Beyond Just Tired: What is Burnout and How Do You Recognise It?
We live in a world that often measures our worth by our productivity. We are told to "keep going," "push through," and "hustle." But what happens when your internal battery doesn’t just hit zero - it stops holding a charge altogether?
If you feel like you are constantly running on empty, you aren't just "stressed." You might be experiencing burnout.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is more than just a bad week or a need for a long weekend. It is a state of total emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged, unmanaged stress.
While it is often associated with the workplace, burnout can stem from any area of life where you feel overwhelmed and under-supported - such as caregiving, parenting, or navigating systemic injustice. From a nervous system perspective, burnout is often the result of being stuck in "survival mode" for too long. Your body has spent so much time in fight-or-flight that it eventually collapses into a state of "functional freeze" or shut down.
How to Recognise the Signs of Burnout
Burnout doesn't happen overnight; it’s a gradual process. Recognising the early warning signs can help you pivot before reaching a total collapse. Symptoms typically fall into three categories:
1. Physical Signs
Your body often knows you are burnt out before your mind does.
• Chronic Fatigue: Feeling drained even after a full night’s sleep.
• Frequent Illness: A weakened immune system leads to more colds or infections.
• Physical Aches: Unexplained headaches, muscle tension, or gastrointestinal issues.
• Sleep Disruptions: Difficulty falling asleep despite being exhausted.
2. Emotional Signs
Burnout changes how you feel about yourself and the world.
• Sense of Failure: Feeling like nothing you do matters or is "good enough."
• Detachment and Cynicism: Feeling increasingly numb or negative toward your work and relationships.
• Loss of Motivation: Tasks that used to feel rewarding now feel like a mountain you can't climb.
• Decreased Satisfaction: A lack of "spark" or joy in things you used to love.
3. Behavioural Signs
You may notice your habits shifting as a way to cope.
• Withdrawal: Pulling away from friends, family, and social commitments.
• Procrastination: Taking longer to get things done or avoiding tasks altogether.
• Using Substances to Cope: Relying more on alcohol, caffeine, or food to "get through" or "numb out."
• Irritability: Snapping at colleagues or loved ones more frequently.
Burnout vs. Stress: What’s the Difference?
It’s important to distinguish between the two. Stress is usually about "too much" - too many emails, too many deadlines, too much pressure. It feels frantic.
Burnout, on the other hand, is about "not enough." It feels like being dried up. You feel empty, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. While stressed people can imagine feeling better once they get everything under control, burnt-out people often feel there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Moving from Survival to Recovery
If you recognise yourself in these descriptions, please know that you are not failing. You are a human being with a nervous system that has reached its limit.
Recovery from burnout isn't just about taking a holiday; it’s about rebuilding your internal sense of safety and learning to listen to your body’s signals again. It involves setting boundaries, nourishing your nervous system, and often, seeking professional support to unpack the patterns that led you here.
Are you ready to stop just "coping" and start thriving? If you’re feeling overwhelmed by burnout, I offer a gentle, trauma-informed space to help you regulate your nervous system and find your way back to yourself.
Book a consultation today to begin your journey toward recovery.