Burnout, My Old Friend
Burnout... the name given to your body and mind when you’ve run your battery into exhaustion. It’s not just a buzzword; it’s a state that can significantly impact your health and well-being. For me, burnout is the red flag before depression sets in. In some ways, it’s helpful—because if I know the signs of burnout, I can take action to prevent depression from taking hold. By recognising burnout, I can often reduce a bad month to just a bad week. And considering that I’ve endured bad years in the past, I’ll take a bad week any day of the year.
Burnout is defined as a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and overwork. The World Health Organisation describes burnout with three key symptoms:
Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion - That feeling where no amount of sleep is ever enough, and you’re walking around like you’ve aged 20 years overnight—for absolutely no reason other than existing.
Increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativism or cynicism - That moment when you roll your eyes at an email and think, “What do you want from me, blood?!.”
Reduced professional efficacy - When your brain’s looking at a simple task and you’re thinking, “I don't think i can do this anymore, am I even good at my job?” Everything feels harder than it should, and you’re convinced you’ve forgotten how to human
Put simply, it’s your body and mind saying, “Enough!” But why do we get it? For many of us, especially women in the workplace, it stems from the pressure to juggle multiple roles and responsibilities—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.
Let me be honest: I have a bit of an addiction to cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. For years, I worked in operational roles where last-minute crises were the norm. The high-pressure environment became my “drug of choice.” I thrived under pressure, able to engage my brain and create solutions that stopped disasters before they even started. To this day, I love the rush of solving problems. But now, I understand what cortisol does to my body—like giving me that stubborn “beer belly.” I’ve learnt to manage crises without riding the cortisol wave, reserving its energy for truly extraordinary situations, like when a hurricane hits Florida.
Burnout manifests differently for everyone, but there are common signs that working women might recognise. Chronic fatigue and insomnia are key indicators—you’re always tired, even after a full night’s sleep, and you struggle to fall or stay asleep. Emotional detachment can also creep in, making you feel disconnected from work, your family, and even the activities you usually enjoy. This often leads to a sense of isolation(I do a lot of staring into space). Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach issues, or unexplained aches and pains can accompany burnout, and you might notice an increase in irritability, snapping at others over minor things or feeling frustration bubble up more often than usual. Finally, there’s the decline in performance. Productivity and efficiency at work plummet, and you may feel like you’re not good enough anymore. Not just in work, but the house looks a mess and you just can't face it.
Recognising the signs of burnout is the first step towards reclaiming your mental and physical health. For me, understanding burnout has been a game-changer. It’s not about eliminating stress completely—that’s impossible. Instead, it’s about managing it in a way that allows you to thrive. To help you take control of your own experience with burnout, I’ve created a free guide: “Burnout SOS: Signs and Solutions for Working Women.” Download it now and take the first step towards building your mental wealth.
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