The Truth About Recovery From Severe Burnout
Recovery from severe burnout takes a lot longer than you think and is not as simple as taking a holiday and putting your feet up.
It requires a conscious effort to change your approach to work and take ownership of your life so that you NEVER experience burnout again.
As a Mindset and Productivity Coach for perfectionists, I’ve worked with clients who have or are reaching the stage of burnout in their career. I’ve seen first-hand the thinking patterns, workplace environments and behaviours that create a recipe for burnout.
Moreover, I have experienced severe burnout myself that took me nearly a year to recover from which is why I am fiercely anti-hustle culture and have dedicated my days to teaching about mindful productivity and values-based living.
So, this article is written from the perspective of helping perfectionists break the cycle of go-go-go and burnout.
This page might contain affiliate links. In the event of a sale, I will be awarded a small commission (at no extra cost to you).
What is burnout?
According to the World Health Organisation, burnout is “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been sufficiently managed”.
A syndrome is a group of signs and symptoms that are often associated together which means, if you notice any of the following things you may be suffering from burnout:
- Reduced performance at work
- Feeling tired all of the time
- Frustration and irritability at work
- Losing motivation
- Absenteeism and presenteeism
What does extreme burnout look like?
So now you may be wondering what severe burnout looks like. The truth is there is no clear-cut definition of what severe burnout looks like especially because it ranges from symptoms of chronic stress to full-blown long-term depression.
So based on my research and my personal experience, I have noted down the common symptoms of severe burnout.
- Severe physical exhaustion and constant illness
- Chronic insomnia and difficulty maintaining a sleeping routine
- Intense feelings of cynicism and frustrations
- Detachment from work and personal life – feeling like a part of you died inside
- Productivity and quality of work are significantly reduced
- Becoming emotionally volatile e.g. crying all the time, anger, irritability
- Struggling to concentrate and forgetting things all the time
- No interest in things that used to bring enjoyment
It’s basically the end of the line on the burnout scale so if you are suffering from any of these symptoms I highly recommend you speak to a therapist, coach or mental health professional to help you get out of this toxic situation.
What are the 12 steps of burnout?
To fully understand how to recover from burnout, you need to first understand how burnout even develops in the first place.
The ‘12 steps of burnout’ idea was first developed by Dr Freudenberger, who was a psychologist researching the stages of burnout in the 1970’s to help develop a framework for recovering from the syndrome.
Step 1 is a compulsion to prove yourself
You feel the need to take on extra projects and set ambitious to prove yourself to your boss, coworkers or someone else in your past or present. You’re most likely a perfectionist, type-a person or super enthusiastic high achiever.
Limiting belief: ‘I am only worthy if I work hard and achieve great things’
Step 2 is working harder
You keep putting in more effort, working longer hours and pushing yourself to do more so you can get closer to achieving your ambitious goals. For example, you might find yourself regularly working late in the office or bringing your work home with you.
Limiting belief: ‘If I take regular breaks, it means I am not working hard enough’
Step 3 is neglecting your personal needs
You start to ignore your basic needs like getting enough rest, eating enough healthy foods and maintaining positive relationships with others. For example, you may find yourself skipping lunch and cancelling your plans with friends so that you can stay in the office longer. Self-care starts to feel like a distant memory
For me, I started justifying my workload by saying ‘it was expected of me because I was early in my career, it’s normal to focus on work instead of self-care’.
Limiting belief: ‘I don’t have time for meals or sleep because it will stop me working on my goals’
Step 4 is a displacement of conflicts
You start to get irritable and snap at minor inconveniences however you don’t acknowledge that this behaviour is a result of your workload. You basically ignore the problem and brush it under the carpet.
In my case, when things would go slightly wrong, for example, my bus was late and it meant I was going to be slightly delayed to my destination, I would get SO ANNOYED. I would have a running conversation in my head relaying how frustrating the delay was.
Limiting belief: ‘It’s not a big deal, this is just normal workplace stress – my problems will go away if I just keep working’
Step 5 is a revision of values
You start to neglect your previous core values (for example, family and community) and prioritise work over everything else. For example, you find yourself staying in late at work instead of spending time with your family.
Limiting belief: ‘work is more important to me than my personal life right now, friends and family will understand’
Related Post: Why perfectionists NEED to live a values-based life if they want to be happy
Step 6 is a denial of emerging problems
You fiercely deny that there is a problem with your workload and that your increasing stress is taking a toll on your wellbeing. For example, your friends and family are worried about you but you keep saying you’re fine despite feeling constantly tired and moody.
Limiting belief: ‘I’m not even stressed; I’m just busy and I can handle everything on my own’
Related Post: 7 easy ways for perfectionists to increase their self-awareness
Step 7 is withdrawal
You start to pull further away from social and recreational activities, isolating yourself from others so that you can focus on your work. For example, you stop attending your regular running club and avoid hanging out with your friends.
Limiting belief: ‘It’s a waste of time hanging out with friends when I have so much to do already’
Related Post: Valuing Relationships (all types): The Mindset Shift That Will Make You Successful
Step 8 is displaying odd behavioural changes
You start to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms and act out of character. For example, you’re someone who is normally quite cool, calm and collected however, more recently you’ve started snapping at friends and family.
In my case, I started stuttering a lot and mixing up my words in meetings. It was super embarrassing but I couldn’t control it at the time.
Limiting belief: ‘I need to keep pushing through no matter what’
Step 9 is depersonalisation
You start to feel detached from yourself and other people. You feel numb almost as if your life is on autopilot and you are just going through the motions. For example, you no longer care about your work or your relationships.
Limiting belief: ‘My feelings don’t matter, no one cares about me since I am just a cog in the machine at work’
Related Post: How to stop living life on autopilot – 7 game-changing steps
Step 10 is feeling an inner emptiness
You feel like you died inside, there is a big void inside your life and you feel a lack of purpose. For example, you spend hours binge-watching Netflix shows, doom-scrolling on social media and overeating in an effort to distract yourself from feeling empty.
Limiting belief: ‘I am not good enough and I’ll never find a job that feels fulfilling’
Related Post: How to reduce your iPhone screen time the ruthless way
Step 11 is depression
You feel a deep sadness and hopelessness when it comes to your life. For example, you struggle to get out of bed because you don’t see the point in continuing to pretend like everything is okay. This results in you feeling worthless and like a failure
Limiting belief: ‘I’ll never get out of this pit, I feel stuck and I am a burden to everyone around me’
Step 12 is burnout syndrome
You reach a breaking point where you experience complete mental and physical collapse. For example, you genuinely don’t have the capacity to carry out your work duties and daily tasks due to extreme exhaustion and stress. Simply functioning as a healthy adult becomes difficult.
It is important to note, you might not experience every single step in this list and also you might experience it in a slightly different order.
Limiting belief: ‘I’ll never recover from this feeling, life just feels so hard and I have failed’
Why do perfectionists keep burning out?
Perfectionists are known to go through cycles of go-go-go and burnout. They are typically the high achievers who push themselves to work hard and keep going until they can’t go on any more.
I should know – I was an unhealthy perfectionist and at one point in my career, I was burning out EVERY SIX MONTHS! It was just one long stream of going in and out of burnout, never fully recovering before moving on to the next thing.
I don’t wish that on anyone.
If you’re a perfectionist here are some reasons why you may keep going through cycles of burnout:
- You keep setting unrealistic goals for yourself
- You have a big fear of failure which pushes you to go above and beyond
- You struggle to say no which results in overcommitment to tasks
- You struggle to let go of control and fail to delegate effectively
- Your self-worth is tied to your career which means you never feel good enough because there is always something more to do
- You struggle to set boundaries leading to poor self-care and work-life flow
- You bought into the idea that hustle culture was the only way to live your life
How to cope with severe burnout
Coping with severe burnout requires a combination of self-awareness, mental health support, mindset shifts and practical strategies. Try these 11 strategies to help you cope and eventually recover:
- Self-awareness: recognise and accept that you are experiencing burnout. Reflect on the ‘12 steps to burnout’ process and identify the points in your life where you struggled with each stage. Acknowledge the impact burnout has had on your life and note the physical and emotional signs.
- Seek professional help: if you are suffering from severe burnout, I recommend you speak to a therapist to help you identify the root cause of your limiting beliefs and provide you with healthy coping strategies
- Take time off from work: you need to give yourself permission to take a break and recharge. Time away from work allows your mind and body to rest and recover. You might need to speak to a Doctor to get a sick note if your burnout is severe.
- Realign your values: you need to reprioritise your life outside of work and shift your focus towards the things that truly matter to you in life. I recommend you use my FREE Values Over Perfection workbook to help you start this journey.
- Get a new job: if your current job is the main cause of your stress and burnout, you may need to look for a new job that aligns with your skills and values. Healthier work environments can make a big difference in the speed of your recovery
- Use your support system: lean on your friends, family and other support groups to help you release the burden you have been carrying. You might even find additional coping strategies from people who have been in your position before
- Use energy management techniques: pay attention to the activities that drain our energy and boost your energy. Make a conscious effort to increase energy-boosting activities and limit energy-draining activities. You can use my energy management process detailed in this article
- Practise mindfulness: developing a regular mindfulness practice like meditation, yoga, body scan or even walking can help to ground you in reality and not with your anxious or depressed thoughts. It’s a great way to improve your overall wellbeing.
- Build self-care into your routine: you need to make self-care a priority, no more neglecting it in favour of work. Self-care includes regular exercise, healthy eating, 8 hours of sleep, quality time with friends and an investment in your hobbies outside of work.
- Delegate and let go of control: you need to learn how to delegate tasks to others and trust them to handle the responsibilities. You can’t let your perfectionism control you and letting go is the only way you can reduce your stress and free up your time for other things.
- Identify your needs and set boundaries: spend some time getting to know yourself and learning about your 6 human needs: certainty, uncertainty, significance, love/connection, personal growth and contribution. Reflect on each need and try to find healthier alternatives for meeting your needs that don’t involve overcommitting to tasks. Set clear boundaries to protect your time and energy.
Do you ever fully recover from burnout?
Honestly, recovery from severe burnout requires a significant mindset shift and lifestyle changes. You need to CHOOSE to live your life in a different way. A new way that involves adopting a values-driven approach rather than a goals-driven one, prioritising self-care and setting clear boundaries.
If you fail to make these mindset shifts, you run the risk of repeating the same cycles of go-go-go and burnout in the future.
You decide…
It is important that you take ownership for your role in becoming burnt out. This is NOT victim blaming, this is an empowering way to see the situation.
You can decide to NEVER let another working environment cause you to neglect your boundaries and fall back into old patterns.
Without this mindset shift, you can take as many breaks as you want and change jobs every single year but it won’t protect you from the experience of burnout if you keep repeating the 12 steps.
Which is why I preach about self-awareness
It is literally the first step in any healing journey.
I have no doubt in my mind that if I didn’t shift my mindset I would have went on to repeat the burnout cycle over and over again. It was my limiting belief of not being good enough that caused me to tie my self-worth to my career so until I tackled that belief I was destined to repeat the 12 steps to burnout over and over again.
So to answer the question, yes you can fully recover from burnout but it takes conscious effort to rest, set boundaries and reframe your limiting beliefs.
How long does it take to recover from severe burnout?
Recovery from severe burnout varies considerably and depends on the person and how long they were experiencing symptoms. The truth is, it can range from a few months to many years and the sooner you get help for your problems the faster you can start the recovery journey.
It is not something that you can ignore and continue to push through. You need to have an extended break and then gradually make small consistent changes to your routine rather than hoping for a quick fix.
Patience is key.
Personally, it took me nearly a year to recover from my final burnout episode but that’s because I kept ignoring the signs and pushing through until I had reached deep into step 12 of the burnout scale.
I’d burnout, take a week off, slightly recover and then push myself hard only to burnout again 6 months later. I repeated this cycle 3 times! The final burnout pushed me to the edge and caused me to quit my job and completely restart my life.
So long story short, don’t be like me!
For a year, I lost any ambition and I had no desire to do more than the bare minimum at work, I just didn’t see the point in working super hard anymore. This was quite disconcerting for me because I’ve always been a highly driven person.
Eventually, my desire to personally and professionally develop came back and luckily by then I had learnt how to identify my needs and set boundaries.
Journal prompts for burnout recovery
How does journaling help with burnout?
Journaling is a great way to identify the things that are making you feel stressed, process your emotions, and gain insights into your thoughts and behaviours. It is a safe space just for you and writing regularly in your journal will help you clarify and challenge your limiting beliefs and develop new coping strategies.
I’ve found it to be a very healing and therapeutic activity that enabled me to increase my self-awareness and take responsibility for the actions that led me to burnout.
Here are 11 journal prompts to help you on your healing journey:
You don’t need to use journal prompts in order to journal however I have included some to help you with your healing journey if you feel stuck.
- What is causing me the most amount of stress in my life right now?
- How do I feel emotionally, mentally and physically today?
- What negative coping strategies do I want to change?
- Who can I delegate my workload to?
- What are the typical signs that I am starting to feel overwhelmed?
- Has anyone noticed anything different about me lately?
- Who can I reach out to for support in getting me through this feeling of burnout?
- If money wasn’t an option, what next steps would I take?
- How can I practice self-care today?
- What boundaries can I set to protect my time and energy?
- What would help me sleep better today/ restore my energy?
If you’ve made it this far, I might as well introduce myself!
If you made it this far down this post, then I might as well introduce myself. My name is Teresa Richards and I am a Mindset and Productivity Coach for perfectionists.
I believe it is important for me to write about the very real struggles of perfectionism so that I can encourage more people to get help and shift their mindset towards a new way of thinking.
Join my weekly newsletter ‘The Sunday Reset’ to be the first to hear about exclusive offers, self-development tips and real-life examples on how I manage my own perfectionism.
Remember, you are the ONLY person you are going to be with for your whole entire life, so you might as well invest in yourself.
Investing in yourself can be in the form of coaching, courses, reading, journaling, practising self-care and many more things.
Book recommendations
- Burnout: the secret to unlocking the stress cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
- The Gift of Imperfection by Brené Brown
- The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less by Tanya Dalton
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
- The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It by Jennifer Moss
This page might contain affiliate links. In the event of a sale, I will be awarded a small commission (at no extra cost to you).
If you liked this post, check out these related posts:
- 5 Hassle-Free Steps To Setting Values-Driven Goals (+Free Workbook)
- Are You Holding On to Tasks That You Should Delegate?
- 5 Steps To Delegate As A Perfectionist And Prevent Burnout
- How to stop living life on autopilot – 7 game-changing steps
- Work-life flow is better than work-life balance for perfectionists
- 5 energy management techniques to elevate your life
- How to let go of productivity shame and live your best life
- 7 easy ways for perfectionists to increase their self-awareness
