{"id":15764,"date":"2024-11-06T14:47:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T14:47:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/?p=15764"},"modified":"2026-03-04T16:38:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T16:38:48","slug":"how-to-recover-from-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/how-to-recover-from-burnout\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Recover From Burnout: 12 Expert Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you find yourself constantly overwhelmed <\/strong>by the amount of work you have to do and, yet, ending your days with the nagging feeling that you never do enough<\/strong>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are your to-do lists a mile long? Do you find that you\u2019re so far behind on everything \u2014 work tasks, scheduling doctor\u2019s appointments, staying in touch with friends \u2014 that it\u2019s easier to postpone everything than to tackle another task?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, finally, are you exhausted and filled with existential dread?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, then, you just might be experiencing burnout<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, what stage of burnout are you in, and, more importantly, how can you recover from burnout?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we\u2019re taking a look at important research as well as presenting expert opinions to help answer these and other questions. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"How<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What is burnout?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Burnout is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion brought on by chronic, unresolved stress.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it can happen in all areas of life, burnout is most prevalent in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The World Health Organization included burnout in its International Classification of Diseases in 2019 as an occupational phenomenon<\/a> and recognizes 3 dimensions of burnout:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Physical and mental exhaustion<\/strong>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Distance, cynicism, or negative feelings<\/strong> regarding one\u2019s job, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Low productivity<\/strong> in the workplace.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    But does that mean you\u2019re in a state of burnout if you\u2019re known as the \u201cpessimistic one\u201d in the office?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Not necessarily. There\u2019s a stark difference between being cynical and burned out \u2014 in fact, being cynical isn\u2019t even the first stage of burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Stages of burnout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Burnout isn\u2019t something that happens overnight. Instead, it gradually creeps up on you \u2014 like an unwanted cold that grips you tighter and tighter every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    According to Herbert Freudenberger and his associate Gail North, who first described burnout in 1974, there are 12 different stages of burnout<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. The compulsive ambition<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You feel as if you must prove yourself and make yourself stand out at work<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. The working harder<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You feel you aren\u2019t doing enough to prove yourself and, therefore, must work harder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. The neglecting needs<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You feel like  you don\u2019t have time for anything other than work because every task feels equally urgent<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. The avoiding conflict<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You\u2019re in denial that work is eating up your emotional and physical capacities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. The revising values<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 Everything that isn\u2019t work-related is put on the back burner and you don\u2019t have time for anything (including yourself).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. The denying problems<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You think others are the problem and they simply can\u2019t understand that your work is a priority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. The withdrawal<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You withdraw from people who you deem unsupportive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    8. The concerning others<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 Your behavior has become so alarming that others are worried about you but you dismiss them with frequent \u201cI\u2019m fine, stop worrying\u201d<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    9. The depersonalization<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You become indifferent and feel like you have to keep pushing to make it through the day.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    10. The sense of emptiness<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You feel useless and empty inside.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    11. The depression<\/em> stage<\/strong> \u2014 You feel as if nothing really matters anymore and are drained.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    12. The final stage of burnout<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 You feel as if you can\u2019t go on, are on the brink (or in the middle of) a mental breakdown, and in serious need of professional help.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      How to recognize burnout in yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Of course, not everyone goes through these 12 stages in the same order<\/strong> (nor do they experience them in the same way). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Unfortunately, that means that some people are inclined to look at the list of stages, see a burnout symptom they don\u2019t have or a stage they skipped, and proclaim that they\u2019re perfectly fine, thank you very much.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Burnout makes people oblivious like that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We spoke to Dr. Cynthia Edwards-Hawver<\/a>, 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 <\/strong>that is similar to the stages of physical burns and includes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n