Burnout
The Sneaky Thief of Joy
Meet Kevin. He used to think he had it all under control. Work deadlines? Family responsibilities? That never-ending to-do list that somehow multiplied overnight? He checked them all off with ease. Kevin prided himself on being the multitasking master.
Until one day, he found himself in the kitchen, holding the TV remote, trying to microwave his coffee. At first, he brushed it off as a little forgetfulness. But soon, irritability set in, sleepless nights followed, and creeping self-doubt whispered, “Maybe you’re just not cut out for this.” No matter how hard he worked—staying late, saying yes to every request, even pushing through exhaustion—it felt like he was falling deeper into a dark hole with no ladder in sight.
Sound familiar? That could be burnout knocking at your door. If it slips in unnoticed, it won’t just take a seat; it’ll take over. So, how do you spot burnout? More importantly, how do you kick it out and find that ladder to climb out of the dark hole? Let’s talk about it!
What is burnout and what does it feel like?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a medical condition—but not an illness. It results from chronic stress that hasn’t been effectively managed. The good news? Recovery is possible; it just takes time!
Burnout can manifest in various ways:
- Chronic Fatigue: Feeling tired even after rest.
- Decreased Immunity: Catching more colds or feeling run down.
- Insomnia: Struggling to sleep well.
- Physical Symptoms: Experiencing aches and tension.
- Emotional Exhaustion: Feeling emotionally drained.
- Reduced Performance: Finding it hard to keep up with tasks.
- Withdrawal: Avoiding responsibilities and feeling stuck.
- Loss of Enjoyment: Not finding joy in activities you used to love.
- Increased Cynicism: Viewing things negatively.
- Feeling Overwhelmed: Struggling to prioritize tasks.
- Poor Self-Care: Neglecting your own needs when you need them most.
What happens to your body during burnout?
Think of burnout like a dimmer switch slowly turning down your energy and motivation until you are running on fumes. It is the extreme end of a stress spectrum, where everyday stress starts small but can spiral into complete exhaustion.
Acute Stress
The ‘Oh No!’ Moment
This is your body’s immediate response to stress, like when you realise you are late for an important meeting. Your brain releases adrenaline, boosting your heart rate and vigilance. However, once the stress passes, your body returns to normal.
Chronic Stress
The ‘Running on Empty’ Phase
If stress keeps piling up without enough recovery time, your body stays in high-alert mode. You might feel ongoing fatigue even if you are trying to rest, trouble sleeping, or on-edge feelings, making simple tasks seem overwhelming. Chronic stress leads to sustained cortisol release, which can overwhelm the body emotionally and physically, affecting health and hindering the return to a resting state. Cortisol secretion becomes dysregulated, sometimes taking weeks to normalize.
Burn Out
The ‘Total Shutdown’
At this stage, your body can’t keep up anymore. Instead of producing cortisol (the stress hormone), your system crashes, leading to exhaustion and a sense of hopelessness. It is like pressing the gas pedal in a car with an empty tank—nothing moves. This exhaustion phase occurs when the body has exhausted all its resources. Since cortisol is a vital hormone regulating various bodily functions, including metabolism, immune response, and stress response, it starts affecting one’s overall health and well-being.
When burnout takes over, it affects everything—your mood, energy, immune system, and even your ability to think clearly.
It does not have to get to this point. Recognising these stages early can help you hit the brakes before crashing down.
How burnout affects your brain
Burnout doesn’t just make you tired; it changes how your brain works. It weakens the part of your brain that helps with decision-making and emotional control, making it harder to stay focused and regulate feelings. This leads to more mistakes, forgetfulness, and that foggy feeling we all dread.
Stress affects the brain differently depending on whether we feel in control. When stress feels uncontrollable, like being stuck in a toxic job, it can physically rewire our brains.
Burnout: Causes and signs to look for
Is burnout just about work? Not at all! While it is often linked to job stress, it can creep into any part of life—family responsibilities (like taking care of an ill family member for a very long time), school deadlines, or even tough relationships. Anytime you are under constant pressure without enough recovery time, burnout can sneak in. So, it is important to look at the bigger picture.
According to researchers Maslach and Leiter (2016), burnout shows up in three ways:
- Emotional Exhaustion: Feeling drained no matter how much you sleep.
- Depersonalisation: Feeling disconnected or cynical about your work.
- Lack of Personal Accomplishment: Putting in effort but feeling like it makes no difference.
Recovering from burnout
Burnout recovery is not just about taking time off—it requires a comprehensive, multi-level approach that addresses individual and environmental factors.
On a personal level, overcoming burnout means actively engaging in practices that restore balance and well-being, including:
1. Prioritise Rest and Recovery – Ensure sufficient sleep, relaxation, and downtime.
2. Enhancing Self-care – Engage in activities that promote mental and physical health.
3. Set Protective Boundaries – Establish limits to prevent work from overwhelming personal life.
4. Reevaluate Your Workload – If work is overwhelming, adjust tasks, ask for help, or focus on what matters most to you. Small shifts can make a big difference.
5. Reducing Stressors – Identify and address sources of chronic stress.
6. Reconnect with Purpose – Re-discover why you started in the first place. If your current environment drains you, it might be time to rethink your path.
7. Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System – Engage in mindfulness, deep breathing, and physical movement to restore the body’s natural balance.
8. Seek Professional Support – Burnout recovery is not one-size-fits-all. A psychologist or coach can help identify what is draining you and create a personalised plan to rebuild your energy and mental wellbeing.
Burnout is complex, and while these tips help to a certain extent, deeper healing may require professional guidance—especially if you feel completely emotionally drained.
Always remember that you are not alone in this journey and that there are ways to reclaim your joy and energy!
Katarina Gabor is a Registered Psychologist with a particular interest and vast experience in helping clients with stress management, burnout prevention, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. She provides Counselling for Executives and Leaders, offering support in wellbeing, stress management, and burnout prevention to help them maintain high performance while safeguarding their mental and physical health.
Sources:
Korunka,Ch., Tement, S., Zdrehus, C., & Borza, A. (2020).Burnout: Definition, recognition and prevention approaches. Downloaded in April 2020 from: https://www.bridgestoeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/ 2020/03/BOIT_theoretical_abstract_2705.pdf
Lennartsson, A.-K., Sjörs, A., Währborg, P., Ljung, T., & Jonsdottir, I. H. (2015). Burnout and Hypocortisolism – A Matter of Severity? A Study on ACTH and Cortisol Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 6, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00008
Maslach, C.; Leiter, M.P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry 15(2), 103-111.
