The first time someone told me I was showing classic signs of burnout, I laughed. The person sitting across from me was someone I trusted; but rather than heed their observation, I recounted how busy I was and how everyone makes mistakes. They just smiled. I knew I was stressed, but burned out? No way.
For me, recognizing the warning signs of burnout was the first step towards understanding how to move beyond it. Moving from surviving to thriving takes time, and the length of time depends on each person. In hindsight, doing the work of uncovering what was contributing to my burnout was the best thing I could do for my mental and spiritual well-being.
What Is Burnout?
Simply put, burnout is living from a place of reactivity and stress. It’s coming from a place the opposite of self-awareness. It’s when you have no margin, are burning the candle at both ends, have a full plate, and any other metaphor you can think of that indicates you are operating at or over capacity. You are full in every area of life but not satiated.
Jesus came to give us life to the full, and that doesn’t just mean eternal life, but a full and thriving life right now. If imagining a different way of living other than where you are right now seems impossible, let me encourage you that there is hope. It takes becoming aware of the warning signs and resolving to do the work necessary to get to the root of what led to your burnout in the first place.
I want to share my experience with burnout and the different ways that it can manifest. I also want to note that each person arrives at burnout differently. There is no single path that ends in burnout. Rather there are various contributing factors that, when combined, can lead to unhealthy places of living. More can be said about everything I am going to share, and I encourage you to explore additional resources.
Physical Signs of Burnout
We are embodied creatures, meaning what affects your soul affects your body. Often unprocessed feelings linger in your body (sometimes for years) and can manifest in the body both internally and externally because your emotions and your body are closely connected. Some physical signs that you may be experiencing burnout include sleeplessness, loss of appetite, headaches, and indigestion.
I remember lying in bed for hours unable to fall asleep or waking up suddenly sweating because of anxiety. I remember having frequent migraines, the kind only silence and darkness can cure, and who has time for that? So I medicated with caffeine, which only served to exacerbate my striving for more. I was also inconsistent with my eating habits, and my mood swings were off the charts (my poor husband!).
So, if you are noticing new physical symptoms like these or noticing a pattern of these things, it could be a warning sign of burnout. This is also an opportunity to consult with a healthcare professional on steps you can take to address these symptoms, like getting adequate sleep and following a proper diet.
Mental Signs of Burnout
What caused you to hit burn out didn’t happen overnight. Our brains are powerful and were designed for many things, including helping us survive in overwhelming circumstances. These survival instincts can leave impressions on the brain, developing into unhealthy thought patterns that may have protected you in the past, but now are no longer serving you well.
Some internal feelings I experienced were impatience, irritability, and the tension of being overwhelmed and not enough. I felt little control over my emotions and thinking, so I overcompensated by controlling everything I could, from how much I worked to how clean my home was.
By doing this, I was overstimulating my brain with incessant activity in an attempt to avoid the deeper, underlying issues. Most of the time I wasn’t aware I was doing it either. I simply didn’t know any other way to live other than on overdrive. I didn’t think I needed to take a break (how would everything get done?) and refused the urging of others to rest. I didn’t know the first thing about rest because that involved allowing space for my thoughts to settle and I didn’t know where they would land. In order to keep going, better to keep my thoughts occupied.
Ignoring the warning signs in my body and my mind only served to heighten my anxiety to unhealthy levels.
You Are Not Alone
If you resonate with any of the physical or mental symptoms listed here, know that you are not alone. The first step in dealing with burnout is to admit that you are experiencing it. By becoming aware of the warning signs, you can identify where to start making changes.
Let me encourage you with this: It’s okay that you are experiencing these things. God knows everything about you, even when you are feeling unwanted thoughts and emotions. So, your first step in all of this? Tell God what he already knows. The good news is you can move from burnout into flourishing, from surviving to an abundant life. It will take time and effort (and likely lots of tears), but it is possible. You can experience the full life that Jesus promises us today.
For further help and support, learn more about the counseling offering through our Soul Care Ministry.
Additional Resources:
- The Maslach Burnout Inventory was created to specifically help identify occupational burnout. Note: This is a paid assessment and must be properly administered to gain full benefit.
- This Super Data Science Podcast episode goes over the components of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the causes and solutions of burnout.
- Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature by Peter Scazzero
- You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly Kapic
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
