loss of enthusiasm and drive
• Increased negativity or cynicism
• Reduced sense of achievement or satisfaction
• Difficulty focusing or maintaining attention
• Irritability and feeling emotionally overwhelmed

Behavioral Symptoms:

• Avoiding or neglecting responsibilities
• Withdrawing from social interactions
• Delaying tasks or needing more time to complete them
• Turning to food, alcohol, or substances to cope
• Lashing out or taking frustrations out on others
• Being late to work, leaving early, or skipping altogether

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Causes of Burnout

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight but often builds slowly over time. Understanding the root of your burnout is important for recovery. A workplace setting may induce burnout through excessive stress, unclear expectations, too many deadlines, or poor working hours and conditions. You may also experience burnout through your personal relationships and support systems through lack of support and appreciation or poor communication. Lastly, as an individual who is experiencing burnout, you may struggle with perfectionism, people-pleasing tendencies, or lack of self care routines. It is important to recognize all the ways different personal and societal factors may increase your risk for burnout. 

Some Theories Behind Burnout:

Have you ever wondered why burnout occurs and what makes it so common? According to Edú-Valsania et. al (2022), there are various theories that help to explain burnout through social psychology: 

Social Cognition Theory: 

This theory is rooted in self-efficacy, self-confidence and self-concept. This theory explains higher risk of burnout if an individual has negative experiences of failure, lack of inspirational models, and lack of constructive feedback. 

Social Exchange Theory: 

This theory explains when a person does not see the results they expected in accordance with their workload. To avoid discomfort or dissatisfaction, a person may choose to dissociate and increase risk of burnout. 

Organizational Theory: 

 This theory aids in explaining burnout as a consequence of larger system stressors and lack of individual coping skills. An individual may experience burnout due to low self-fulfillment and high expectations from internal and external pressures. 

Demands-Resources Theory: 

This theory explains burnout as a result of insufficient resources or tools to be able to cope with the demands required of you. This theory would most likely be relevant for those in a high achieving environment that also lacks positive work conditions. 

Structural Theory:

 This theory describes burnout through a series of consequential actions beginning with the stressor, implementing an unsuccessful coping strategy, feelings of inadequacy, and then symptoms of burnout. Recognizing this cycle is vital to creating healthier habits and systematic changes for sustainability.

Theory of Emotional Contagion: 

This theory can help to explain burnout through evaluating the systems you interact with and recognizing the ways they may contribute to your burnout. If you work with colleagues who are burnt out or hang out with friends who are emotionally drained, you are more likely to experience symptoms of burnout due to humans' natural instinct to imitate and synchronize. 

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Burnout in Specific Roles

Burnout can look different depending on the various roles you play in your life. Here are some quick examples:

• Parents: Emotional exhaustion, guilt, and feeling like you’re failing your children.
• Healthcare workers: Compassion fatigue, detachment from patients, sleep disruption.
• Remote workers: Isolation, blurred work-life boundaries, digital overload.
• College students: Academic pressure, perfectionism, and loss of motivation.

Your environment and systems you interact with play a significant role in your likelihood of burnout. With this in mind, mental health promotion and burnout prevention (i.e. appropriate paid time off, honest communication, etc) are key factors to promoting healthy socioemotional well-being (Gaspar et. al, 2024).

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The Difference Between Stress and Burnout

It’s important to distinguish between stress and burnout. Stress usually involves over-engagement and urgency, but it is a temporary feeling. On the other hand, burnout involves disengagement and exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress. This often leads to feelings of detachment and ineffectiveness.

While stress can sometimes serve as a motivator, burnout leaves you feeling drained and unable to function. People who are experiencing stress often believe that if they can just manage everything that things will improve. Burnout is different from stress. It’s characterized not by having too much, but by feeling depleted. When you're burnt out, you may feel emotionally empty, mentally exhausted, unmotivated, and disconnected. If stress feels like you’re drowning in responsibilities, burnout feels like you've dried up completely. While stress is usually something you’re aware of, burnout can creep in unnoticed. Lastly, stress is often recognized by an individual; however, burnout can often go unnoticed. Noticing these differences can help determine how you choose to manage these symptoms. 

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How to Start Managing Burnout

Managing burnout is not about pushing through it. We should be focusing on slowing down, reconnecting, and prioritizing our well-being. We want to focus on increasing our ability to cope with burnout. Additionally, we want to be able to work to prevent burnout so we can lessen the likelihood of it occurring. Here are some strategies to manage burnout:

1. Reclaim Your Boundaries: Learn to say no. Reassess your workload and give yourself permission to set boundaries (even with your loved ones).

2. Rest Without Guilt: Rest isn’t a reward, it’s a requirement. Prioritize sleep, take breaks, and embrace moments of doing nothing without feeling guilty.

3. Reconnect with What Matters: What brings you peace or joy? Start adding these back into your routine (i.e. a walk, music, reading, favorite sweet treat).

4. Talk About It: You don’t have to go through burnout alone. Talking to a loved one or therapist can help you manage emotions, find clarity, and build tools to feel better.

5. Make sure basic needs are met : Have you eaten? Have you drank water? Have you slept? Have you had movement? Remember to prioritize your needs and self care routines. 

6. Revisit your time management skills: Prioritize tasks, create to-do lists, and avoid procrastination to manage your workload more effectively. 

7. Limit screen time: Reduce exposure to screens to improve sleep quality and reduce opportunity for negative comparison. 

8. Building a strong support system: As stated earlier, burnout can be contagious, so to prevent burnout surround yourself with people who allow you to show up authentically and celebrate your accomplishments. 

Burnout can leave you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and disconnected, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your story. You can begin to take steps toward recovery by paying attention to your physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. This process isn’t about fixing everything overnight, rather it’s about making space for the “three R’s”: rest, reflection, and reconnection. By practicing the “three R’s” you can begin to recover and rebuild a healthier and more sustainable life. Remember that you’re allowed to slow down, you’re allowed to ask for help, and you’re allowed to put yourself first. 

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References: 

• Burnout Symptoms, Treatment, and Tips on How to Deal
• Burnout: Signs, causes, and how to recover
• Gaspar, T., Gaspar, T., Carvalho, M., & Matos, M. (2024). Burnout as a multidimensional phenomenon: How can workplaces be healthy environments?. The European Journal of Public Health, 34(Suppl 3).
• Edú-Valsania, S., Laguía, A., & Moriano, J. A. (2022). Burnout: A Review of Theory and Measurement. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(3), 1780.