Signs of burnout and when to get help

Burnout rarely arrives overnight. It tends to build over months of pressure until you feel drained, detached and less able to do the work you once managed well.

Knowing the signs of burnout early gives you more options. This article explains what burnout is, how it can look, how it overlaps with depression, and when it makes sense to reach out to a GP, psychologist or counsellor.

What is burnout?

The World Health Organization includes burnout in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon. This means it is a work-related problem, not a medical condition. The WHO describes it as a result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

The WHO lists three main features:

• feeling depleted of energy or exhausted
• feeling mentally distant from your job, or negative and cynical about it
• feeling less effective at work

Strictly speaking, the WHO uses the term only for work. Many people also use the word burnout to describe exhaustion from caring for a family member or parenting. The feelings can be similar, and the same steps often help.

This article is general information. Please speak with a qualified health professional about your own situation.

Common signs of burnout

Beyond Blue and other health services describe a number of ways burnout can show up. You might notice some of these in yourself before others do.

How you feel

• exhausted or drained, even after a weekend or holiday
• irritable or short-tempered
• isolated or trapped
• disengaged from work you used to value

How you think and work

• less motivation and energy than usual
• trouble concentrating or making decisions
• a sense that nothing you do makes a difference
• putting things off, or needing more effort to finish simple tasks

How your body reacts

• sleeping poorly
• headaches and body pain
• getting sick more often

Questions to ask yourself

• Do I feel tired most days, even after rest?
• Have I started to care less about work, or feel resentful about it?
• Am I getting less done, even though I am working just as hard?
• Have people close to me said I seem different?

Answering yes to some of these does not mean you have burnout. It does suggest it is time to pause and look at what is going on.

Healthdirect notes that work-related stress can also lead to changes in behaviour, such as taking more leave, pulling away from colleagues or lower work performance.

Burnout, stress or depression?

Stress is often short term and linked to a clear pressure, such as a deadline. When the pressure passes, you usually recover. Burnout is what can happen when high stress continues for a long time without enough recovery or support.

Burnout and depression share many features, including exhaustion, poor sleep, low motivation and trouble concentrating. A 2015 review of 92 studies found that the line between burnout and depression is not clear, and that the two may be harder to separate than once thought.

A practical rule is to look at how widely the low feelings spread. If you feel flat or hopeless about most parts of life, not just work, or you have lost interest in things you usually enjoy for 2 weeks or more, see your GP. You may have depression, which is common and treatable.

What causes burnout?

Burnout is usually about the work situation, not a personal weakness. Common causes include:

• a heavy workload or long hours over a long period
• little control over how or when you do your work
• low support from managers or colleagues
• unclear or changing expectations
• bullying, harassment or other poor workplace behaviour
• work that involves ongoing exposure to other people’s distress, such as health care, emergency services, education or community work

Life outside work matters too. Caring duties, money worries, health problems or an existing mental health condition can make normal pressure feel overwhelming.

In Australia, employers have legal duties to manage risks to psychological health at work. Healthdirect explains that your employer is required by law to lower your exposure to factors that may increase your risk of work-related stress.

What can help

Changes you can make

• Take regular breaks during the day and use your leave.
• Protect time away from work, including switching off notifications after hours.
• Move your body, eat regular meals and keep a steady sleep routine.
• Set clearer boundaries, and say no or not now where you can.
• Stay connected with people who leave you feeling better, not worse.

Changes at work

Personal strategies alone rarely fix burnout if the causes stay the same. If you feel safe to do so, talk with your manager or human resources team about your workload, priorities, flexibility or a short-term change in duties. Many workplaces offer a free and confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with short-term counselling.

Recovering and preventing a repeat

If you have had time off, a gradual return often works better than going straight back to full hours. It helps to agree on a plan with your manager and GP, such as reduced hours or duties for a set period.

Once you feel better, look back at what led to burnout. Were there early signs you missed? Which supports helped most? Writing down your personal warning signs and a short action plan can help you step in sooner next time.

When to get help

Reach out to your GP, a psychologist or a counsellor if:

• the signs have lasted for several weeks and are not easing with rest
• you dread work most days or feel unable to face it
• your sleep, relationships or health are being affected
• you are relying more on alcohol or other drugs to cope
• you feel low, anxious or hopeless much of the time

A psychologist or counsellor can help you understand what is driving the exhaustion, plan changes and build skills to manage stress. Your GP can check for physical causes, such as thyroid problems or low iron, and talk about time off work if you need it.

If your GP finds that you have a mental health condition such as depression or an anxiety disorder, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates for psychology sessions. Our guide to how a Mental Health Treatment Plan works explains the steps. Counselling sessions are not covered by Medicare, but some private health extras policies contribute.

If you are in danger, call 000. For 24-hour crisis support call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

How Invictus Health can help

Our psychologists and counsellors offer anxiety and stress counselling in person at our Preston clinic in Melbourne or by telehealth across Australia. You can book directly without a referral.

For employers, our workplace programs include resilience workshops, leadership support and Mental Health First Aid training, which can help teams notice and respond to early signs of distress.