Signs of burnout: the early warnings for each style

What burnout looks like

Burnout is what happens when stress at work goes on for too long without enough recovery. The World Health Organization describes it as an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition: the result of long-term stress at work that hasn't been managed well. It has three parts: exhaustion, feeling distant or cynical about your job, and feeling less effective at work than you normally would. It builds slowly, which is why the early signs are so easy to explain away.

This guide is about noticing everyday warning signs, not about medical advice. If exhaustion, low mood or poor sleep last for more than a couple of weeks, please see a doctor, or call LifeLine on 0861 322 322 to talk to someone.

• Tired on Monday morning, not just on Friday afternoon.
• Small tasks feel heavy, and you put off emails you would once have answered in a minute.
• Irritation with people you usually like.
• Headaches, a tight jaw or broken sleep.
• Weekends that don't restore you.

Why November is so hard

In South Africa, November is when the whole year catches up with people. Year-end deadlines pile up, budgets close, some families have a child writing matric, others have school concerts and prize-givings, and festive planning on top. The December holidays feel close enough to touch, so many people push through rather than slow down.

That is exactly when the early signs get missed. "I'll rest in December" is a reasonable plan for ordinary tiredness, but not for the kind that has been building since winter.

Early warning signs for each style

Under pressure, most people become more of their natural style. So the first signs of burnout often look like a style turned up too far, or one that has suddenly gone missing.

• Direct: more impatient and blunt than usual, taking on even more to stay in control, snapping at small delays, and refusing to slow down even when they are clearly running on empty.
• Inspiring: less sparkle, cancelling social plans they would normally love, staying busy to avoid thinking, or starting lots of things and finishing none of them.
• Steady: quieter than normal, saying yes to everything and then struggling, withdrawing from colleagues, and feeling resentful without saying why.
• Careful: checking work over and over, being harder on themselves and others, struggling to make decisions, and losing sleep over small mistakes.

What helps each style

Rest only works if it is the right kind of rest. Our guide on how each style recharges goes into more detail, but here is where to start. If you are one of the people often called type A, the hardest step may be admitting you need a break at all.

• Direct: hand over one thing completely, not just in theory, and choose a physical outlet such as a run, a cycle or a game of squash. Measure progress by what you stopped, not only by what you finished.
• Inspiring: protect time with the people who lift you, and cut back on the commitments that only look fun. Tell someone honest how you are really doing.
• Steady: say no to one request this week and notice that the world doesn't end. Ask for help early, and keep a calm routine with time at home.
• Careful: agree what "good enough" looks like before you start a task, set a time to stop checking, and protect quiet time alone to think.

What colleagues and managers can notice

People rarely announce that they are burning out. Colleagues and managers are often the first to see the change, especially when someone stops acting like their usual self. The key is to compare a person with themselves, not with anyone else.

Keep it simple and kind. You don't need to fix anything, only to notice and make it easy to talk. Managers can also look at workload honestly: is the same reliable person always picking up the extra work?

• "You've seemed stretched lately. How are you really doing?"
• "I've noticed you've been working late a lot. What could come off your plate?"
• "No need to answer now. My door's open if you want to talk."
• Watch for a change from normal: the chatty colleague who goes silent, or the calm one who snaps.
• Share the load in the open, so the Steady people aren't quietly doing everything.

Know your own warning signs

You can't catch your early signs if you don't know what your normal looks like. The free DISC Test takes about seven minutes and shows your style at work and, with the optional home part, in your personal life, so you know how you tend to react under pressure. It is a good first step in self-awareness, and you will find more in our know yourself topic.