Burnout has been a buzzword for the past year and is gaining popularity. People in the workplace have taken to identifying with burnout as a reason for decreased productivity, motivation, and passion in their jobs; students have deemed it a right of passage to finish a semester; leaders are doing what they can to prevent it within teams. Needless to say, burnout is taking a toll on the greater community and is arising in all shapes and forms.

But have we been willing to talk about how burnout can show up for us? Have we taken the time to recognize what is burnout over what is general tiredness? There is definitely a difference, but can we weed out the self-diagnoses of too little sleep from the greater affliction of burnout?

Now is the time to do so! Here are 3 ways burnout can arise and how it differs from normal life rhythms.

Feeling fatigued and exhausted for extended periods of time.

I am so guilty of not tapping in when my body is calling out for rest until it is almost too late. At that point, I am in dire need of a day alone, a nice movie, and some popcorn. When I don’t give myself margins of time each day to be restful, I notice my body starting to shut down. This is burnout.

When we feel fatigued and exhausted for extended periods (a whole day or series of days) with no desire to do anything or see anybody, we are in a stage of burnout. Our mind and body have reached their limit on what they are capable of doing and are shutting down.

We can expect to be tired after a day of work or a hard training session. But the normal amount of tiredness lasts until you have rested for an hour or a night. Burnout is eminent when we cannot find the willingness to do any more than absolutely necessary, having serious repercussions on our friendships, our sense of abilities, and our ability to create value.

Wanting to avoid people and social situations.

For many of us, social interactions are what make us feel recharged and energized. It is the “fun” part of our lives that remind us of who we are, how laughter changes a day, and the value found in interpersonal connection. However, when we start to teeter toward burnout, our social timers hit zero really fast.

I am a self-proclaimed “outgoing introvert” meaning I love interacting with people and I find so much joy in social situations, but I hit my limit really hard at a certain point and need to recharge. Yet when I find myself dancing with burnout, I find every social interaction exhausting. I cannot fathom having a one-minute conversation with the cashier at the coffee shop, which is so atypical for me.

You may be a person who is the exact opposite: you hate small talk, fear social situations with more than 5 people, and have a difficult time reaching out to friends.  Yet no matter where you fall on the social spectrum, when we approach burnout our aversion to human connections is inflamed.

We are weighed down by the obligations of life that have built up over time that we cannot allocate any more energy to something else. Be aware that this avoidance of social interactions is a red flag for burnout! Start to audit parts of your life so you can engage in your friendships again. It may be uncomfortable at first, but once you start to be with people again you will realize the value of connection in maintaining a balanced life.

Lack of creativity and inspiration.

Whether you regard yourself as a creative person or not, there is a noticeable shift in how your brain develops ideas and seeks inspiration when experiencing burnout. The ability to make something new is mitigated as our brains scramble to find anything creative.

I struggle with this when making content for social media or writing a blog post when I am going through burnout. No matter how much I want to put words to paper and make something new I cannot find the energy or generation of inspiration. I stare at a blank page willing words to come forth.

When we are caught in a sea of burnout, our desire to create shrinks, and the places we find inspiration diminish. The places we rely on to light up our hearts and minds with value and joy are no longer providing what we need. Instead, they are edged out by a tired spirit and a brain ready for rest.

This is different from the normal rut we find ourselves in when trying to be creative. The lack of creativity and inspiration in burnout is harder to break from. We feel the desire and need to make something but cannot find the place to start. There is a brain block that feels like a foggy haze over the mind. Instead of the typical writers-block or running out of ideas, the attempt to make something is lost in waves of exhaustion.

The Takeaway

Burnout is the apex of driving ourselves into the ground and prescribing to the constant drive to be productive. As we get caught up in the societal norm of toxic productivity, the drive to succeed, and lack of rest, we find ourselves sunk in exhaustion.

There are distinct differences between burnout and the rhythms of life. The former can be mitigated while the latter is meant to be embraced. Luckily, we can intuitively navigate which season we are in and what our body needs. The above 3 characteristics of burnout represent the prominent difference between burnout and humanity.

Stay tuned for the next article on how to curb burnout and live a balanced life!