How To Tell If You're Burnt Out

In an age where hustle culture is something entrepreneurs wear as a badge of honor, burn-out is at an all-time high. I remember telling friends that I worked 18-hour days to achieve success in past businesses. While that was true, I was also exhausted and running on empty.

If you or someone you know is about to have a complete breakdown, it’s wise to make the appropriate changes before it’s too late. It can take a lot of work to claw your way back from rock bottom, take my advice on this one.

Here is some helpful information for those who light the candle at both ends far too often:

Recognizing the signs of burnout

• Reduced performance and productivity
• Anxiety
• Detachment
• Feeling listless
• Low mood
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lack of creativity
• Fatigue

What does burnout feel like?

Being burned out means feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. People experiencing burnout often don’t see any hope of positive change in their situations. If excessive stress feels like you’re drowning in responsibilities, burnout is a sense of being all dried up.

Is burnout a mental illness?

“Burnout” is now classified as a mental illness caused by unmanaged stress at work. Many lifestyle factors can be adjusted to help reduce the effects of Burnout such as changing diet, effective supplementation and self-care protocols.

To avoid burnout, follow these tips:

• Work with purpose
• Perform a job analysis, and eliminate or delegate unnecessary work
• Give to others
• Take control, and actively manage your time
• Get more exercise
• Learn how to manage stress

Here are 7 tips on recovering from burnout that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.

1. Track your stress levels
2. Identify your stressors
3. Create a habit of journaling
4. Seek professional help from a coach or therapist
5. Build a support network
6. Get enough exercise
7. Speak up for yourself

How long does it take to get over burnout?

Once a phase of stress or overwork has turned into burnout, it takes at least 11 weeks to recover from it. For most people, recovery from burnout takes anywhere from a year to several years. An active approach can help shorten this time as much as possible and alleviate common symptoms.

Is depression the same as burnout?

Despite this overlap, burnout and depression are different. Burnout can usually be resolved by taking time away from the activities that cause you stress. On the other hand, depression is a mental health condition that doesn’t usually go away on its own.

What is the final stage of burnout?

The final stage of burnout is habitual burnout. This means that the symptoms of burnout are so embedded in your life that you are likely to experience a significant ongoing mental, physical or emotional problem, as opposed to occasionally experiencing stress or burnout.

Can burnout be permanent?

Burnout doesn’t go away on its own; rather, it will get worse unless you address the underlying issues causing it. If you ignore burnout, it will only cause you further harm down the line, so it’s important that you begin recovery as soon as possible.

If you’re feeling burnt out it’s important that you prioritize your mental health and make the necessary changes to balance out your life. Do you know how on airplanes they say to first put your mask on, then help those around you? Ensuring you prevent and/or heal from burn-out is just like that.

The funny thing about mental health is that nobody is going to do the hard work for you. They might reach out and let you know they are worried about you, but then it's up to you to figure out a game plan and put it into action.