Do you find yourself constantly overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do and, yet, ending your days with the nagging feeling that you never do enough?
Are your to-do lists a mile long? Do you find that you’re so far behind on everything — work tasks, scheduling doctor’s appointments, staying in touch with friends — that it’s easier to postpone everything than to tackle another task?
And, finally, are you exhausted and filled with existential dread?
Well, then, you just might be experiencing burnout.
But, what stage of burnout are you in, and, more importantly, how can you recover from burnout?
In this post, we’re taking a look at important research as well as presenting expert opinions to help answer these and other questions.
What is burnout?
Burnout is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion brought on by chronic, unresolved stress.
Although it can happen in all areas of life, burnout is most prevalent in the workplace.
The World Health Organization included burnout in its International Classification of Diseases in 2019 as an occupational phenomenon and recognizes 3 dimensions of burnout:
- Physical and mental exhaustion,
- Distance, cynicism, or negative feelings regarding one’s job, and
- Low productivity in the workplace.
But does that mean you’re in a state of burnout if you’re known as the “pessimistic one” in the office?
Not necessarily. There’s a stark difference between being cynical and burned out — in fact, being cynical isn’t even the first stage of burnout.
Stages of burnout
Burnout isn’t something that happens overnight. Instead, it gradually creeps up on you — like an unwanted cold that grips you tighter and tighter every day.
According to Herbert Freudenberger and his associate Gail North, who first described burnout in 1974, there are 12 different stages of burnout:
- The compulsive ambition stage — You feel as if you must prove yourself and make yourself stand out at work.
- The working harder stage — You feel you aren’t doing enough to prove yourself and, therefore, must work harder.
- The neglecting needs stage — You feel like you don’t have time for anything other than work because every task feels equally urgent.
- The avoiding conflict stage — You’re in denial that work is eating up your emotional and physical capacities.
- The revising values stage — Everything that isn’t work-related is put on the back burner and you don’t have time for anything (including yourself).
- The denying problems stage — You think others are the problem and they simply can’t understand that your work is a priority.
- The withdrawal stage — You withdraw from people who you deem unsupportive.
- The concerning others stage — Your behavior has become so alarming that others are worried about you but you dismiss them with frequent “I’m fine, stop worrying”.
- The depersonalization stage — You become indifferent and feel like you have to keep pushing to make it through the day.
- The sense of emptiness stage — You feel useless and empty inside.
- The depression stage — You feel as if nothing really matters anymore and are drained.
- The final stage of burnout — You feel as if you can’t go on, are on the brink (or in the middle of) a mental breakdown, and in serious need of professional help.
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How to recognize burnout in yourself
Of course, not everyone goes through these 12 stages in the same order (nor do they experience them in the same way).
Unfortunately, that means that some people are inclined to look at the list of stages, see a burnout symptom they don’t have or a stage they skipped, and proclaim that they’re perfectly fine, thank you very much.
Burnout makes people oblivious like that.
We spoke to Dr. Cynthia Edwards-Hawver, a licensed psychologist and an expert in burnout, about how one can spot burnout in themselves and she let us in on her 3-stage model of burnout that is similar to the stages of physical burns and includes:
- First-degree burnout,
- Second-degree burnout, and
- Third-degree burnout.
If you’re lucky, you’ll manage to catch yourself in the first stage, which Dr. Edwards-Hawver calls the “early signs stage”:
“In this initial stage, individuals may notice:
- Increased fatigue,
- Mild irritability, or
- Forgetfulness.
However, they often dismiss these as ‘normal stress’.”
Well, we all get stressed from time to time, right?
But, dismissing perpetual feelings of stress can be detrimental. If we do it for long enough, we risk entering the second stage of burnout — the one Dr. Edwards-Hawver calls the “growing discontent” stage:
“This stage represents moderate burnout, where symptoms intensify. Individuals may experience:
- Significant emotional exhaustion,
- Feelings of guilt or inadequacy,
- Physical sickness, and
- Increased struggles with boundaries and motivation.”
Aside from these, the second stage of burnout brings a whole array of other symptoms as well:
“There’s often a noticeable impact on relationships and self-worth as well as psychological symptoms of anxiety and mild depression. This can present in the workplace as toxic behavior, workplace bullying, and learned helplessness.”
Finally, if the first 2 stages go by unnoticed, you’ll hit the dreaded third stage — the stage of severe exhaustion and disconnection (that has the most serious symptoms):
“Symptoms include:
- Emotional withdrawal,
- A sense of hopelessness,
- Increased physical symptoms, and
- Detachment from responsibilities.
Lots of missing work days will show up here.”
7 Steps of burnout recovery
Are any bells ringing? Are you starting to feel like you might be burned out?
According to research done by Asana, 7 in 10 people experienced burnout in the past year. So, if you recognize any of the symptoms described, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone.
The first, and most important step for burnout recovery is to admit you’re burnt out. You’ve already done that, so — congratulations!
But, to truly recover from burnout, you have to do more than just fess up.
You should:
- Distance yourself from stressors. Take a short (or long) break, delegate tasks, ask for longer deadlines, or even quit your job.
- Focus on taking care of yourself. Get enough sleep, designate time for activities that aren’t work-related, and prioritize your mental health.
- Reevaluate your priorities, values, and goals. See what’s truly important to you and what you need to get to be happy.
- Set boundaries. Burnout tends to eat away at our work-life boundaries until there are none left, so work on getting them back.
- Explore new opportunities. Once you figure out what you need to be happy, you can improve your overall situation by going after it.
- Make gradual changes. Accept that burnout recovery doesn’t happen overnight and that every change, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction.
- Reach out for support. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, both at work and outside of it.
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How to recover from burnout while still working: 7 Best tips
As you can see, recovering from burnout requires employing a combination of strategies and lifestyle adjustments, as well as getting support both in and out of the workplace.
Now, that’s a lot of work. We bet just reading through that list left you feeling overwhelmed, huh?
Don’t worry; we have some actionable tips you can employ when taking steps in your recovery from burnout syndrome.
And the first one will be a relief — avoid getting overwhelmed.
Tip #1: Start small
Luckily for all of us who don’t know where to start when it comes to burnout recovery, the first rule is — don’t try to do too much at once.
One of the best pieces of advice you’ll get during recovery comes from Barbara Schumann Lamb, a Strategist, Writer, and Speaker, who highlights the importance of taking things slow:
“Burnout recovery is best achieved through small, intentional steps that generate momentum without overwhelming the individual.”
Getting overwhelmed and slipping back into your old ways (that got you burned out in the first place) is the biggest trap you have to avoid.
Another one of our experts, Gabrielle Juliano-Villani, a licensed Clinical Social Worker, offered insight into how to start your burnout recovery and a few examples of which intentional steps might help you in the long run.
“Add in one small thing every day to your routine that will help you — taking a short walk, making time to nourish yourself, journaling — whatever it is, make it small and achievable.”
She insists that during the first stages of burnout recovery, you should make things a bit easier on yourself:
“Make life easy — order takeout if you need to so you don’t have to do dishes, hire a housekeeper if you can afford it, and set limits on working time.”
When setting limits on your working hours, it’s important to, you know — actually do it. You can completely disconnect from work by muting or pausing notifications during your breaks and after hours, for example.
Tip #2: Rest to recover
Do you think you can live off of 5 hours of sleep and with a mile-long to-do list indefinitely?
Well, your burnout might have to say something about that.
Even if you’re young, sleep deprivation — along with taking on too many tasks with no time to properly rest and recover — will come back to haunt you.
Burnout doesn’t discriminate based on age. A 2023 McKinsey study on burnout showed that all generations that are currently a part of the workforce struggle with burnout:
- 84% of Gen Zs,
- 74% of Millennials, and
- 47% of Gen Xs.
What’s more, the same study shows that a lot more of them are on their way to being completely burned out, given that 25% of Gen Zs, 13% of Millennials, 13% of Gen Xs, and 8% of Baby Boomers report feeling emotionally distressed and that their levels of wellbeing are poor.
So, the time to prioritize your health (mental and physical) is now.
You can do that by getting enough rest.
As Dr. Roger Kapoor, MD, MBA, FAAD, a senior executive and VP, a Harvard-trained physician, and author of a burnout recovery guidebook “Working Happy” states, resting is vital for recovery:
“Try to take a break from work long enough to fully disconnect and recharge. Take a few days off or even a longer leave (if the burnout is severe). Ensure you’re getting adequate sleep, as rest is important for mental and physical recovery. Establish a relaxing nighttime routine to improve sleep quality.”
Tip #3: Let go of the guilt
Now, we know what you’re thinking — “I have no time to rest! With so many tasks, I’ll fall behind and people will think (or realize) that I’m incompetent!”
Burnout tricks us into thinking that we aren’t worthy if we aren’t being productive.
So, when we do take time to rest, we get the overwhelming feeling that we’re doing something wrong. Then, instead of taking the time to recuperate and give our bodies and minds a much-needed break, we shame ourselves for our lack of productivity and overextend ourselves by multitasking.
That works for a while but inevitably gets us to a point where we’re too exhausted to actually be productive (because multitasking kills productivity even when we aren’t burned out).
Constantly struggling with the feeling of guilt and being stuck in this vicious cycle is emotionally exhausting.
So, let it go.
Name the guilt, find what’s causing it, and try to look at the situation objectively. Would you fault someone else for prioritizing themselves and their health in your situation?
Then, why do you do it to yourself?
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Tip #4: Find joy in your personal life
Burnout has a lot of ways in which it tricks us into thinking the worst of ourselves.
One of the most significant examples is that it instills the thought that we’re not good enough in our minds.
This belief is enforced in each cycle of burnout — we take on too much, fail to complete it, and think we must be incapable of doing our jobs or living our lives. Then, we take no time to rest and reset. Instead, we start over, only to get the same results.
That’s why finding joy is one of the most significant steps in burnout recovery.
According to Dr. Kapoor, finding joy and purpose can greatly help, not only by shifting your focus but also by making you reevaluate your situation:
“Reconnect with activities that bring joy and relaxation outside of work, which can help shift focus away from job-related stressors. Reevaluate why you initially took on the job and whether the role aligns with your personal values and goals. Prioritize aspects of your job that you find meaningful or enjoyable, as this can reignite your motivation.”
Finding joy outside of work is especially important because it can help you get rid of the (false) belief that you’re ineffective and incapable.
So, for example, you can master some skills that have nothing to do with your job. Take up a hobby or (even better) return to your old hobbies in which you excel.
Being proficient in something other than your job — something that you actually love — will build your confidence and help you emotionally recover.
Tip #5: Take back control
Since we’re often trapped in burnout, we think that we have no way out and, thus, no control over what’s happening to us.
To combat that feeling, you need to engage in activities where you feel you have full control.
Now, this can be quite difficult at work, because, if you felt you were in control in the first place, you probably wouldn’t be feeling burned out.
So, you must look elsewhere to achieve this.
On the plus side, you can opt for activities that bring you joy and make you feel in control at the same time — and kill two birds with one stone.
These activities don’t have to be monumental or overwhelming. You can start small — by organizing a get-together for your book club or picking the menu for your next family dinner — and work your way up.
Tip #6: Get organized (by setting boundaries)
Burnout often creeps up on us when we’re overworked or overwhelmed by tasks.
So, organizing your workload is another great tip to employ.
By breaking things down into manageable pieces, you can reduce the feeling of having too much on your plate.
However, to be able to actually do that, you have to learn how to set boundaries at work and how to say “No”.
People often find themselves with “too much on their plate” simply because they were too polite to say “I don’t want that on my plate, man.”
As Sheena Yap Chan, Author, Confidence & Leadership Keynote Speaker & Corporate Trainer, told us, people pleasing and not being able to say “No” plays a massive role in becoming burned out.
“Many people reach burnout by trying to meet everyone else’s needs before their own. Setting boundaries at work and in personal life is essential for sustainable energy and mental health.”
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Tip #7: Don’t suffer in silence
Finally, and maybe most importantly, to recover from burnout, you need support. So you need to effectively communicate what’s happening.
Just like with anything else, you need a good social support network to weather the storm of burnout.
Social interaction can help you get that emotional equilibrium back. Even though burnout makes you withdrawn, you need to fight against that and share what ails you with the people around you.
What’s more, it’s also a good idea to reach out to people you work with and seek their help as well, according to Dr. Kapoor:
“If possible, discuss your situation with trusted colleagues or supervisors. Some workplaces offer support or can help reassign responsibilities to prevent burnout.”
Even if your workplace doesn’t have a support system that you can lean on, your coworkers might still be able to help — or at least offer their understanding.
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How long does it take to recover from burnout?
Burnout recovery takes time. So if you’re wondering what the fastest way to cure burnout is, we have some unpleasant news — there is no fast way.
Overall, the current research shows that, in cases of short-term stress, the recovery usually lasts between 1 and 3 months.
However, in cases of severe, prolonged stress and burnout, recovery can take a year or even up to 4 years (in most severe cases).
5 tips to help your employees recover from burnout
As you probably gathered by now, battling burnout isn’t (or at least shouldn’t be) a solitary activity.
More often than not, you’ll need assistance from the people around you — most notably, those you work with.
If you’re lucky, your company already has a few protocols in place for helping employees with burnout. If not, then you might have to be the one to pioneer them.
Battling burnout in the workplace is a definite must — both for employees and leadership.
According to Gallup, burnout severely impacts job satisfaction and employee engagement.
What’s more, companies with burned-out employees see:
- Lower levels of performance,
- High turnover,
- High absenteeism, and
- High medical costs.
All in all, not addressing burnout can cost your organization 15–20% of total payroll.
So, how do you stop that?
Let’s take a look at the tips our experts have to offer.
Tip #1: Foster clarity
When your employees know what’s expected of them, they don’t have to do any guesswork and can focus on getting stuff done. That significantly decreases their work-related stress levels.
So, clarity when it comes to goals and expectations should be your priority, according to our expert Barbara Schumann Lamb:
“Leaders and managers play a critical role in helping their teams recover from burnout by encouraging clarity around individual goals and ensuring tasks align with both personal values and organizational priorities. Facilitating aspirational but achievable goal setting keeps employees focused on meaningful progress.”
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Tip #2: Track growth without pressure
Putting pressure on your team members is sometimes a necessity — or even a staple in some leadership styles. After all, you need them to perform well for the sake of the bottom line.
However, you should be mindful of how you track that growth and how your pressure affects your employees, as Barbara Schumann Lamb advises:
“Accountability systems, when applied with compassion, help track growth without pressure. Leaders must also model healthy boundaries and self-care practices, demonstrating that well-being and success can coexist.”
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Tip #3: Offer flexibility
If you know that one of your employees is struggling with burnout, try to help them achieve a better work-life balance by offering flexibility.
As Dr. Kapoor noted, flexibility can greatly impact employee stress levels — for the better.
“Offer flexibility in working hours or the option to work from home if feasible. Flexibility helps employees manage work and personal responsibilities, which can reduce stress. Encourage employees to take breaks, vacation days, and mental health days.”
Tip #5: Create a positive workplace culture
Finally, to truly help your employees recover from burnout, you need to create a positive work environment where they aren’t afraid to take a step back and work on their mental health.
As our expert Sue Belton, Executive Coach and Consultant, noted, a positive culture is vital for success:
“Leaders need to create a culture where people feel safe taking a break. Encourage regular check-ins to spot early signs of burnout and ensure people aren’t burning out in silence.”
To create a truly positive workplace culture, you have to lead by example. Never forget that by being a leader, you’re essentially a blueprint for employee behavior. They look up to you and try to emulate you.
So, you can’t just implement these tips and call it a day — you have to actually live by them, as Sue Belton noted:
“Most importantly — lead by example. If you’re sending emails at midnight, your team will feel pressured to do the same. Show them that it’s okay to switch off.”
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Manage burnout better with Pumble
Recovering from burnout will require you to use every tool you have in your toolbox — including a good communication and collaboration app.
By employing an app like Pumble, an all-in-one business messaging app, you’ll be able to follow all the steps of burnout recovery by using some of its functionalities such as:
- Instant communication — take time off to rest at home and work completely remotely without sacrificing the seamlessness of communication and collaboration,
- Notification preferences — customize your notifications in any way you see fit — by employing statuses, the Do Not Disturb Mode, and the mute function — to ensure your work isn’t a distraction after hours,
- Communication organization — use Pumble as your digital HQ and organize your workday and your tasks into manageable chunks, thus reducing stressors, and
- Direct messages, group messages, and calls — communicate your needs and how you’re feeling to your coworkers or higher-ups via DMs or video calls.
Break the chains of burnout — try Pumble for free today!
