Five signs you're already experiencing burnout (and how to fix it)

We are living in trying times. With hustle culture forcing us to work harder than ever, social media piling on the pressure, a constant barrage of information on how to be our healthiest selves and the rising cost of living, it’s no wonder we may be feeling a sense of burnout. We’ll highlight the key signs to be aware of so that you can identify potential burnout. We’ll also offer some tried and tested expert tips on how to deal with it.

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Burnout has the potential to affect us all. A recent survey reported that the risk of burnout remains present, with 34% of adults experiencing high/extreme levels of pressure or often/always feeling stressed in the past year. In the USA, a study showed that 66% of employees experienced burnout last year.

In the UK, we are also heading towards winter, with reduced daylight and colder weather. Autumn has even been described as ‘burnout season’ as many people feel less motivated and energised. For many end of year deadlines loom, increasing workloads and changing routines, so the autumn and early winter period naturally increases burnout potential. When feeling this way, we can turn to comforting ourselves with sugary and ultra processed foods, but these can unfortunately lead to getting stuck in a cycle of sugar crashes and further cravings. Working on managing these cravings and consciously including more protein with our meals can help us to feel fuller with more stable energy levels.

What are the common signs of burnout?

Though we are all different in how we respond to chronic stress, there are some key signs to watch out for:

Physical signs

Exhaustion is a key early sign, general fatigue and ‘running on empty’ when you wake up, sleep difficulties, craving sugary food and ultra processed foods (UPFs), pain such as headaches and musculoskeletal pain, and chronic health issues which can include respiratory and gastrointestinal issues.

Emotional signs

Emotional exhaustion is a key symptom, as is depersonalisation (feeling detached from yourself and disconnected from your experiences). Feeling more cynical and not getting a sense of personal accomplishment are also usual. A general sense of feeling stressed, irritable and not feeling you can cope are common.

Cognitive signs

Reduced cognitive performance, reduced work efficiency and performance, commonly described ‘mental fog’ when trying to get things done, and difficulties with executive functions (including processing information, memory, focus and productivity).

Is there a test for burnout?

There is no objective test for measuring burnout, the symptoms can be self-rated on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Many physical signs of burnout can overlap with other issues such as depression or insomnia, so it is important to consider signs across all domains.

Who is most likely to suffer from burnout?

Whilst burnout can affect anyone, research tells us that some groups are more susceptible. Women tend to experience burnout more often than men. For example, in Sweden rates of burnout for working men were 10% but for working women this figure was 16%. For clinicians in the USA, rates of burnout for men were 22.7% but for women was 39%. Interestingly, age also affects risk of burnout – with being aged 55+ reducing burnout risk for those clinicians in the USA. In Canada burnout symptoms in men decreased with age, but for women more burnout was seen in those aged 20-35 and 55+. In the UK there has been a reported increase in those aged 18-44 needing to take time off work for stress, but a decrease in those 45+. This may be influenced by the different demands we face depending on our age (such as caring responsibilities, study and work pressure).

Job roles can lead to varying levels of stress, as can working arrangements, with more employees being asked to return to long commutes and shared office spaces. For example, research in the USA showed that teleworkers experience less burnout than non-teleworkers. The time of year also plays a role, with the shorter daylight hours and extra tasks and activities in the run up to Christmas, and certain jobs can also increase in busyness with the last fiscal quarter. There are also external factors such as global conflicts and stress from the political climate that contribute to chronic stress.

How to stop burnout?

Prevention

Ideally, we want to prevent burnout from happening in the first place. This means putting in place daily habits such as:

• Recognising the changing seasons and that shorter days do disrupt our body’s regular rhythm. Rather than ignore or fight this we can embrace the seasons and naturally slow down, adjusting from a period of focus/drive to a season for recharging. We see animals do this in nature, but we humans seem to resist it!
• Prioritising sleep, rest and wind down time, trying to go to bed and wake up at the same times, and less screen time before bed.
• Ensuring regular breaks from screens, turning off notifications on devices after a certain time, having boundaries on working hours.
• Getting outdoors when there is daylight, to boost your vitamin D levels.
• Nourishing our bodies with nutritious food including meals rich in protein, vegetables, healthy fats and wholegrains. Protein in particular helps to sustain fullness and stop the high-sugar and UPF energy crash.
• Prioritising your social connections, as this helps to prevent burnout.

If you are currently in burnout

If you recognise the signs of burnout now, give yourself permission to make some small practical changes today that cover physical, cognitive and emotional domains:

• Slow the pace down – there will be things in your diary you can postpone or pace to add in some rest time, goals to rollover to next year, workloads that can be reduced or delegated.
• Set boundaries – this could be about the time you finish work or check emails/phones, and ensure time away from screens. This frees up time for rest, activities you enjoy and seeing family/friends.
• Be kind to your body – this could be through gentle exercise such as walking or stretching, going to bed earlier, and eating nourishing food including protein, vegetables and wholegrains.

So, should you be worried about burnout?

Burnout is triggered by prolonged stress, and leads to a sustained state of exhaustion, reduced effectiveness and emotional detachment. Signs include fatigue, brain fog, irritability and craving quick energy fixes. Research suggests that younger adults and women are more vulnerable to burnout, and the colder, darker months also bring a higher risk thanks to shorter daylight and increased workloads. But the good news is that burnout is manageable – by spotting the signs early, prioritising rest, eating well, setting boundaries and building gentle routines to take care of your body, you can prevent burnout and/or help yourself recover.

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All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.

Dr Laura Keyes is a Clinical Psychologist working therapeutically with young people and adults. Laura worked in the NHS before setting up her private practice to support people local to Bedfordshire, Dr Laura Keyes & Associates Ltd. She is passionate about normalising help seeking and collaborating with her clients to understand and improve their mental health, achieve their potential in life and develop self-worth and self-acceptance. Her specialist area is assessing children and adults for ADHD and Autism, and providing therapy around neurodiversity related-issues.