Stress
Burnout symptoms and how to recover
How to tell burnout from a bad week, and the first steps back.
What burnout is
Burnout is what happens after long, ongoing stress without enough recovery, often from work. It's more than being tired: rest at the weekend stops fixing it.
Common signs
Feeling drained most days, feeling cynical or detached from your work, getting less done despite trying harder, poor sleep, irritability, and dreading the week from Sunday onwards.
First steps back
Protect your sleep and your breaks. Cut one commitment you can live without. Move your body daily. Tell your manager or someone you trust what's going on, since workload is often part of the fix.
When to get help
If you feel hopeless, can't function day to day, or it's been going on for weeks, see your GP. Burnout can overlap with depression and anxiety, and a doctor can help you sort out which.