It’s a cruel irony; when the same passion and determination that fueled your success becomes the very thing that causes you to crash. You wake up feeling more tired than when you went to bed. The thought of tasks that used to take minutes now brings a knot to your stomach. You aren’t just tired; you’re running on empty.  

Occurring when having experienced long-term stress and the constant feeling of pressure weighing on your shoulders, burnout can cause one to feel detached and demotivated, so much so that it impacts one’s ability to function properly, often left feeling hopeless. Burnout can be a cause for mental illness and could lead to more serious diagnoses like anxiety or depression if not taken seriously. While burnout can stem from stress, they are not the same thing. Stress is usually short-term, and while it may impact your behaviors and emotional state, you should still be able to engage in the activity that causes you stress.  

Symptoms of burnout can vary from your emotional health to physical, and even cause behavioral changes. Feelings such as stress, anxiety, or numbness could be a sign of burnout. Along with constant exhaustion, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. Changes in behavior can also include withdrawals from responsibility, isolation, procrastination, and increased cynicism. Experiencing these kinds of changes will make one feel “over it” and increase irritability, and it could affect personal lives and relationships.  

While it can feel overwhelming and exhausting, there are many ways to help treat and prevent burnout. Setting strict boundaries with your work and personal life can help keep a work-life balance, making tasks and responsibilities less overwhelming. Seeking help from the people around you, such as colleagues, friends, and mental health professionals, could give you the support you need to keep you from going under. Engaging in hobbies and maintaining a healthy lifestyle could help improve one’s mental state. Also, re-evaluating your goals can help you get a sense of where you want to be in the future and help clear your mind of any doubt. Recovery from burnout can take anywhere from three months to a year.  

Burnout is not laziness; it’s being drained and feeling like there is nothing you can do to fix it. Treating burnout is not a luxury but an essential investment in one’s personal health. And though it may not feel like it, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.