Burnout: How to Spot It, Stop It, and Bounce Back
Burnout is not just “being stressed” or “having a busy week”. It is a gradual process where ongoing pressure drains your energy, motivation, and sense of accomplishment. Over time, it can affect your relationships, work, studies, and overall wellbeing.
At Ivy Psychology, we work with many clients who find themselves caught in the burnout cycle, often without realising it has crept in. The good news is that burnout can be prevented, and recovery is possible with the right strategies and support.
What Does Burnout Look Like?
Burnout can affect you in different ways:
Emotional – You may feel more irritable, flat, or hopeless, and even guilty for taking time to rest.
Cognitive – Concentration is harder, decision-making feels like a chore, and negative thoughts start to take over.
Behavioural – You might find yourself avoiding work or social commitments, struggling to get out of bed, or relying on extra caffeine, sugar, alcohol, or other substances to get through the day.
Physical – You could feel constantly tired despite sleeping, notice more headaches or muscle tension, or catch colds more easily.
Left unchecked, burnout can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and physical health issues.
Why Burnout Happens
While burnout can appear in any part of life, work is a common trigger. Risk factors include:
Consistently high workload or pressure
Feeling like you have little control or say in decisions
Lack of recognition or reward for your efforts
Limited social support
Values that do not align with your workplace culture
Low self-confidence or perfectionism
It can also happen in study, caregiving, volunteering, or even personal projects if the demands outweigh your resources.
Preventing Burnout Before It Starts
Think of prevention as building a buffer between you and stress. Practical steps include:
Identify your stress signals early and take action before they build up.
Set realistic goals. Ambition is healthy, but impossible targets set you up for exhaustion.
Maintain work-life balance by scheduling regular breaks and time for activities you enjoy.
Practise self-care. Exercise, eat well, stay hydrated, and get enough rest.
Set boundaries and learn to say “no” without guilt.
Stay connected with people who lift you up.
Make sure your environment aligns with your values.
Recovering from Burnout
If you are already experiencing burnout, it is important to take a step back before pushing forward.
Start by reducing your load. This may involve taking a short break or temporarily stepping away from certain responsibilities. When you return, start with smaller, less demanding tasks.
Look after your body. Rest as much as you need, eat balanced meals, exercise regularly, and limit alcohol, caffeine, and other substances that can slow recovery. Try relaxation techniques like box breathing (inhale for three seconds, hold for three, exhale for three).
Shift your mindset. Practise mindfulness, write in a journal, and replace self-critical thoughts with more compassionate ones. For example, instead of “I should be able to handle this”, try “I am choosing what is best for my wellbeing right now”.
Reconnect with what matters. Spend time with people you trust, seek professional support if needed, and consider whether your current path aligns with your values. Burnout can sometimes become the turning point for making meaningful life changes.
Getting Support
Burnout is not a personal failure. It is a sign that something in your environment or routine needs to change.
At Ivy Psychology, we can help you:
Identify early warning signs
Develop coping strategies tailored to your needs
Build resilience to reduce the risk of burnout returning
Address unhelpful thinking patterns such as perfectionism or people-pleasing
We provide in-clinic, in-home (for NDIS Participants), and telehealth psychology and behaviour support across Australia. Medicare rebates may be available with a referral from your GP.
If you think you might be heading towards burnout, or you are already there, contact us today. You deserve the time and support to recover and to feel energised, focused, and connected again.
