Three Key Signs of Burnout and What to Do About It

By Sara Olkon, AM

More than two years ago, Covid-19 turned our world upside down. We isolated ourselves, disinfected our groceries, bought massive quantities of flour, and worried about running out of toilet paper. Today, as we navigate this late-pandemic stage, plenty of us still feel a lingering sense of unease. We are exhausted, sluggish, angry, or frustrated. Add a dash of unmitigated work stress, financial troubles, relationship problems, or heavy caregiving responsibilities? Welcome to burnout.

Burnout is not a medical condition. It’s a manifestation of unmitigated and excessive stress that leaves one feeling spent. In more clinical terms, it’s the "physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others,” according to the American Psychological Association.

Depression or Burnout?

It’s important to note that some symptoms of burnout resemble symptoms of significant mental health disorders, including those of depression. A notable difference is when it’s burnout, detaching from the stressor —e.g., taking a vacation and truly unplugging from work demands—tends to alleviate symptoms. (As we know well, part of what made Covid-19 so insidious lay in its cruel reality: there was no escaping it.)

Signs of Burnout:

1.   Fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom of burnout, and it can manifest in different ways. You might feel utterly exhausted, even though you’ve been getting what used to feel like enough sleep. Perhaps your legs feel heavy and weak. Maybe the thought of getting up from the couch to do a simple chore, like filling out a form, or unpacking the dishwasher, strikes you as unreasonably ambitious. In short, everything just seems harder.

2.   Insomnia

We’ve all been there. We are feeling overwhelmed, so we can’t fall asleep, or we wake up at 3 a.m., and struggle to fall back asleep. Then we fret about how terrible the next day will be because we didn’t get enough rest. It’s a vicious cycle: Chronic stress makes it hard to sleep. And not sleeping makes us feel more overwhelmed during the day.

3.   Apathy

This scene from the 1999 film “Office Space” does a beautiful job of capturing the spirit of workplace apathy. It’s hard not to feel cynical if you believe that what you are doing isn’t making a difference or having much of an impact. Even tougher: Discovering that what you are spending your days doing doesn’t line up with your higher sense of purpose.

As Emily and Amelia Nagoski explain in their excellent book, “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle,” it’s important to connect with what gives you a deeper sense of meaning. “We thrive when we have a positive goal to move toward, not just a negative state that we are trying to move away from,” the Nagoskis write.

What You Can Do

Recognizing, and appreciating, that you are experiencing burnout is a crucial first step. Knowledge is power. So, where do you go from here? If this were simple, you probably would not have reached the state in the first place. Indeed, burnout can inspire sharp measures: 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in 2001 in what came to be known as “the Great Resignation.” Set off by the pandemic’s disruption of a work-home life balance, workers who chucked their jobs often cited low pay, no opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected, according to a Pew Research study.

If leaving your job is not in the cards, consider other, less extreme strategies. Might there be room to request better working conditions? Is there a way you could intentionally build-in work breaks throughout the day—time when you step away from your computer and your smart phone?

To gain more control over your emotions, consider evidence-based tools like Positive Reappraisal, also known as Positive Reframing, or Examining the Evidence. Positive Reframing involves recognizing the benefits and/or the upside of a difficult or negative situation. Examining the Evidence is about challenging the often-automatic assumptions you may make about how others are thinking, feeling, and likely to behave.

Other self-care tips will surely sound familiar, and they matter: Seek joy. Practice Mindfulness. Get regular exercise. Eat well. Build in time for social support. And ask for help.