Burnout affects your emotional and physical state
Stress can cause your body to release stress hormones (especially cortisol). Stress hormones that are elevated for extended periods can wreak havoc with your adrenal levels, interfere with your ability to manage everyday tasks, disrupt your circadian rhythms (stopping you from getting quality, rejuvenating sleep), and interfere with other aspects of your functioning.
Burnout is much more than just fatigue.
You might suddenly develop unusual aches and pains, unexpected changes to your blood pressure, experience uncharacteristically low levels of energy, and depression. If you’re burnt out, you might feel sad, discouraged, unmotivated, or irritable and derive less enjoyment from activities you usually enjoy.
If you are experiencing burnout, only addressing the burnout will help you get back to yourself.
Burnout can be a blessing in disguise
Now for some good news: burnout can actually be a good thing. Strange as it may seem, burnout is your own inner advocate, insisting that you take your own needs seriously and put aside all the various demands that have been dominating your attention, forcing you to finally take care of yourself.
In that way, burnout can act as your own best friend, insisting on advocating for your own needs. When burnout inhibits even your basic functioning, it forces you to reevaluate your priorities. Burnout can be the trigger for change that you require to give yourself the love, time, and recuperation that you really need.
