Am I Burnt Out?

Burnout develops gradually, slowly depleting your energy, motivation, and overall well-being before you even realize it’s taking a toll. Unlike everyday stress, which comes and goes, burnout builds over time, making it difficult to recognize until it feels overwhelming. In today’s hustle culture where overworking is glorified, it’s even harder to spot. We’re encouraged to push through exhaustion, equating busyness with success, even when it comes at the cost of our mental and physical health. The challenge with spotting burnout is that it often disguises itself as normal fatigue or stress, making it easy to dismiss until it reaches a breaking point. Although it can be challenging to recognize burnout, there are some symptoms you can watch for.

Symptoms of Burnout

• Emotional exhaustion resulting in fatigue, lack of motivation, and feeling overwhelmed. 

• Physical exhaustion and fatigue. 

• Increased substance use which can include caffeine, food, alcohol, or drugs. 

• Withdrawing from responsibilities and things you enjoy.

• Neglecting self-care activities and personal hygiene. 

• Social isolation.

• Decrease in self-esteem, increased thoughts of self-doubt. 

If you are experiencing symptoms of burnout it is important to take action so that it does not become more severe. Consider the following ways to help you recover from burnout and to prevent future burnout. 

Ways to Recover

• Make time to rest and recover.

• Focus on self-care. 

• Find support from those around you.

• Find a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries. 

• Take time to do the things you enjoy. 

Burnout is something that should be taken seriously, as it takes a significant toll on your overall well-being. If you begin to feel overwhelmed and suspect burnout is sneaking up on you, take a step back and remember that you need time to rest. Time spent resting, is time well spent!