Do you feel like you are living the same day on repeat, waking up with the same heavy exhaustion, mental fog, and immense lack of motivation? It all seems like you are working on autopilot, via muscle memory and feeling incredibly worn out? And does that weighed-down feeling persist regardless of how many breaks you take? You may not just be tired, but stuck in a burnout cycle that is slowly draining you emotionally, mentally and physically.
To understand what burnout actually feels like, how to identify its warning signs, and what measures can help you overcome it, HT Lifestyle spoke with Namrata Jain, psychotherapist and relationship expert, who shared six signs that may indicate you are stuck in a burnout cycle.
What is burnout exactly? “Burnout can best be described as the state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion brought about by extreme and chronic levels of stress,” the psychotherapist said, clarified how burnout is not just about being ‘too tired,’ but rather the result of chronic stress. She described that it can be a ‘vicious cycle.’
Signs of burnout
Identifying burnout is very important. Namrata shared six signs that mean you are in a state of burnout:
1. Low social battery
- Emotionally exhausted people lack empathy, and therefore socialising becomes draining.
- Spending time with loved ones also feel more exhausting than comforting.
2. Making decisions feels overwhelming
- Overthinking about simple choices, like what to order for lunch or which email to reply first.
- Prefrontal cortex may have been affected.
3. Revenge bedtime procrastination
- Being up late, scrolling aimlessly through irrelevant videos, even if one is tired.
- This is how the brain tries to compensate for the loss of control and power over the life during the day.
4. Compassion diminishing
- Become emotionally numb. This is called compassion fatigue.
- Person becomes more cynical or irritable, eye-rolls when someone shares their problem.
5. Body shows signs of stress
- Burnout is not just mental.
- Body may start to react through symptoms like jaw clenching, neck tension, headaches, fatigue, poor sleep, or digestive issues.
6. Weekends no longer feel restorative
- Even after taking time off, one still feels mentally and emotionally exhausted.
- Instead of feeling refreshed, Sundays become filled with anxiety about Mondays and two days of rest no longer feel enough to recover.
What to do in order to get out of the state of burnout?
Recovering from burnout is not just about taking a break for a day or two. The first step, the psychotherapist mentioned, is to identify what exactly feels depleted in your life. For some people, it may be better workplace, for others it could be getting out of a bad relationship. Once you recognize what is missing, you begin to move towards it, integrating small amounts of it in your daily routine, like setting boundaries at work, or engaging with hobbies. Lastly, you need to be aware and acknowledge that you are in a state of burnout and stop continuing to function on autopilot. Break the cycle before it escalates.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
