Recognizing the Signs (Even the Subtle Ones)

Shift Ahead: Burnout shows up in many forms—this chapter helps you recognize your own warning signs before they lead to total shutdown.

In Practice: I used to think I was just lazy when I couldn’t get out of bed. Or rude when I stopped responding to texts. But really, I was slipping into burnout—again. The signs were there: brushing my teeth felt impossible, every sound was too loud, and my brain kept freezing mid-thought. I’d go silent in conversations because forming words felt like lifting bricks. I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t anxious. I was overloaded. 

But no one around me saw it, because I looked “fine.” That invisibility made it worse. The truth is, for people like us, burnout doesn’t always look like collapse. Sometimes it looks like silence, stillness, or doing just enough to get through.

Sometimes burnout creeps in quietly. You start forgetting things. Socializing feels harder. Even joy starts to feel muted. Other times, it crashes in like a wave: tears, shutdowns, sensory overwhelm, and the need to disappear from the world.

Here are some signs to look for:

• You’re constantly tired, even after sleeping.

• You dread basic tasks.

• You feel emotionally flat or overly reactive.

• You fantasize about escaping.

• You're over-stimulated or numb—or both.

These aren’t flaws. They’re flares your nervous system is sending up. You don’t need to push harder. You need to pause.

Shift Question: What signals has your body been sending that you might be overlooking?

Shift Notes:

• Burnout can feel like apathy, anger, or anxiety.

• Shutdowns and meltdowns are valid responses to overload.

• Listen to your body’s quiet signals before they become loud demands.

Try This: What signs above do you recognize in yourself. Add any others you’ve noticed in your own experience.