Signs of burnout, and what you can do about it
Everyone has hard weeks at work. Burnout is different. It builds slowly, when stress at work goes on for a long time without enough recovery, and it begins to affect your health, your relationships and how you see yourself.
The World Health Organization describes burnout as a result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, and points to three signs: feeling exhausted, feeling distant or negative about your job, and feeling less effective at it.
Common signs
- Exhaustion that a weekend or a holiday does not fix
- Dreading work, or feeling cynical and detached from colleagues and tasks
- Feeling that nothing you do is good enough or makes a difference
- Irritability, or snapping at people at work and at home
- Trouble sleeping, headaches, stomach problems or frequent illness
- Struggling to concentrate or make simple decisions
What can help
Name it. Recognizing that this is burnout, and not laziness or weakness, is often the first relief.
Protect small pieces of recovery. A proper lunch break, a walk, a fixed time to switch off, and enough sleep all matter more than they seem when you are depleted.
Look at the load, not only at yourself. Sometimes the problem is an unsustainable workload or unclear expectations. Where you can, have a direct conversation with your manager about priorities and limits.
Talk to someone. A trusted friend, a family member or a counselor can help you see the situation more clearly and decide what needs to change.
When to seek support
Reach out if the exhaustion has lasted for weeks, if it is affecting your health or your relationships, if you are using alcohol or other substances to get through the day, or if you feel hopeless. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, please contact an urgent help line straight away.
Workplace counseling can help you work out what to change, and can help organizations build healthier ways of working.
This article is general information and is not a substitute for professional advice. If you are worried about yourself or someone else, please contact us. If you are in danger, call 999 or 112, or see our urgent help lines.