Signs you're heading for burnout — and what actually helps

Burnout doesn't arrive like a storm. It creeps in slowly — a growing flatness, a dimming of things that used to light you up, a tiredness that sleep doesn't fix.

The early signs are easy to dismiss:

• You're getting things done but feel nothing when you do
• Small decisions feel disproportionately hard
• You've stopped looking forward to things
• Rest doesn't restore you the way it used to
• You feel vaguely resentful — of work, of people, of your own schedule

None of these feel dramatic enough to act on. That's what makes burnout so insidious.

What actually helps (and what doesn't):

A holiday doesn't fix burnout. Neither does a weekend off. Both can take the edge off, but if the conditions that created the burnout are unchanged, you'll be back where you started within days.

What helps is understanding the root — which is rarely just "too much work." It's often a mismatch between what you're giving and what you're getting back. Between your values and how you're spending your time. Between who you're performing and who you actually are.

Recovery usually involves a combination of: reducing load where possible, rebuilding rest as a non-negotiable, and — often — working with someone to understand the patterns underneath.

If you're recognising yourself here, that awareness is already something. It's worth not waiting until the wall.