The World Health Organisation defines burnout as “chronic workplace stress which has not been successfully managed”.
Have you ever sat in a work meeting fantasising about walking out never to return? Or felt so overwhelmed by your workload that you can’t see a way through except jacking it all in?
If this sounds familiar, you’ve probably had a brush with burnout. Rates are increasing all the time: research from March 2023 revealed that 21 per cent of British workers surveyed were “struggling”, while a further 26 per cent were “languishing”. We took a total of 23.3 million sick days last year due to poor mental health.
A report by the Resolution Foundation this week found that the number of young adults who aren’t working because of health issues has risen from 94,000 in 2012 to 185,000 in 2022.
“Burnout is incredibly prevalent now,” says Bruce Daisley, the former Twitter executive, expert in workplace culture and author of Eat Sleep Work Repeat. “The advent of email on our phones is taken for granted, but research suggests on average, people are spending 70 hours a week connected to their jobs. No wonder a lot of people feel they can’t escape.”
Add the turbulent times we’re living through – a post-pandemic anxiety hangover, and political and economic uncertainty – and it’s the formula for a burnout epidemic. So when does stress tip into burnout – and how can you avoid it?
The World Health Organisation defines burnout as “chronic workplace stress which has not been successfully managed”. A degree of stress is natural – it’s when it builds up over a prolonged period that it can tip into burnout and lead to an inability to cope.
Psychotherapist Jacky Francis Walker is known as the “Burnout Queen” for her work with shattered high achievers at The Harley Consultancy.
“Burnout looks like an increasing mental distance from what you’re doing – you’re more cynical about its value, or you’ve lost touch with why it’s important to you,” she says. “Often you’re also noticing you’re not as sharp as usual; you’re making mistakes.”
The word “overwhelm” crops up time and again: “As your capacity to cope gets worn down, it’s easier to become overwhelmed by everything on your shoulders.”
This, in turn, often leads to a sense of being trapped, helpless and defeated.
Walker says that clients often either don’t register – or take seriously – the earliest signs. “It can take up to 18 months for burnout to build up and often it’s only when they’re quite far into the episode that they realise what’s happening,” she says.
Warning signs can include fatigue, insomnia, headaches, palpitations or gastroenterological issues. Feeling anxious all the time and having problems with executive function – lack of concentration, brain fog and poor memory, as well as difficulty analysing information and making decisions – are also classic signals.
“When you start to notice you’re losing perspective on your situation, that’s a big red flag,” says Walker.
For Sir Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology at the University of Manchester, the most telling sign someone’s stress levels are becoming unmanageable is a noticeable change in their behaviour. “You become withdrawn, aggressive or irritable, or you lose your sense of humour; something that’s very different from your usual personality,” he says.
The stereotype of someone prone to burnout is someone weak, who can’t handle anything difficult or demanding. Far from it, insists Walker. “They’re people who push themselves too hard, for too long,” she says. “Often, because they’re a high achiever.”
She also finds that burnout frequently happens to “those who care the most about what they’re doing”, she says. Conversely, those whose values aren’t aligned with their work can store resentment, which can also be a factor. Several studies have found that women – because of their tendency to shoulder more domestic work on top of their careers – are more likely to be sufferers. A report last year by management consultancy firm McKinsey found that 42 per cent of women experience burnout, compared with 35 per cent of men.
Women are generally more prone to people-pleasing, which ranks among what Walker calls “human factors”: personality traits that increase our chances of experiencing burnout.
Of course, there’s another crucial factor that has nothing to do with us: the culture of our workplace. Unrealistic demands, bullying bosses, job insecurity and toxic dynamics between colleagues can all push us into the burnout zone.
Start with the basics. Getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, avoiding alcohol and eating a healthy diet rich in energy-giving protein, complex carbs and gut-friendly foods all help prevent pressure from getting to us.
Exercise is a proven stress-reducer, but choose gentle walks and yoga rather than high-intensity workouts which push cortisol levels even higher. Meditation can help, as can spending time with animals and engaging in creative pursuits.
A study carried out by Drexel University in Philadelphia found that 75 per cent of participants experienced a decrease in levels of cortisol after just 45 minutes with art supplies.
“Have a life outside work,” urges Walker. “Friends and hobbies will help you build resilience to deal with tough situations, and also remind you that work is important, but it’s not everything.”
And fit in a digital detox. However hard, we can all manage one evening or Sunday, say.
While at work, studies show that a sense of access to nature – even when crammed into a soulless office – helps us to relax, so if possible sit by a window, or bring a plant to work. Don’t hunch over your screen and, every 20 minutes, tip your head back and look up at the ceiling to stretch your neck muscles.
Professor Cooper recommends trying to avoid becoming overly competitive with colleagues. “If you invest in them and support them when needed, you’re building a safety net for when you need it, too.”
1. Don’t quit – at least not yet
“When you’re burned out, it isn’t the best time to make irreversible decisions,” says Walker. Instead, suggests Daisley: “See if you can renegotiate the impact it’s having on you.”
2. Take power pauses
Even in the most demanding job, we can find a few minutes throughout the day to step away from our desk, or even to simply close our eyes and take a few deep breaths.
3. Buy yourself headspace
Talking to your boss about how you can do less might seem like a terrible idea if you want to keep your job. However, “companies are often willing to support their workers with a temporary restructure of their duties to help them recover”, says Walker.
4. Talk to someone who is impartial
Sharing your feelings can be the best way to regain the perspective you’ve lost. As Professor Cooper says, a partner isn’t the ideal person, since they’re financially invested in the outcome.
“Many workplaces have employee assistance programmes, or EAPs, which are counselling services,” he says. Seeking counselling privately or via a GP is another useful option.
5. Make a plan of action
You’ve carved out some breathing space and worked out the root of the problem: perhaps your boss is a bully, or your workload is simply too high. “The key is figuring out what will make a difference,” says Cooper. This might involve enforcing work-life boundaries, renegotiating your role, moving departments or reducing your days, if you can afford to.
6. Have a Plan B
Once you’ve found some balance, a Plan B helps maintain the perspective you’ve fought to reclaim. “If you can think, ‘If my current job goes wrong, what can I do instead?’” says Walker, “it reminds you that there’s a life beyond what you’re doing.”
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