how to spot and avoid burnout
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to overwork, overcommit and feel overwhelmed by the demands of life. When this happens, burnout can happen as tasks become more difficult and knowing when to switch off becomes crucial. Often, it takes specific warning signs to make us stop, seek help or take a step back.
Burnout is a phenomenon that builds up over time, triggered by a combination of work-related, personal and lifestyle factors. Prolonged exposure to stress leads to physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. It’s more than just feeling temporarily tired or stressed; it can affect every aspect of a person’s life and wellbeing.
Left unchecked, burnout doesn’t resolve on its own. In fact, it can worsen things, leading to serious physical and mental health issues. Recognising its causes and signs is essential to prevent and manage burnout effectively.
According to Mental Health UK’s 2025 Burnout Report, 91% of Scottish adults reported that they experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year. Moreover, 1 in 5 workers (21%) needed to take time off work due to poor mental health caused by pressure or stress in the past year. This means that a fifth of the Scottish workforce is burning out.
Myths about burnout
burnout only happens to people with high-stress jobs
Burnout can affect anyone in any profession or life situation, not just those in high-stress environments like healthcare, finance or the tech industry. Prolonged emotional, mental or physical exhaustion can build up, such as caring, studying or managing personal stress.
burnout is just being tired
It is more complex than simple tiredness; it’s a long-term response to prolonged stress. Burnout involves emotional exhaustion, a lack of motivation, reduced performance and a sense of detachment or cynicism towards work or life activities.
taking a holiday will cure burnout
While taking time off can provide temporary relief, burnout is a deeper issue that often requires addressing systemic problems like workload, lack of support or personal boundaries. Sustainable recovery means more than a one-time break and often involves changing habits, seeking help and creating a healthier balance.
Signs you’re burning out
You might not know it’s happening or it might be on the horizon. You may be exhausted already but can’t identify precisely what it is. Burnout can manifest in various combinations of physical, emotional and behavioural symptoms. Here are some common physical signs:
- Persistent tiredness and lack of energy
- Frequent headaches or muscle pain
- Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns
- Increased irritability and frustration
- Mood swings, anxiety and depression
- Increased use of unhealthy coping mechanisms (e.g., substance use, overeating).
Causes of burnout
Despite the general opinion about burnout being a work-related condition, lifestyle and personal factors can contribute to burnout.
Work-related causes include:
- Being constantly overwhelmed with tasks and responsibilities
- Feeling powerless over decisions and tasks
- Facing pressures to meet unrealistic goals
- Struggling with insufficient tools, time or support.
Lifestyle factors include:
- Failing to prioritise rest, nutrition and leisure
- Consistently needing to get more quality sleep
- Not engaging in regular exercise to reduce stress
- Turning to substances or unhealthy habits to cope.
Stages of burnout
Recognising symptoms of burnout and knowing the mechanism of each stage can help in early prevention and navigating the challenges.
- Honeymoon phase: Means feeling enthusiastic about your work or activities and feeling you must prove yourself.
- Onset of stress: Occurs when stress and excitement coexist. You work harder and harder and work starts interfering with your personal life.
- Chronic stress: You feel persistent stress and lack of balance. You begin to neglect your needs by skipping meals, workouts and social interactions.
- Burnout: At this stage you may feel disengaged from your work or life, experience a sense of helplessness, and have difficulty maintaining your usual responsibilities.
- Full burnout syndrome: This is when you’ve reached a breaking point. A full collapse of physical and emotional health. Medical help is necessary.
“During recovery, I realised that I had symptoms that were developing from as young as when I was a teenager and doing my exams. Every month, I’d think, ‘I just need to get through this month, the next will be better,’ until I found myself crying multiple times every day. The smallest thing would tip me over the edge.”
This experience was shared by one of our colleagues about what it feels like to be burned out
If you are interested to read more about personal experiences of burnout, please read our Insights piece, ‘Preventing burnout: Strategies, stories and solutions for healthier workplaces’.
Burnout in the work environment
Burnout and stress at work cost the UK economy £28 billion yearly and cause 23.3 million sick days, according to an AXA report. From the employer’s perspective, fostering a healthy work culture and allocating resources to prevent burnout helps reduce costs and turnover, improve company reputation and attract and retain top talent.
Burning out is often misunderstood, stigmatised and disregarded. It can become costly to the health and wellbeing of the workforce and their overall productivity. According to MHUK’s Burnout Report only 56% of younger workers aged 18–24 feel comfortable opening up to a line manager or senior leader about pressure and stress. Whether you’re an employee or a manager, knowing how to change your workplace to help people talk about burnout, take time out and feel less overwhelmed is a step in the right direction.
Here are some actions you can take:
- Cultivate a culture of openness and trust
- Inform employes on what options are available if they feel at risk of burning out
- Recognise burnout symptoms in your colleagues
- Invest in mental health workplace training.
At Change Mental Health, we offer a variety of mental health workplace training courses. These can help you build a mentally healthy workforce and equip managers with the necessary skills to respond to mental health issues in the workplace. We have a tailored training called Avoiding Burnout & Finding Balance, which offers valuable tools to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Strategies to avoid and manage burnout
Burnout can be avoided and stopped by applying multiple strategies which target the previously mentioned work and lifestyle-related factors. If you’re worried about burnout, here is a list of ways to develop healthy work-to-life balance, work hygiene and self-care practice.
Set clear boundaries
The first step to push back burnout is by establishing clear boundaries between work and personal time. Those could include simple rules like finishing work on time, not taking calls during your break or while on annual leave, or not reading emails outside your working hours.
Prioritise self-care
Just like your phone, your body and mind require time to recharge. Activities such as exercise, relaxation and hobbies replenish your energy reserves and enhance your overall wellbeing. It is worth exploring mindfulness practices to stay present and handle stress.
Take breaks
Remember to take breaks throughout the day. These can be short, like a five-minute walk to make coffee or a stroll around the block for some fresh air. Disconnect from technology during these breaks to give your mind a chance to relax. And don’t forget to take your annual leave!
Build and cultivate relationships
Creating a strong support network helps you to share your experiences, seek guidance and receive emotional help. Connecting with others reduces isolation and creates a sense of belonging, even if it’s just a cup of coffee and a nice chat.
Promote healthy habits
Regular exercise, balanced nutrition and sufficient sleep strengthen physical and mental resilience. Introducing healthy habits promote long-term wellbeing, making you less susceptible to the accumulation of stress.
Consider work adjustments
Consider discussing flexible working with your work or altering roles and responsibilities that align better with your strengths and interests. Look for learning opportunities to increase your skills, build confidence and explore other paths.
contact
Our National Advice and Support Service can help you and people you care for with mental health concerns and money worries.
We can link and signpost you to relevant local and national support, including our own Change Mental Health services, as well supporting with debt, grants and benefits.
The service is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (closed for lunch between 12.30pm to 1.30pm). Contact 0808 8010 515, email advice@changemh.org or fill in the form on the service webpage.
For full details about the service, visit the National Advice and Support Service webpage.
