Burnout, have you experienced it?

[AnaViaSalamanca]

Just wondering, has anyone experienced "burnout"? I feel like I am totally burned out and overwhelmed.

Any positive stories? How did you get out of your burnout?

Currently feeling exactly like this. So will watch this chat for some ideas.
I have tried some supplements. Tried regular exercise, doing things I enjoy and make me happy. Even going to bed early.

I go thru peaks and dips of feeling great and then feeling not with it (just on autopilot) I'm considering looking at my hormone levels to see if they need some boosts and whether that might help.

All the best OP - I try to tell myself it doesn't last forever

I think I have. I took a month off from work after I had not made it through a workday without crying for 3 weeks. Even the smallest task at work felt insurmountable. I normally like my work and I am good at it and I never cry at work. Time off worked for me but I was unsure if I was over it when I went back to be honest. I went back because I felt that being off more would not help me more iyswim. During the time off I tried to do stuff that usually makes me happy - spend time outside, crafts etc.

My manager suggested it as the reason that I wasn’t coping at work anymore (I am a nurse, this was pre-Covid). I refused to accept it, but did eventually google it and acknowledged that I had a lot of the symptoms. I didn’t take time off because I hate that. I took 2 separate days off, 1 when I was sent home because I couldn’t stop crying and 1 when I felt I couldn’t do the next shift, but the sense of failure and guilt at letting other people down meant I felt worse not better. Lockdown also made me feel burnt out as a wife and mother.
So, I have absolutely no advice as I have done none of the recommended things. Time off sick probably is the answer for most people if you are burnt out by your job. Time to yourself/ hobbies/ exercise/ being outside probably help if it is the rest of life. Maybe counselling. I was eventually persuaded by my manager to try that, but it made me feel worse not better.

Thanks all. I am seeing a therapist, but it's not helping. She just repeats what I say back to me. And I do tonnes of exercise but still nothing helps.

Hope everyone gets better

I took a month off, that really helped.

I think I've been burned out again and am wading my way back - best thing I have done is quit sugar and eat three healthy meals at regular meal times. I'm building exercise up gradually. I'm still up and down but lots better.

what are the symptoms?

I took voluntary redundancy with the idea of taking a year out to think about what to do next. In the event I only lasted 3 months before I was back at work in a completely different career. (After 23 years at work)

10 years on, I've climbed a new ladder and earn more than I did before, but have a much better balance, which I have to admit is due to a different attitude in me rather than a less pressurised job. The old me would have found my current role very stressful.

I'm wondering if I am. What are the symptoms?

I took a couple of weeks off work as I felt burnt out last Summer. Before the time off i veered between numb and depressed, through to irritable/snappy and just feeling panicked a lot of the time. Everything felt insurmountable and overwhelming.

Completed a work task that had been really stressing me and instead of feeling any relief I just felt struck with dread at all the other things I had to do and just couldn’t stop crying. So GP signed me off for 2 weeks.

I had little hope that it would help, but it did. The physical effects of stress (racing heart, panic, headaches, insomnia) lessened. I’m on ADs which I think have become less effective for me over the years as they don’t buoy me as much against anxiety and depression, but they do seem to help me restabilise. So I think the combination of time out, getting exercise and ADs helped. And I went back to work feeling, not exactly refreshed, but reset.

I also discussed counselling (CBT) with the GP and through my workplace employee assistance program. I didn’t go down that route - have had CBT before and didn’t rate it - but think I might reconsider it as I’m starting to/well on the way to feeling burnt out again at the moment and I could really do with some better coping tools!

This time around though I’ve recognised the signs more and have changed my work pattern to give me some more time off.

Wishing everyone well....

Recently had such a burnout. I felt overwhelmed, crying everyday, didn't see the point in life, actual wanted to die. I was stressed about work, about uni, not making my partner happy enough (even though he is so supportive of me).

I started to see a therapist but about 3 weeks in I had a major panic attacked and broke down. I ended up taking two weeks off work and she advised me to get rid of what stresses I could have and focus on what I felt able. Work and attending uni = gone. So I just didn't have much to focus on other than one assignment. I just stayed home and after I called in sick, an hour later, the biggest weight off my shoulders came. Nothing to worry about for two weeks.

I was then really ill and could feel myself crying again, I'm vaccinated but my BIL wasn't and he had covid so had to isolate for ten days. Again, nothing to focus on and I recovered from being ill.

I feel so refreshed, went gym for first time in 3 weeks due to being so I'll and feel great.

I advise, if youre crying a lot, thinking a lot, irrational thoughts and just feeling down, take time.out. Get rid of whatever pressures you have and take time out. Trust me, youll feel better for it.

I think you need to speak to your doctor. Everyone gets stressed out. Sometimes we need time off. You need to address if time off is going to work or if there are structural problems with your job that are inducing these feelings.

I used to work in a very stressful environment. I had a couple of duvet days, I think the doctor signed me off once but I was pregnant and work stress kept making me throw up. Twice I got counselling through the work offered service. The first lady really helped me with my confidence and impact. The second guy helped me identify there was nothing wrong with me and I just needed a new job.

It might be time to brush up your cv and think about your options to move.

Don't get into unproductive thinking about all you can't do and reasons you have to stay where you are. That's not true. Change is possible.

Take some time but use it well. You may need rest but you also need exercise, fresh air and a good diet. If you drink alcohol now is the time to cut right back. It's not helping.

One of the things I used to do when stressed was drink more. I had to recognise I was self medicating and stop. I'm not saying you do this but you need to identify crutches that you use to cope and come off them at the same time as taking a break from work.

You need a plan even if it's "take 2 weeks off, then speak to your manager about ways in which work can improve your conditions." Make a list. A stressed employee is unproductive so it's win win to help you get your work mojo back.

I was completely burned out by the NHS. I took a while out, did something similar but from a different perspective. I felt valued, got my mojo back and am have returned to my original role. I give less fucks now. My patients are as well looked after as ever but I just get on with it, avoid as many battles and if I think I need water or a coffee I down tools and take 5 (where safe obviously). Burning out definitey has eroded a part of my joy de vivre about my job and colleagues but was super positive in other respects. I changed because I'd probably have ended up dead.
I wasn't so much crying as just flat. I gave 100percent to work which was effecting what I could give to my family and basically eradicated self care. I ended up seriously unwell twice. One day I saw another job advertised so took a temporary change of direction.
Burnout is real. Some of my peers have ended up medically retired and many on long term medication. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Please, now that you've recognised you're feeling like this try and step back, take a break and look after yourself

Yes, although not medically diagnosed.

Symptoms were a complete and total lack of energy and overwhelm at even the smallest tasks. No patience. Tearful.

I’m afraid to say I didn’t admit this to work but instead invented another problem, which allowed me to take a week off. I did very little during that week and it allowed me to press the reset button. When I returned the stress returned but not to that level. I can now spot the signs and know to give myself an easy day or book a long weekend.