Burnout: The hidden cost of “pushing through” exhaustion
Are you burnt out? Burnout is chronic stress and work-related exhaustion that affects all areas of life. It’s when you feel a deep mind, body and soul exhaustion that drains your energy. Burnout signs are stomach issues, high blood pressure, poor immune system, sleep issues, headaches, focus issues, depressive moods, self-isolation, tiredness and feelings of worthlessness. So, what happens when we’re burnt out and “push through” exhaustion? And what’s a better and kinder way to work and live? [28.2.25.]
What is Burnout?
Psychologist Herbert Freudenberger coined burnout to describe the state of ““becoming exhausted by making excessive demands on energy, strength, or resources” in the workplace (Freudenberger, 1974, p. 159).
Freudenberger saw how volunteers at a free clinic in New York City switched from idealistic to depleted healthcare workers who resented their patients. Part of the reason was the stressful demands of the job, which became too much for them to handle.
Burnout has commonly been linked to healthcare workers and caring professionals (carers, therapists, teachers, etc). And yet, burnout affects a variety of workers.
Any workplace that includes tight deadlines, high targets and meeting others’ expectations can take a toll on emotional resilience and stress-coping skills.
Is Burnout only a workplace issue?
Burnout has been described by the World Health Organisation (2019) as an occupational (job) phenomenon and is not a medical or mental health condition.
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) defines Burnout as:
“Burnout is a syndrome […] resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”
Burnout symptoms include:
Interestingly, the ICD-11 believes burnout should only be applied to only workplace stress and not other life areas.
However, in recent years, burnout has broadened into other areas of life where there is prolonged stress and emotional exhaustion.
Burnout has been a popular buzzword that can be attributed to a variety of situations and roles. It’s when the expectations and pressures outweigh one’s ability to rest and recover, leading to physical and emotional burnout.
Other forms of burnout include:
Mom Burnout: Motherhood burnout happens when constantly meeting parenting demands leaves one exhausted, resentful and emotionally drained.
Caregiver Burnout: Caring for sick or ill elderly parents, children, loved ones or patients can leave little time to rest and rejuvenate.
Compassion Fatigue: Healthcare workers, therapists or social workers often absorb the emotional pain of others.
Creative Burnout: When artists, writers or creatives feel uninspired, tired and unmotivated due to overwork and tight deadlines.
Academic Burnout: High stress and workload can increase the pressure to perform academically, resulting in mental, emotional and physical exhaustion.
Is Burnout an organisational issue?
Focusing on people rather than the organisation is shortsighted.
A Gallup study of 7,500 full-time employees found the 5 top reasons for burnout were:
Christina Maslach, a prominent researcher on burnout, says we need to see what is wrong with companies and not just the person:
“When we just look at the person, what that means is, ‘Hey we’ve got to treat that person.’ ‘You can’t work here because you’re the problem.’ ‘We have to get rid of that person.’ Then, it becomes that person’s problem, not the responsibility of the organisation that employs them.”
When workplaces say they offer self-care, meditation and therapy sessions for employees, these are short-term solutions to a very real problem: unrealistic workloads.
When an organisation puts profits over people, it’s only a matter of time until worker’s menth suffers.
Startup culture is often linked with toxic work attitudes. An example of questionable workplace cultures can be seen in Adam Neumann, the founder of WeWork.
WeWork has faced criticism for alleged misconduct and misleading investors. Some point to WeWork’s toxic work culture, citing employees who are overworked, shortchanged, and treated like disposable widgets.
Today’s workplaces show an understanding of the pitfalls of hustle culture on mental health, calling for more structure, support and fair benefits.
Burnout: Workplace red flags
Burnout can often happen gradually as a result of ignoring or repressing needs. If you’re unsure whether a workplace is toxic or questionable, look at if you or any other workers do the following:
🚩Frequent sighing: A sign of stress and anxiety.
🚩Working overtime: A sign of unrealistic expectations.
🚩Over-apologizing: This may indicate low self-esteem.
🚩Exhaustion: Constant physical, mental, and emotional fatigue.
🚩Passive-aggressive emails: Could signal widespread dissatisfaction.
🚩Poor work-life balance: Always being "on" prevents rest and recovery.
🚩Saying "It’s fine": Ignoring feelings to "tough it out" can lead to burnout.
🚩Isolation: Avoiding social interactions or staying off-camera in meetings.
🚩Feeling overwhelmed: Shown through forgetfulness, stuttering, or excessive worry.
🚩Lack of support: Poor leadership and unclear expectations leave employees feeling undervalued.
12 signs of Burnout (Freudenberger & North, 1974) are:
There are 12 stages of burnout according to the psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North and Herbert (1974):
Need to Prove Yourself – A strong drive to achieve or care for others, often affecting responsible and enthusiastic people.
Working Too Hard – Struggling to slow down, facing unrealistic expectations, feeling pressure to do more.
Neglecting Needs – Poor sleep, diet, and health; withdrawing from others.
Avoiding Problems – Ignoring conflicts, feeling anxious or threatened.
Distorted Priorities – Work becomes the only focus, hobbies fade, and concerns from loved ones are dismissed.
Denial – Growing cynicism, irritability, and blaming workload instead of recognising personal burnout.
Social Withdrawal – Isolating from friends and family, relying on unhealthy stress relief, increased sick leave.
Unusual Behavior – Others notice concerning changes in attitude or actions.
Depersonalization – Feeling detached, seeing nothing and no one as valuable.
Inner Emptiness – Feeling hollow, using excessive food, sex, alcohol, or distractions to cope.
Depression – Feeling lost, exhausted, and hopeless about the future.
Burnout Syndrome – Possible mental and physical breakdown, long-term sick leave, or career collapse.
Physical signs of Burnout:
Burnout: Stress on the Brain
Burnout can disrupt cognitive functions like creativity, problem-solving, and memory.
A review of 15 studies found that burnout is linked to attention lapses and memory impairments.
Burnout can alter brain functioning and structure. This results in emotional dysregulation and cognitive decline.
Studies have found that burnout weakens connections between the amygdala (which processes emotions) and brain areas responsible for stress regulation, making it harder to control negative emotions. This means someone with burnout can appear emotional and overreact to stress or pressure.
Burnout is also linked to physical brain changes, including cortical thinning in the prefrontal cortex (important for cognition) and enlargement of the amygdala.
These changes resemble those seen in individuals with early-life trauma. Chronic stress may trigger excessive glutamate release, contributing to neural damage and cognitive impairments over time (APS, 2016).
Burnout: Stress on the Body and cortisol levels
Research shows that burnout is linked to lower morning cortisol levels, chronic inflammation, and serious health risks, including coronary heart disease. This can lead to health issues such as heart disease.
Burnout: Stress on the Soul
Rather than despair, burnout can be a chance to re-evaluate priorities, beliefs, and relationships. By slowing down and seeking internal validation beyond productivity, individuals can restore balance and realign with what truly matters.
By discovering our own beliefs, motivations and what relationships we enjoy, we can learn how to tune into what we want and need (rather than following what others expect of us).
Learning healthy self-regulation activities like meditation, deep breathing and time in nature may also help to reconnect with oneself again.
Burnout: Why do we push through exhaustion?
There are many reasons why we push through exhaustion.
Working for a demanding organisation that pushes high targets could be one reason.
Another, is that Western culture often idealises productivity and achievement. If we are not producing or achieving, this could lead to a sense of personal failure and “not keeping up” with peers.
Another reason could be life circumstances. Being a single mom, having a low paid job, and having to support a large family are just some external pressures that could lead to overwork and burnout.
Why do we push through exhaustion? is a complex question because our lives are deeply personal. It’s important to note that not everyone has the same privilege or support system to relax or recharge, and self-care is largely a Western concept.
Also, feeling guilty or anxious about taking time to rest or slow down is common in a 24/7 on-demand culture. Being busy and connected to others online can inadvertently enhance a sense of disconnection from our bodies and emotions.
When we neglect our internal signals and needs to meet external expectations, this can lead to burnout and feeling drained.
My personal Burnout story
I felt anxious and believed I needed to toughen up since everyone else was working late and on weekends. But deep down, I knew there had to be a better way. Nearly five years later, I’ve learned to slow down, quiet my mind, and manage feeling overwhelmed.
Burnout taught me to set clear boundaries and communicate my expectations. Not everyone will mind-read what I think, so it’s my responsibility to state my expectations kindly and directly.
I understand that productivity requires effort, but neglecting my health isn’t sustainable—especially now that I have a baby. I’ve learned to value small steps over constant big leaps.
Simple ways to avoid Burnout Cycles
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to healing from burnout cycles.
Here is what helped me to avoid burnout:
Self-worth: I realise I’m more than my job. It’s easy to say, “You’re more than your productivity” but how many people believe this? By slowing down and understanding that a job comes and goes, I’m now finding other sources of validation other than titles and external validation. I often ask, “What is timeless, intrinsic and good about myself that will never leave me?” Embodying feeling valued and loved is different from just cognitively believing I’m enough.
Listening to my body: I used to think rest was a luxury that had to be "earned." Now, I realise that if we don’t feel “enough” now, we won’t find fulfilment later. So, finding a balance between work and rest is key. Listening to my body’s need for rest, play, and movement lets me work more intuitively and with flexibility. Work and life integration is also an organic process that shifts as my life changes shape. Therefore, there are plenty of reviews, reflections and new ways of working and being.
Burnt out?
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