Welcome to this month’s edition of our workplace health and wellness newsletter. Each issue focuses on practical tools that help us work, feel, and live better. 

This month, we are exploring burnout, a common occupational challenge that can affect anyone in demanding roles.

Burnout is recognised by the World Health Organization as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. In this edition, we will look at its symptoms, causes, and risk factors, with a particular emphasis on practical ways to manage and prevent it. Our aim is to provide you with straightforward steps you can take to support your own wellbeing or that of your team.

What is Burnout?

Burnout develops gradually from prolonged stress, leading to emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. It often involves feelings of detachment and a reduced sense of accomplishment in your work. 

While it shares some features with stress or depression, burnout is specifically tied to the workplace and can impact performance, relationships, and overall health.

Identifying Symptoms of Burnout

Recognising burnout early allows for timely intervention. Common signs include:

Constant fatigue, even after rest or time off.

Irritability, anxiety, or a sense of helplessness.

Withdrawal from colleagues or reduced empathy in interactions.

Poor sleep, changes in appetite, or physical complaints like headaches.

A feeling of detachment or cynicism towards your job or team.

Diminished motivation and a lack of satisfaction in achievements.

If these resonate, consider speaking with a trusted colleague or professional to assess your situation.

Possible Causes and Risk Factors

Burnout often stems from workplace factors such as heavy workloads, lack of control over tasks, or unclear expectations. Other contributors include understaffing, monotonous routines, or a culture of blame. Personal traits like perfectionism or poor work-life boundaries can heighten vulnerability.

Those at greater risk include professionals in high-pressure fields like healthcare or education, trainees, or individuals facing additional stresses such as financial or relationship challenges. Women and older workers may also experience higher rates, though more research is needed to understand why.

How to Manage Burnout: Practical Tips and Steps

Addressing burnout requires action at personal, team, and organisational levels. Here are practical steps you can take, starting today.

Build Personal Resilience

Focus on self-care to recharge and regain balance:

• Prioritise sleep by aiming for seven to nine hours each night and maintaining a consistent routine. Sleep restores well-being and helps protect your health.

• Incorporate regular exercise, such as a daily walk or short stretching session, to reduce stress hormones. Even 10-minute bursts of rhythmic activities like walking or swimming can improve mood for up to two hours by lifting energy and promoting relaxation.

• Eat nutritious meals and stay hydrated to support energy levels. Consume more Omega-3 fatty acids from sources like fatty fish or walnuts to boost mood, while minimising sugar and refined carbs to prevent energy crashes.

• Practice mindfulness or deep breathing for five minutes daily to ground yourself. Techniques like meditation or yoga activate the body's relaxation response, helping to manage stress and clear the mind.

• Set boundaries, like designating no-work email times after hours. This includes disconnecting from devices during set periods to avoid overextending and free up time for preferred activities.

• Identify activities that bring joy, such as hobbies or time with loved ones, and schedule them regularly. Nourish creativity through new projects unrelated to work stressors to enter "low stakes flow states" and regain perspective.

• If symptoms persist, consult your GP or an occupational health service for personalised advice [3]. Ensure adequate nutrition with balanced meals including proteins, fats, and fibre to stabilise energy and reduce irritability.

Develop Coping Strategies

When feeling overwhelmed, try these immediate techniques:

• Pause and name your emotions, for example, “I am feeling exhausted right now,” to reduce their intensity. Make this a daily practice by checking in multiple times during your workday to identify mood patterns tied to tasks or people.

• Use progressive relaxation: tense and release muscle groups starting from your toes upwards. This helps release physical tension and can be combined with journaling to process stress and clear the mind.

• Reframe challenges by asking, “What can I control in this situation?” Focus on positive aspects of your work, break tasks into smaller pieces, and celebrate small victories to maintain motivation and view responsibilities as growth opportunities.

• Take short breaks throughout the day to step away from your desk and reset. Incorporate five-minute breaks hourly or dedicate one day a week for recuperation, as the brain is not designed for chronic hard work without rest.

• Meet yourself where you are at by understanding your current burnout stage, then identify stressors and patterns contributing to energy depletion to better combat it.

• Change patterns that drain your battery, such as negative thoughts or behaviours, and build new healthier ones to increase confidence and decisiveness.

Seek Support and Make Changes

Connection is key to recovery:

• Talk to a trusted colleague or mentor about your experiences. Social contact calms the nervous system; confide in partners, family, or friends positively to strengthen bonds and relieve stress faster.

• Access confidential support through employee assistance programmes if available. Seek help from therapy, colleagues, or support groups when overwhelmed, as it's essential to admit struggles.

• Consider coaching to build resilience and problem-solving skills. Join meaningful groups like professional associations for like-minded interactions and new friendships.

• Review your workload with your manager and discuss adjustments, such as flexible hours. Reduce exposure to stressful activities and seek helpful interpersonal connections to ward off burnout.

• Explore career tweaks, like learning new skills or shifting responsibilities every few years, to maintain engagement. If needed, take time off like vacations to fully disconnect and recharge.

• Limit contact with negative people at work to avoid mood drain, and be more sociable with coworkers through casual chats or events to buffer stress.

Prevent Burnout in Your Team

If you lead others, foster a supportive environment:

• Encourage open discussions about workload and stress. Leaders should address systemic issues like unfairness or lack of support by making workloads manageable and fostering safe cultures with compassion.

• Provide training on team working and resilience. Incentivize collaboration and build community to tackle bullying or heavy loads collectively.

• Ensure access to rest areas and healthy amenities. Promote regular breaks, like lunch away from desks, and schedule time off to prevent chronic stress.

• Promote regular time off and discourage overwork. Plan vacations or staycations for the team to recharge fully.

• Monitor for signs of burnout and offer early intervention. Discuss burnout openly and transparently to build resilience across the group.

Conclusion

As we approach the end of the year, reflecting on burnout reminds us that sustainable performance comes from balance and support. By recognising signs early and taking small, consistent steps, you can protect your wellbeing and contribute to a healthier workplace.

Workplaces thrive when people feel valued and equipped to manage stress. If this newsletter has highlighted areas for you, start with one simple change this week. Small actions, done regularly, lead to lasting improvements.

References

1. Bhugra, D. (2025). Burnout: its meaning and how to deal with it? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. DOI: 10.1177/01410768251320167.

2. Edú-Valsania, S., Laguía, A., & Moriano, J.A. (2022). Burnout: A Review of Theory and Measurement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031780.

3. Mayo Clinic. Know the signs of job burnout. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642.

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