Everyone can have a day that leaves them exhausted. Burnout refers to the emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive or prolonged stress.
“If every day seems like a bad day, you might be experiencing burnout,” says Dr. Deborah Gatlin, a child psychiatrist and medical director at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. “But if you learn to recognize the symptoms, you can take steps to reduce them and regain a more positive outlook.”
How many people are struggling with burnout?
Dr. Gatlin: If you’re a teacher, health care worker or first responder, you may be at greater risk. But job-related burnout is common across all vocations. A 2024 survey of 11,000 workers from eight countries found that half of them have experienced some symptoms of burnout at work.
Caregivers are also at risk for burnout, as well as increased risk for developing chronic health conditions and experiencing mental distress. Some personality traits can put you at greater risk, too. For example, if you have perfectionist tendencies, you might be more likely to develop burnout.
However, while some people or situations may be more prone to developing burnout, it can happen to anyone. And if you’ve had burnout in the past, you may develop it again in the future.
How to identify burnout
Dr. Gatlin: Assess how you’re feeling. Ask yourself if you are consistently experiencing any of the common signs of burnout:
- Feeling fatigued or exhausted
- Cynicism
- Feeling empty
- Sense of ineffectiveness or uselessness
- Feeling helpless or trapped
- Irritability and lack of patience with others
- Job dissatisfaction
- Inability to sleep
- Headaches
- Stomach problems
- Turning to alcohol or other substances to cope
You may even develop signs of depression as the result of getting burned out. Burnout isn’t a diagnosable medical condition, but depression is — and you can get treated for that.
How to combat burnout
Dr. Gatlin: There are some aspects of your situation that you might not be able to control. For example, you might not be able to change a micromanaging boss or give up being a caretaker for a relative. But look for changes that you can make to improve your situation.
Some tips for overcoming burnout symptoms:
- Ask for help. Whether you ask for help at work or turn to a social network outside the workplace, others may be able to assist. If you’re a caregiver, you might look for someone to provide respite care.
- Limit your contact with negative people. They may bring you down even more.
- Find a cause you believe in. Joining a community group or championing a cause that’s near and dear to your heart may re-energize you.
- Focus on ways to achieve a healthier work-life balance.
- Take a break. Arrange a vacation from work or other responsibilities so you can relax and recoup energy.
- Set healthy boundaries. This might include boundaries with your time, energy or social media use.
- Get creative. Find an activity that’s completely different from what you do all day and feed your creative side.
- Make time to relax. Meditation, yoga and breathing exercises can help you feel more relaxed.
- Regular physical activity is good for your body, brain and mood.
- Eat a healthy diet. Like exercise, a healthy diet is beneficial for your entire body for many reasons. Plus, you can control this aspect of your life.
If those strategies don’t work, you might want to consider professional help.
“When you’re feeling exhausted and burned out, you might not be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel,” says Dr. Gatlin. “If you’re struggling to find ways to make changes on your own, reach out to a professional. A counselor or therapist may be able to help you. Your primary care provider may be able to connect you with resources to help you realize some improvements.”
More from Dr. Gatlin on WellTuned
Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.