Stress Management How Stress Impacts Your Health Guide How Stress Impacts Your Health Guide Overview Signs of Burnout Stress and Weight Gain Stress Reduction Tips Self-Care Practices Mindful Living How to Recognize Burnout Symptoms What to do if your physically and emotionally burned out at work By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Updated on June 12, 2024 Reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by mental health professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Amy Morin, LCSW Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Definition Symptoms Burnout vs. Depression Take the Burnout Quiz Risk Factors Effects Prevention and Treatment Next in How Stress Impacts Your Health Guide How Stress Can Cause Weight Gain Trending Videos Close this video player Is your job making you exhausted? Does the thought of dragging yourself to work fill you with dread? Or have you reached the point where you just don't care about your job anymore? If so, you might be experiencing burnout—a type of work-related exhaustion that can bleed over into other areas of your life. Burnout is a type of exhaustion that can happen when you face prolonged stress that eventually results in severe physical, mental, and emotional fatigue. Excessive workplace stress for prolonged periods can lead to burnout. However, it can also happen in other areas of life where you face too much stress for too long, such as when dealing with caregiving, relationship, parenting, or financial challenges. So, what does burnout look like, exactly? Symptoms of burnout include feeling exhausted, empty, and unable to cope with daily life. If left unaddressed, your burnout may even make it difficult to function. Keep reading to learn more about the physical and mental symptoms of burnout, factors that may increase your risk, and a few recovery strategies. Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin Signs You're Burning Out Recognizing the signs can help you better understand whether the stress you are experiencing is impacting you in a negative way. Here are a few to look for: Gastrointestinal problems High blood pressure Poor immune function (getting sick more often) Reoccurring headaches Sleep issues Concentration issues Depressed mood Feeling worthless Loss of interest or pleasure Suicidal ideation Fatigue What Does Burnout Mean? Burnout is a reaction to prolonged or chronic job stress. It is characterized by three main dimensions: exhaustion,cynicism (less identification with the job),and feelings of reduced professional ability. More simply put, if you feel exhausted, start to hate your job, and begin to feel less capable at work, you are showing signs of burnout. Most people spend the majority of their waking hours working. So, if you hate your job, dread going to work, and don't gain any satisfaction from what you're doing, it can take a serious toll on your life. This toll shows up via burnout symptoms. The term “burnout” is a relatively new term, first coined in 1974 by Herbert Freudenberger in his book, "Burnout: The High Cost of High Achievement." Freudenberger defined burnout as "the extinction of motivation or incentive, especially where one's devotion to a cause or relationship fails to produce the desired results." Symptoms You Might Be Experiencing Burnout Burnout isn’t a diagnosable psychological disorder, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be taken seriously. Burnout symptoms can affect you both physically and mentally. Feeling burned out can contribute to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, and the ongoing stress you are experiencing can take a massive toll on both your physical and mental health. Physical Burnout Symptoms When you experience burnout, your body will often display certain signs. Research indicates that some of the most common physical burnout symptoms include: Gastrointestinal problems High blood pressure Poor immune function (getting sick more often) Reoccurring headaches Sleep issues Because burnout is caused by chronic stress, it's helpful to also be aware of how this stress, in general, affects the body. Having chronic stress in your life doesn't necessarily mean that you are experiencing burnout. Unaddressed chronic stress, however, can eventually lead to burnout. Chronic stress may be felt physically in terms of having more aches and pains, low energy levels, and changes in appetite. All of these physical signs suggest that you may be experiencing burnout. Health Risks of Burnout Chronic stress is associated with a wide range of negative health complications and outcomes, including heart disease, weight changes, depression, high blood pressure, and irritable bowel syndrome. Researchers have also connected stress-related disorders to an increased risk of death. Mental Burnout Symptoms Burnout also impacts you mentally and emotionally. Here are some of the most common mental symptoms of burnout: Concentration issues Depressed mood Feeling worthless Loss of interest or pleasure Suicidal ideation If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Burnout vs. Depression Burnout shares symptoms with some mental health conditions, such as depression. Depression symptoms also include a loss of interest in things, feelings of hopelessness, cognitive and physical symptoms, as well as thoughts of suicide. How can you tell if what you are feeling is burnout versus depression? The key differences center on where and when you experience symptoms. Burnout symptoms tend to be focused on work (or the specific challenge you're dealing with), while depression tends to affect all areas of your life. If you are depressed, you'll experience negative feelings and thoughts about all aspects of life, not just at work. If this is how you feel, a mental health professional can help. Seeking help is important because individuals experiencing burnout may be at a higher risk of developing depression. Are You Feeling Burnt Out? Take the Quiz Try our fast and free burnout quiz to find out if some of the things you've been feeling may be a sign of burnout. This quiz was reviewed by Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS Factors That Put You at Risk of Burnout People who work in certain stressful professions sometimes have a higher risk of burning out, but having a high-stress job doesn't always lead to burnout. You may not experience these ill effects if your stress is managed well. However, some individuals (and those in certain occupations) are at a higher risk of having burnout symptoms than others. It often comes down to how you manage your stress and the support you have in your life. For instance, a 2019 National Physician Burnout, Depression, and Suicide Report found that 44% of physicians experience burnout. Of course, it's not just physicians who are burning out. Workers in every industry at every level are at potential risk. According to a 2018 Gallup report, there are five job factors that can contribute to employee burnout: Unreasonable time pressures. Employees who say they have enough time to do their work are 70% less likely to experience high burnout, while individuals who are not able to gain more time (such as paramedics and firefighters) are at a higher risk of burnout. Lack of communication and support from management. Manager support offers a psychological buffer against stress. Employees who feel strongly supported by their manager are 70% less likely to experience burnout symptoms on a regular basis. Lack of role clarity. Only 60% of workers know what is expected of them. When expectations are like moving targets, employees may become exhausted simply by trying to figure out what they are supposed to be doing. Unmanageable workload. When the workload feels unmanageable, even the most optimistic employees will feel hopeless. Feeling overwhelmed can quickly lead to burnout symptoms. Unfair treatment. Employees who feel they are treated unfairly at work are 2.3 times more likely to experience a high level of burnout. Unfair treatment may include things such as favoritism, unfair compensation, and mistreatment from a co-worker. The stress that contributes to burnout can come mainly from your job, but stressors from other areas of life can add to these levels as well. For instance, personality traits and thought patterns such as perfectionism, neuroticism, and pessimism can contribute to the stress you feel. Other Causes of Burnout Other factors that can contribute to burnout include: Poor communication from your employer Lack of clarity about your role or duties Intense pressure and tight deadlines Feeling like you have no control over your life or work Being mistreated by your boss or coworkers Excessive workloads or expectations Working too long without enough time to rest Work that is overly boring or stressful Not getting enough sleep Lack of social support Lack of recognition for your efforts Poor work-life balance Press Play for Advice On Dealing With a Toxic Workplace Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring business expert Heather Monahan, shares how to survive a toxic workplace. Click below to listen now. Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Burnout Can Have Serious Effects Chances are, you probably have a pretty good idea of whether you are burned out or not. So what happens if you don't take steps to address those feelings of exhaustion, disconnect, and distress? If left untreated, burnout symptoms can lead to: You Might Feel Alienated From Your Work Individuals experiencing burnout view their jobs as increasingly stressful and frustrating. You may grow cynical about your working conditions and the people you work with. You might also emotionally distance yourself and begin to feel numb about your work. You May Become Emotionally Exhausted Over time, untreated burnout symptoms can cause you to feel emotionally drained and unable to cope. You might find it harder and harder to deal with problems at work and at home. When you get home from work, you may be so fatigued that you don't have the physical or mental energy to engage in other activities that are part of your home life. Your Performance at Work Can Suffer Burnout affects everyday tasks at work, or in the home if your main job involves caring for family members. Individuals with burnout symptoms feel negative about tasks, have difficulty concentrating, and often lack creativity. Together, this results in reduced performance. How to Prevent and Treat Burnout Although the term "burnout" suggests that this may be a permanent condition, it is reversible. If you are feeling burned out, you may need to make some changes to your work environment. How to Deal With Burnout Discuss work problems with your company's human resources department or your supervisor.Explore less stressful positions or tasks within your company.Take regular breaks.Learn meditation or other mindfulness techniques.Eat a healthy diet.Get plenty of exercise.Practice healthy sleep habits.Consider taking a vacation. Approaching human resources about problems you're having or talking to a supervisor could be helpful if the company is invested in creating a healthier work environment. In some cases, a change in position or a new job altogether may be necessary to begin to recover from burnout. If you can't switch jobs, it may help to at least switch tasks. It can also be helpful to develop clear strategies to help you manage your stress. Self-care strategies like eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise, and engaging in healthy sleep habits may help reduce some of the effects of a high-stress job. A vacation may offer you some temporary relief too, but a week away from the office won't be enough to help you beat burnout. Regularly scheduled breaks from work, along with daily renewal exercises, can be key to helping you combat burnout. Social support is also critical. This can come from various sources, including coworkers, friends, family, and mental health professionals. If you are struggling to find the type of support you need, consider joining an in-person or online support group where you can talk about your challenges and get encouragement from people with the same type of experience. If you are experiencing burnout and are having difficulty finding your way out, or you suspect that you may also have a mental health condition such as depression, seek professional treatment. Talking to a mental health professional can help you discover the strategies you need to feel your best. How to Prevent Burnout 12 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Tileva A. How to douse chronic workplace stress before it explodes into full burnout. Society for Human Resource Management. Maslach C, Leiter MP. 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Burnout-depression overlap: a review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2015;36:28-41. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2015.01.004 Kane L. Medscape National Physician Burnout, Depression & Suicide Report 2019. Wigert B, Agrawal S. Employee burnout, Part 1: The 5 main causes. Gallup. Wekenborg MK, Von dawans B, Hill LK, Thayer JF, Penz M, Kirschbaum C. Examining reactivity patterns in burnout and other indicators of chronic stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019;106:195-205. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.04.002 Demerouti E. Strategies used by individuals to prevent burnout. Eur J Clin Invest. 2015;45(10):1106-12. doi:10.1111/eci.12494 By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit