Signs of a person experiencing burn-out

Signs of a person experiencing burnout (Helen Hawkes, 2015c) include

- feeling tired and drained most of the time
- disruption to sleep pattern
- lowered immunity and regularly feeling unwell
- frequent aches/pains (head, back, muscle, etc)
- change in appetite or sleeping habits
- loss of motivation
- increasingly cynical and negative outlook
- decreased satisfaction and/or sense of accomplishment
- sense of failure, helplessness and self-doubt
- feeling helpless, trapped and defeated
- detachment, feeling alone in the world
- using food, drugs and alcohol to cope
- taking out your frustration on others
- skipping work or coming in late and/or leaving early
- withdrawing from responsibilities
- isolating yourself from others
- procrastination, taking longer to get things done

Even though burnout is defined as the incapacitation of a person who is unable to work, there is a more dangerous form, ie walking wounded (those who continue to do their job but at a reduced level of productivity and morale plus start to suffer from health issues)

There are 3 components of burnout, ie

i) emotional exhaustion
ii) cynicism
iii) ineffectiveness