Burnout is an overly familiar part of our working landscape — something the World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source calls an “occupational phenomenon”, and which seems inextricably linked with the psychological burden of modern employment.

As the American Psychological Association (APA) notes, burnout is at an all-time high across numerous professions, spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the potent mix of personal, professional, and health-related stress.

Although it can be particularly prevalent among caretaking professions, such as teachers and healthcare workers, burnout has become a broad symptom of overwork in difficult times.

The end result? Being overwhelmed for too long a period of time — and if you’re reading this article, it’s likely that you’ve come close to it at some point.

Burnout is much more than simply passing stress — it marks an accumulation of tension, exertion, and hopelessness that can be hard to identify.

So, what are the common symptoms or signs that you’re on the road to burnout, or have fully arrived there already? We spoke with a number of health professionals to get a clear picture of how burnout creeps into our lives, and what might be done to address it.

Burnout is the result of chronic stress, usually (though not exclusively) workplace stress.

“If the employee feels overwhelmed, under-appreciated, and powerless to make effective changes in their job duties, demands, or workplace culture, then burnout is likely to occur,” says Dr. Josh Briley, a clinical psychologist and fellow at the American Institute of Stress.

Crucially, burnout goes far beyond your job performance. While your work may suffer, burnout can extend into every part of your life, and drastically increase the likelihood of a variety of serious medical conditions.

“People in chronic burnout are much more likely to develop anxiety, insomnia, or depression. Sustained stress also increases the risk for physical illness as well,” Briley says.

He notes that high blood pressure, heart problems, high cholesterol, and diabetes are just some of the conditions that have been linked to chronic stress.