Help! Do I Have Burnout Syndrome Or Am I Just Feeling Really Tired?

For years, I assumed I’d never drink coffee regularly. After all, I didn’t drink it in school, and honestly, how much can one person’s tastes change?

But somewhere between working in an office and dealing with stressful projects, I went from tea drinker to caffeine fiend. And once I realized drinking coffee couldn’t cure the burnout I was feeling, I also changed a lot as a professional.

See, when I was freshly out of college, I was eager to please. This meant working during my vacations if asked, refusing to stand up for myself (even if it meant growing resentful), and rarely asking for what I needed.

I was exhausted, but not because I worked multiple jobs or overtime; in fact, I only occasionally did either. Instead, I was tired both mentally and physically because of burnout syndrome. Luckily, I’ve come out the other side, and I now have the knowledge to avoid that kind of exhaustion. (But yes, I’m still addicted to coffee.)

What is burnout syndrome?

According to the American Thoracic Society, burnout syndrome (or BOS) is a medical condition characterized by exhaustion, indifference, and low professional self-esteem.

Burnout syndrome is a disorder, produced not by genetics, but rather an unhealthy work environment. When your professional responsibilities fail to align with the unrealistic expectations a company sets for you, you may find yourself feeling one or more symptoms of BOS. And these symptoms can show themselves in a variety of ways.

Our niece experiencing her own form of burnout on vacation

What are the symptoms of burnout syndrome?

Exhaustion or mental weariness

Burnout goes far beyond sleep deprivation or brain fog. True exhaustion impacts your body and your mind long-term, because your work feels either insurmountable or pointless.

Depersonalization

Indifference, complacency, and social sabotage are all aspects of depersonalization. If you’re acting in ways you wouldn’t normally, this might be a sign that you need a break.

Low professional self-esteem: prolonged anxiety, frustration, or anger

Feeling nervous about a presentation is normal, as is the occasional frustration with a coworker. However, if work makes you feel these negative emotions consistently, you might be in the middle of burnout syndrome or a toxic work environment (the two aren’t mutually exclusive).

What can I do to combat burnout syndrome?

I mentioned earlier that I’ve come out the other side of burnout and can now avoid it. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t occasionally still happen to me, but now I can take more steps to combat it. Plus, now that I focus more on work-life balance, I’m better at recognizing my feelings.

Set boundaries

This is probably the #1 best advice I have. Your boundaries are there to protect you and your relationship with your job. This can mean different things depending on what your job is, but here are what boundaries look like for me:

• I made working from home a goal for myself

• I don’t work or respond to messages during PTO

• I skip optional meetings when my presence is unnecessary

• I use my camera sparingly to avoid Zoom fatigue

• I practice “radical candor” aka straightforward honesty

• I take PTO for mental health days and staycations

• I try to consider what I’m asking of others and what they’re asking of me

Take time off

I mentioned this in my list of boundaries, but time off is a game-changer. Unfortunately, American time off varies from generous to piteous—we’re the only advanced economy not required to provide paid vacation time to employees.

Still, Americans in general are known for wasting vacation time. Prior to the pandemic, more than half of Americans reported not using all their paid time off, and this phenomenon shows little sign of improvement post-pandemic.

But if you have unlimited time or your vacation doesn’t roll over, take your hours! In many cases, you earned them and they’re yours to take. There’s nothing I hate more than hearing people say, “My boss makes me feel bad for taking time.” Vacation is often one of the benefits included with full-time work, so use it for any reason you see fit.

If you do have a manager who wants you to be available during PTO, consider setting a boundary before you leave. “I won’t be answering emails or phone calls during my time off.” If they make you feel guilty, that’s not a healthy work environment.

Stand up for yourself

This is much easier said than done, but with practice, it can happen. I think back to times in my career when I let people talk down to me. The more you stand up for yourself, however, the more natural it starts to become.

This can be tricky, since there are different power dynamics in the workplace. (In the case of discrimination, don’t be afraid to consult with a lawyer.) In other situations, however, standing up for yourself is an opportunity to show your boundaries publicly.

Here are some examples:

“I don’t work weekends, but I’ll focus on that first thing Monday morning.”

“In order to meet that deadline for this project, I’ll need an extension for my other projects.”

“I won’t be answering any calls or emails while on vacation. If you have an emergency, please contact [name].”

“I’ll be happy to take on these extra responsibilities, but we’ll need to discuss how these added roles impact my pay first. When would be a good time to discuss that?”

Talk to someone

If you have someone you trust, like a manager, mentor, or therapist, discuss your feelings with them. Having friends at work can be invaluable, and a manager is in a particularly good spot to help you alter your situation. Regardless, people who care about you will want to help you. 77% of people report going through BOS at some point, so at the very least, you’ll likely have a sympathetic ear.

A fresh audience can identify potential solutions to your burnout you haven’t yet considered. Maybe most importantly, people outside your situation can assess whether or not your workplace has an overarching problem.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, many companies will ask you to go above and beyond, giving you more and more work than you agreed to do. This slow creep can happen, well, slowly. And you may not realize it until you’re in the middle of your own case of burnout syndrome, with an exhaustion that’s impervious to coffee.

That’s why it’s so important to take preemptive steps, long before burnout ever sets in. But if you are feeling weary, indifferent, or low, these steps can still help. Companies may ask a lot of you, so don’t be afraid to say yes to them less, and yes to yourself more.