Signs, Symptoms, and Prevention Tips

Have you ever felt like work is getting the better of you? Like you just don't quite have the capacity to do everything you need to do? Well, the likelihood is that you've experienced burnout.

Burnout, as the World Health Organisation informs us, results from 'chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed'. With 25% of workers in the UK alone feeling unable to cope with the amount of stress they are under at work, it's highly likely that you or someone in your team has been affected by burnout at work.

Think of yourself like a laptop or phone - after using a phone for a while, you need to recharge it so it continues to work well, right? Burnout is that stage where your phone is on such a low battery that it just stops functioning properly - opening random apps and freezing. Not ideal.

So why would you want yourself and your staff to experience that horribly 'laggy' feeling and have a team that doesn't function to its highest ability?

Lucky for you, you don't have to!

Signs: When Your Battery is Running Dangerously Low

The first step is to spot the signs of burnout. You don't want to wait until your 'device' completely shuts down.

I learned this the hard way. A few years ago, I was working at a company where the demands seemed endless. My boss was causing me excessive stress - late pay, unreasonable demands, taking time away from my home life. I thought I was being dedicated and professional, but burnout creeps up quietly, like a phone battery that drains faster than you realise.

The wake-up call came from my daughter. One evening, after I'd snapped at her over something trivial, she looked at me and said, "Mummy, you're not very nice at the moment."

That stopped me cold. Here I was, working myself into the ground supposedly to provide for my family, but I was actually becoming someone my own child didn't want to be around. The person my workplace was making me was stealing the person I used to be - most importantly, the mother I used to be.

This eventually inspired me to start The Stress Specialist, helping to prevent people and businesses from struggling the way that I did.

The Physical Signs of Burnout

Constant exhaustion that doesn't improve with rest
Frequent headaches or muscle tension
Changes in sleep patterns - either insomnia or sleeping too much
Getting sick more often as your immune system becomes compromised

The Emotional and Mental Signs

Feeling overwhelmed by simple tasks that used to be manageable
Loss of motivation for work you once found engaging
Cynicism or negativity becoming your default mode
Feeling detached from your work, colleagues, or family
Increased irritability

Behavioural Changes

Procrastination on important tasks while staying busy with less critical work
Isolation from colleagues, friends, or family
Increased reliance on substances - more coffee, alcohol, or other coping mechanisms
Neglecting personal care or hobbies you used to enjoy

The tricky thing about burnout is that it doesn't announce itself with a dramatic moment. It's more like slowly turning down the brightness on your screen - you don't notice until someone else points out that you can barely see anything.

Your Next Step

If you're reading this and recognising yourself (or someone on your team), don't panic. Recognition is actually the first step toward recovery. Just like realising your phone needs charging before it completely dies, catching burnout early makes all the difference.

Start with one small action today: Set a boundary that protects your energy. This might be turning off work emails after a certain time, taking a proper lunch break, or simply saying "no" to one non-essential request. Your future self - and those who matter most to you - will thank you for it.

Understanding Burnout