Beyond stressed: your ultimate guide to signs of burnout

Burnout is a phrase that is being used more and more, but what is burnout? What causes burnout? How do you know if you are experiencing burnout? What are the signs of burnout? Read on to find out:

What is burnout?

Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion, which is caused by overwork or having too much stress in our lives. It leaves us feeling drained and hopeless. Many of us experience symptoms of burnout and if we can recognise the early signs we can take steps to prevent it from getting worse and allow us to make lifestyle changes that improve work-life balance and our overall well-being.

It is important to note that burnout is different from stress. Stress is a short-term reaction to difficult life events such as work deadlines, childcare issues, traffic and day-to-day issues. Typically stress subsides once the stressful situation has been resolved. We all experience stress in our day-to-day lives. In contrast, burnout develops over time and is often a result of ongoing stress without adequate recovery. Unlike stress, it leaves you feeling perpetually drained, which is not fixed by a weekend off work.

What are the causes of burnout?

One big cause that most people can relate to is our jobs. I am lucky that I have a day job that I love, with an amazing team and good supervision, but I am also aware my role is known for causing burnout. Many people, myself included work in roles that have huge workloads, challenging deadlines and lack of control or autonomy. Sadly, for many, this can be exacerbated by inadequate support from managers or colleagues, which can all fuel feelings of burnout.

Added to this outside of work, most of us have busy personal lives, which although can be rewarding can also come with personal stressors. Money worries, relationship difficulties, care-giving responsibilities, health issues and in some cases, loneliness and isolation also add to the effects of burnout.

How do you know if you are experiencing burnout?

Burnout is usually noticeable by a variety of signs. These include physical, emotional and behavioural signs.

So what are the physical signs of burnout?

Here is a list of common physical signs of burnout:

Persistent fatigue is when even the simplest of tasks feels exhausting and no amount of rest seems to fix it.
Increased headaches and muscle tension
Sleep disturbances, such as sleeping too much, not sleeping enough or waking during the night and then not being able to get back to sleep. All of which leave you feeling exhausted and can make the feelings of burnout worse.
Digestive issues, such as stomach aches, nausea, and changes in appetite, are other physical indicators of burnout, as the body’s stress response affects digestive processes.
Increased illness. Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to frequent illnesses like colds and infections.

What are the emotional signs of burnout?

Burnout doesn’t just affect the body; it can impact our emotional well-being as well. Here are some signs of emotional burnout:

Anger and irritability are more common with emotional burnout.
Anxiety is another common sign. This can manifest itself as worrying excessively about everything and anything, even things that normally you might consider silly.
Feeling emotionally exhausted. This moves on from the physical exhaustion and makes it hard to muster enthusiasm or motivation for activities that once brought joy.
Negative thinking is another sign. You may be viewing your work or even your personal relationships more negatively. This can in turn lead to feelings of isolation, as you may notice yourself withdrawing from social interactions.
Linked with negative thinking are feelings of ineffectiveness and a lack of accomplishment. You continue to work hard but feel you are not achieving anything, which in turn can make you feel worse.

What are the behavioural signs of burnout?

So not only does burnout cause physical and emotional symptoms but it can also affect things we do. The fatigue and lack of motivation that we experience with burnout means that we withdraw from things and do less of things that we enjoy and love. Here are the key signs that burnout may be affecting your behaviours:

You are less productive than normal.
You are struggling to meet deadlines, even those that were previously manageable.
You may notice you withdraw from social situations.
You become less interested in hobbies or activities that you love and enjoy
You may accumulate more sick days.

Alternatively, burnout can also increase unhelpful behaviours. Here are some examples:

You may spend more time scrolling through your phone
You may spend more time watching rubbish TV. By this, I mean the mindless watching. There is a big difference between curling up on the sofa and watching your favourite TV program or your favourite movie as opposed to mindlessly watching whatever is on.
You may drink more, overeat or do other activities as a form of escapism.

If these signs are speaking to you, that is okay. Recognising these signs are the first step to helping to manage them and overcome them. By identifying and addressing these signs and changes, you can promote healthier coping strategies and restore balance. Some ideas to get you started can be found here and here.