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Stressful situations are part of life, and we all experience them at some point. However, chronic stress can lead to burnout - when prolonged stress and stressors in our lives exceed our capacity to deal with those stressors. Burnout can negatively impact your personal and professional life, making it essential to identify its early signs and take action. One way to do this is by paying attention to the things we say.

In this blog post, we'll discuss some common phrases that indicate you're heading for burnout.

"I'm up to my eyeballs."

When you're overwhelmed with work or responsibilities, it's easy to feel like you're drowning. Saying that you're "up to your eyeballs" is a sign that you're struggling to keep up. If you're constantly feeling swamped, it's time to take a step back and assess your workload and maybe even shift your priorities. Now, the act of doing this is easier said than done in some contexts, but the point is this: pay attention to the words you’re using. They’re likely not flippant. If you’re saying this or something like it, you’re likely overwhelmed and we need to fix that.

"I'm exhausted/tired/wiped."

Just like the last one, don’t ignore phrases like this, especially if they’re being used frequently. Feeling tired after a long day is normal, but if you're constantly exhausted, it's a sign that you're headed for burnout. Chronic fatigue can affect your productivity, mood, and overall well-being. It's crucial to take time off to rest and recharge, OR if you can’t take time off, just time to focus on self-care and rejuvenation, especially if you've been pushing yourself too hard.

"I feel like I can't turn off."

This is a common sign of overwhelm. In today's fast-paced world, it's becoming increasingly challenging to disconnect from work and technology. If you often find yourself checking emails or responding to work messages after hours OR you’re struggling to fall asleep because so responsibilities, tasks, and things to remember are flooding your mind, it's a sign that you're experiencing overwhelm burnout. Sure, creating clear boundaries between work and personal time can help prevent burnout, but perhaps the easiest thing you can do is to improve your systems so that they’re better able to wrangle the chaos. Right now, your mind feels like it has to do all that work. Check out my Notion digital planner! It might be just what you need…

"I have to do everything myself."

Feeling like you're the only one who can do things correctly is not necessarily a sign of burnout, but it’s a sign that you’re likely on your way to overwhelm because you simply won’t relinquish control. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you're the only one who can handle a task, but this mindset can lead to exhaustion and frustration. Learning to delegate and trust others can help alleviate burnout. The only way those around you can learn to do things properly is for you to let them do those things. Save yourself future burnout and relinquish some control.

"No one pulls their own weight."

Similar to the last one, feeling like you're doing all the work can lead to resentment and burnout. Resentment in this context ultimately is indicative of a lack of boundaries, too. So, ask yourself, are others not contributing because they lack a work ethic OR because they’re not being given the opportunity to contribute OR because they don’t know that they’re needed? Seriously. Consider this a gut-check moment. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a control freak and that I struggle to ask for help. Sometimes our overwhelm and all the things that are on our plate are a) either self-induced or b) the result of the fact that we don’t ask for help. While it's frustrating when others don't contribute, it's essential to communicate your needs and expectations. Addressing the issue early on can prevent burnout and promote a more collaborative work environment.

"No one understands how hard I work."

This might not seem like one that should be included in this list, but here’s the thing: feeling unappreciated can contribute to burnout. It's important to feel valued and recognized for your efforts, and if you're not, it can lead to emotional exhaustion. Communicating your needs and achievements can help others understand the effort you're putting in and prevent burnout because, let’s be honest, sometimes our leaders are too distracted by their own problems (or the trouble-makers on their team) that they merely forget to acknowledge your efforts.

As a former manager, the vast majority of my time was monopolized by the people who weren’t pulling their weight or who were struggling, NOT the ones that were doing the best work. And that’s a problem. There are polite ways to bring this up with your manager, so make sure you avoid the resentment that may or may not be building and do so.

"I just don't care anymore."

High-achievers and high-performers are usually highly engaged, self-motivated, and productive. When these people start feeling indifferent or apathetic towards work or life, this is a massive sign of emotional burnout. Losing interest in things you once enjoyed OR in work that once brought you serious fulfillment can be a significant red flag. It's crucial to seek support and take time off to reconnect with yourself and your passions.

"I feel like I haven't accomplished anything."

Feeling unproductive despite working hard is a sign of overwhelm burnout. When you're burned out, it's easy to feel like you're running on a hamster wheel, not making any progress. It's important to set realistic goals and prioritize tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed. I love how they put this in a Forbes article. They said…

"I can't get anything done because of X..."

Feeling like external factors are preventing you from completing tasks isn’t in and of itself a sign of burnout, but feeling a lack of control can ultimately lead to burnout, which is the issue here. Really, the fix here isn’t about taking responsibility or anything like that because, let’s be honest, sometimes we don’t have control. But, what can help is taking a moment to really just have a gut-check with yourself and ask, am I really not able to get anything done or is there something that I can do in the meantime OR some way that I can regain control? Sometimes just taking a moment to call out whether what you’re feeling is actually real and/or finding ways to move forward in spite of the stuckness is all we need. Momentum is motivating, so look for some ways to create some, even if it means pivoting your focus for a moment.

"This is impossible…" or “I’ll never finish…”

These statements are both in absolutes and—this one is for my Star Wars fans out there—only a sith deals in absolutes. Ultimately, what this is is an issue of feeling stuck again and not seeing a clear path forward and that’s a sign of overwhelm burnout. Often, we’re overwhelmed not because we have “too much” to do, but because we don’t see that clear path forward. We don’t know where to start. This mindset can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Yes, I could say “challenge your negative self-talk” or some other cookie-cutter BS here that is super unhelpful, OR what I could do is tell you to write out all the things that need to get done and then identify what needs to get done first. What is the roadblock that is preventing everything else from moving forward? Okay, then go do that thing. This gets you moving and will help you feel better because, again, momentum is motivating…

So, that’s it!

Look out for some of these key phrases and try taking action how I’ve described! OR if you’re stuck, check out my memberships OR 1-on-1 coaching!

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