“Burnout happens when passion is replaced by repetition, quality with quantity, and empathy with hopelessness.” — Cordett McCall

Hi Regina,

As we enter the final stretch of the year, work demands often escalate, pushing many to their limits. If you’re feeling worn down and overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Recognizing and addressing these signs early is essential to prevent burnout and protect your well-being.

Burnout, once a nebulous term for workplace exhaustion, was officially recognized as a medical diagnosis by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022. While burnout has been part of workplace culture for decades, its long-lasting effects are more severe than most realize.

The consequences reach far beyond professional dissatisfaction—burnout disrupts your physical health, your mental well-being, your relationships, and it changes your personality and your entire life. Fortunately, by understanding the signs and taking steps to address burnout early, you can avoid its debilitating impact.

Burnout - A Recognized Medical Condition

Burnout is no longer just a vague concept — it is a legitimate medical condition. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. This shift from viewing burnout as an emotional “state” to a diagnosable syndrome highlights how serious the condition is.

Burnout Manifests In 5 Primary Ways

1. Daily energy depletion or exhaustion:

You’re habitually feeling tired, exhausted and drained, both physically and mentally.

2. Mental distance from work:

You start to detach emotionally, possibly feeling resentful, cynical or negative towards your work, and you distance yourself from friends and social events.

3. Reduced professional efficacy:

The quality of your work diminishes as you struggle to focus and produce meaningful results. Leading to anxiety and discomfort fearing that one day others will notice it too.

4. Waking up around 2am with a racing mind:

You’re exhausted but you wake up in the middle of the night and you’re unable to go back to sleep for hours, leaving you even more drained and restless as you start the day.

5. Undefined physical pain and weight gain:

Not feeling well has become the new normal, but your blood work is normal, and your doctor can’t identify a diagnosis.

The fact that burnout has been officially recognized as a medical condition is a positive step toward getting the support people need. Yet, many are still hesitant to talk about it out of fear of repercussions.

Stress Versus Burnout

Everyone experiences stress, in fact, short-term stress can even help you meet deadlines or perform well in high-pressure situations. However, when stress is prolonged and unrelenting, it will lead to adrenal fatigue, aka burnout.

Dr. Frank Drummond, Chief Medical Officer of Behavioral Health Services at HCA Healthcare, explains that burnout occurs when passion turns into exhaustion, and empathy is replaced with detachment. You’re not just stressed out—you’re mentally and emotionally checked out.

Recognizing the difference between stress and burnout is critical because burnout is much more damaging and long-lasting. It is life-altering and can take years to recover from it. Stress on the other hand can motivate you to take action, but burnout makes you feel powerless and disengaged. You start to wonder, “What’s the point?”

Early Warning Signs of Burnout

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It creeps in slowly, often camouflaged by everyday stress. The key is to recognize the early signs before you hit a breaking point. Here’s what to look for:

Emotional exhaustion:

You feel drained and unable to cope, no matter how much rest you get.

Detachment from coworkers:

You may start to distance yourself from colleagues or feel less interested in social interactions.

Anxiety, Negativity and Depression:

Once passionate about your job and social life, you now feel indifferent, or even anxious, or hostile, toward it.

Physical symptoms:

Burnout also manifest physically. You may experience headaches, back- and neck pain, frequent colds, changes in your appetite, weight-gain, and increased urges for sweets, alcohol, or recreational drugs.

Ignoring these signs could lead to severe consequences like chronic health issues, a decline in job performance, and emotional disconnection from family and friends.

The Stigma Surrounding Burnout

Why People Don’t Speak Up:

One of the greatest barriers to tackling burnout is the stigma attached to it. Burnout is often seen as a personal failure, and many employees are reluctant to admit they’re struggling for fear of being labeled weak or incompetent. In some cases, people worry that admitting to burnout will make them a risk to their company.

This fear silences many who need help, preventing them from accessing the support that could make all the difference. Acknowledging burnout as a legitimate issue, rather than a personal flaw, is the first step in combating its effects.

If you are looking for a confidential advisor to discuss signs of burnout and steps to prevent and reverse it, contact me today.

How to Prevent Burnout

The good news is, while burnout is serious, it is preventable. Prevention starts with acknowledging the warning signs and implementing strategies to manage stress before it spirals out of control. Here are some key strategies to avoid burnout:

Set boundaries:

While obvious, and seemingly easy enough, setting boundaries is by far the most difficult step for most! Many are quick to push back on boundary setting, claiming it's not possible in their situation. While it's certainly not easy, it is critically important to clearly define the limits between your work and personal life,  and to minimize and eliminate sacrificing personal time for professional demands. Baby-steps will get you there... let me show you how.

Take regular breaks:

Continuous work without sufficient rest will deplete your energy. Whether you like it (or not - like me), do take time away from your desk at lunch, and schedule 10 minute breaks throughout your day. Although it may feel like a huge waste of time, it will make a big difference in your performance.

Practice self-care:

Exercise lightly and regularly, nourish your body with healthy foods, 7 hours of sleep is crucial to maintaining both your physical and mental health, spend more time with your friends and loved ones, start a new hobby, learn something new, mediate for 10 minutes, etc. etc. The key here is that you want to re-arrange your life and work to make that happen.

Manage your Stress Levels:

Don’t wait until you’re not feeling well anymore, get help when you think you might have any of the symptoms. Contact me for stress management tips, and additional steps you can take to stop things from getting worse. With just a few minor changes you can feel better again in no time.

Practice 10 Minutes of Deep Relaxation a Day:

One of the most effective ways to prevent and reverse burnout is the practice of Autogenic Deep Relaxation. Autogenic Training is a century old proven stress relief practice from Europe. It activates your body's natural relaxation and healing response, leading to profound physical, emotional, and mental transformation with just 10 minutes of daily practice, and best of all...  you can learn it effortlessly from the comfort of your home. 

Download My Free eBook:

“Developing Resilience for Better Work-Life Balance” - My free self-coaching guide offers additional practical strategies to keep burnout at bay and take control of your well-being.

Preventing burnout isn’t just about fixing a work issue—it’s about preserving your mental and physical well-being. If you’re feeling the weight of burnout creeping in, don’t wait until it takes over your life. The earlier you take action, the easier it is to stop. Schedule a free call with me today, and let’s talk about how you can manage stress and build up your resilience.

Warmest regards,