Introduction

Burnout doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it sneaks in quietly, disguised as "just being tired," a lack of motivation, or feeling emotionally flat. But left unchecked, burnout can impact your mental health, your relationships, and your ability to cope with everyday life.

If you’ve been feeling off lately but can’t quite put your finger on it, this guide will help you spot the signs of burnout—and give you a few gentle steps to begin your recovery.

At The Mind Hive, we've developed a self-guided 6-week CBT programmes to help you apply these principles at your own pace.

What Is Burnout?

Burnout is more than just everyday stress. It’s a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, often linked to work, caregiving, or perfectionism. It can make you feel like you’re running on empty—even if you’re getting enough sleep.

Recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a workplace phenomenon, burnout can affect anyone. Whether you're juggling work deadlines, caring for others, or simply stretched too thin, burnout can slowly chip away at your energy, identity, and joy.

10 Signs You Might Be Struggling with Burnout

1. You feel exhausted—mentally, emotionally, and physically

Even after a full night's sleep, you still feel drained. You wake up tired and go to bed tired.

2. Your motivation has flatlined

Tasks that once felt manageable now feel overwhelming. You procrastinate more and struggle to get started.

3. You feel detached or disconnected

It’s like you’re watching life happen from the outside. You may feel numb or indifferent to things you used to care about.

4. Everything feels like "too much"

Even small tasks feel heavy. The thought of replying to one more email or making one more decision sends you over the edge.

5. You’re more irritable or cynical than usual

You snap more easily or feel frustrated by things that didn’t used to bother you.

6. You’ve stopped taking care of yourself

Meals, movement, and self-care take a back seat. You may find yourself reaching for sugar, caffeine, or screens more often.

7. You feel guilty for resting

Even when you do take a break, you can't enjoy it. You feel guilty for not being "productive."

8. You’re making more mistakes or forgetting things

Your focus is shot. You misplace items, miss deadlines, or zone out mid-conversation.

9. You avoid tasks—even the ones you used to enjoy

You’re withdrawing from work, hobbies, and social activities, not because you want to, but because you just can’t.

10. You feel like you’re just going through the motions

You’re existing, not living. You get through the day, but nothing feels meaningful.

If more than a few of these feel familiar, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken. Burnout is a signal, not a failure. It means something needs to change.

What You Can Do About It

Burnout recovery doesn’t mean quitting everything and moving to the countryside (though that does sound nice). It starts with small, meaningful shifts that help you reconnect with your energy and your needs.

Here are a few gentle first steps:

Pause and reflect. What’s draining you most right now? Naming it is the first step toward change.
Practise saying no. You don’t have to do everything. Protect your energy like it’s valuable—because it is.
Take a tech-free break. Even 10 minutes away from screens and noise can reset your nervous system.
Do something just for you. Not because it's productive, but because it's restorative.
Lower the bar. You don’t have to do it all. Doing less is often the most healing thing you can do.

You don’t need to fix everything overnight. Start small. Start kind.

How CBT Can Help

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a proven, evidence-based approach for managing stress and burnout. It helps you:

Recognise the thoughts and behaviours fuelling your overwhelm
Reframe unhelpful patterns like guilt, perfectionism, or people-pleasing
Rebuild healthy routines that support emotional resilience

CBT-based stress management techniques have been shown to reduce emotional exhaustion and improve wellbeing in just six weeks.

Our 6-week self-guided programme, Reclaim Your Calm, is built on these same principles—giving you structure, insight, and tools to start feeling better on your own terms.

👉 Learn more about the self-guided programme to Reclaim Your Calm here

You Deserve to Feel Better

Burnout doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’ve been strong for too long without enough support. The good news? You don’t have to stay stuck here.

Start small. Be kind to yourself. And when you’re ready, take the next step toward feeling like you again.

About the Author

Alex Rogers is a student of counselling and psychotherapy with specialist training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and the founder of The Mind Hive.

Drawing on his background in mental health, content creation, and lived experience, Alex creates accessible self-guided programmes that help people manage anxiety, stress, low mood, OCD, and more—using evidence-based CBT tools and techniques.

Through The Mind Hive, he’s on a mission to make structured self-help more engaging, empowering, and effective—without needing to wait for 1:1 support.

Want to get started? Check out our 6-week self-guided CBT programmes.

10 Signs You Might Be Struggling with Burnout (And What to Do About It)