Burnout can be brutal, lengthy, and difficult to recover from. It’s something over 75% of people have experienced, and over 25% feel burned out “very often” or “always” at work. But while it may be common, that doesn’t mean it’s not serious. Trying to push through burnout can be counterproductive at best, and harmful at worst.
So what does it mean to recover from burnout? And first - what is burnout, how do you recognize it, and who’s most likely to experience it?
What is burnout?
Burnout is a pervasive state of emotional, physical, or mental exhaustion. It’s very often caused by trying to do or manage too much in too many parts of your life. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes burnout as an “occupational phenomenon”.
While many clinics and organizations have expanded the definition to include sources of pressure beyond work, it’s important to note that burnout isn’t a medical condition. And while it may look similar to depression from the outside, it’s not the same thing. That can make impending burnout a little tricky to identify until you already feel overwhelmed.
What causes burnout?
Burnout is usually tied to a specific source of pressure. A difficult life situation, a stressful day-to-day environment, or a poor work-life balance are common factors. While it’s strongly associated with work, burnout doesn’t have to be caused by your job. Other responsibilities, like family, can also lead to burnout.
Burnout doesn’t have to just be caused by having too much work. Confusing or unclear responsibilities, a feeling that your success is unrelated to your effort, a chaotic environment, a lack of support, and other factors can all contribute.
Signs of burnout
One of the major signs of burnout is a constant sense of exhaustion. This ever-present fatigue can also include a loss of motivation or interest. You may feel disconnected or joyless not only in your work, but in things that bring you joy outside of work. You may also feel irritable or short-tempered.
Of course the intense situations, stress, and negative emotions that come with burnout can have effects on the body as well, especially as time goes by. You may experience physical symptoms like sleep disruption, tension headaches, changes in your eating habits, GI issues, and more.
Burnout vs. depression
Burnout and depression can look very similar. But there are some important differences. Burnout is usually caused by a specific life factor - a source of stress or pressure like work or caregiving. Rest, self-care, and time away from work can help ease the effects of burnout.
By contrast, depression is a mental health condition. Depression typically can’t be dispatched by just practicing mindfulness or taking time off. It needs specific interventions like therapy or medication to address.
If you aren’t sure whether you’re experiencing burnout or depression, it’s important to seek a diagnosis from a medical professional so that you can be diagnosed and treated appropriately, if needed.
Autistic burnout
Autistic burnout is a separate category of burnout. Identifying and understanding Autistic burnout can be very important for Autistic and other neurodivergent people, as well as their loved ones. Autistic burnout refers to the exhaustion caused by the constant effort Autistic people expend to manage life in a world built for neurotypical people.
From sensory overwhelm to the energy spent “masking” - the constant adjustment to behaviors and demeanor that Autistic people use to blend in with neurotypical company - autism can involve significant stress levels.
Similarly, seeking support for Autistic burnout looks different. Some accommodations, like reduced workloads, can help both kinds of burnout. But there are also a whole host of specific accommodations for Autistic people that can help with Autistic burnout.
Simply letting an Autistic person unmask for a while can make a huge difference. So too can accommodations like stimming devices, sensory toys, ear plugs, and more.
Self-care and recovery from burnout
Ideally, recognizing the signs and dangers is enough to help you prevent burnout. But life can be demanding and stressful, and sometimes our stressors can get away from us. Here are some steps towards burnout self-care to get you back on track.
Understand what’s happening
The first steps in claiming yourself back from burnout are to admit that it’s a possibility, and then to confirm whether that’s what’s going on. Get to a health care professional for help discerning whether it’s burnout or depression (or some other physical factor that may be causing low energy).
Once you’ve identified that you’re experiencing burnout, figure out what the specific triggers are. Dig deeper than just “work.” What specific things can you change or push back on to improve your situation?
Get some space
In order to get perspective on your stressors, you have to put some distance between you and them. This can be hard when your stressors are things that you care about. Often burnout occurs because we’re focused on a job we love, or because we’re caring for loved ones.
Getting space doesn’t have to be drastic. Many people are limited in their ability to step away from their obligations. You don’t have to quit your job or move to another place. But you may want to take some time away from your stressors while you do some serious re-evaluation.
Making space to think may mean taking a leave from work. It may mean asking someone else to look after family for a while. These things can be difficult to arrange, and they require trust. But your current situation can’t improve until you reset.
Work on your health and wellness
By the time you’ve reached a critical point of burnout, odds are your own health has been on the back burner for quite some time. Since your brain and body are connected in several critical ways, taking care of your brain also means taking care of your body.
Specifically, that means getting enough sleep, and doing what you can to eat food that’s good for you. But it also means moving around - not just for exercise’s sake, but for your mental and emotional health. (Releasing those endorphins is important!)
It means also meeting with friends, pursuing hobbies, and doing whatever else you can to take care of yourself.
Set boundaries
Part of your recovery and maintenance process is going to be figuring out which responsibilities are still yours to tackle and which ones you can say “no” to. Setting boundaries is important in preventing burnout from re-occurring.
If things go right back to the way they were, you’ll wind up burned out again in short order. Your long-term wellness is going to depend on your ability to guard your time and your peace.
Learn to manage stress
We all experience some amount of stress; that’s just part of being alive. And some forms of stress are beneficial for growth. But there are plenty of ways to reduce distress with proper stress management, and finding one that works for you can be important. Mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, yoga, and more can help you center yourself in a stressful moment.
In the long term, physical motion helps reduce cortisol and lower stress. Walking, dancing, playing with your kids at the park, are all ways to get in some movement if joining a sports team sounds intimidating. (Of course, you can also join a sports team!)
Consider a probiotic that addresses factors in burnout
As mentioned previously, the gut and the brain are connected. This is because our gut microbiomes - the microscopic organisms that live in our guts - can affect neurotransmitter production through a connection called the gut-brain axis.
Several probiotic strains have been shown to work on the brain through that gut-brain axis. In a recent study of Neuralli Mood, its two strains working together were associated with improvements in signs of stress, anxiety, and sleep disruption in people with high-stress jobs (firefighters).
Sleep, stress, and anxiety can all be part of the ball of cause and effect that makes up burnout. But there hasn’t yet been a study of Neuralli Mood with people who are burned out. We’d like to change that. We’re inviting you to participate in a study on Neuralli Mood through a clinical research platform called Efforia.
You can join this 90-day study to see clearly how this dietary supplement affects measures of stress, including anxiety, sleep disruption, low mood, and job-related burnout, in your life. You’ll save on your first purchase of Neuralli Mood, and measure how it is helping you through monthly clinically validated surveys. You’ll also be able to see how Neuralli Mood is helping others in the study. Get all the details here.
Lean on your people
Having a supportive community in your personal life can make an enormous difference in your mental and emotional health, and can help with burnout. Don’t be afraid to ask for the support that you need, and to let your loved ones put their love for you into action.
Maybe they help you get out of the house and have fun. Maybe they help out with duties outside of work contributing to your exhaustion. Maybe they just let you vent, sometimes. However they help, having that support is critical.
Return mindfully, and be patient
When you step back into work, be prepared for it to look different. When you come back from your time away, arm yourself with your ability to set boundaries and say no. Continue your focus on your well-being, as best you can. Employ the stress-management techniques you’ve learned, and fall back on your community. And if you need a little extra help managing it all, consider Neuralli Mood.
Recovering from burnout takes mindfulness, and it takes time. Depending on its severity, it may take anywhere from weeks to more than a year before you truly recover. But you can recover, and the sooner you start trying, the sooner you’ll get there.
