1. The Motivation Fade: “What’s the point?”

• What it looks like: Tasks that used to engage you now feel heavy, like wading through mud. You find yourself procrastinating on work you used to enjoy, maybe by endlessly reorganizing your desk or inbox instead. You feel disengaged, just going through the motions.
• Why it matters: Your brain is trying to conserve energy by reducing emotional investment. It’s an internal “power saving mode,” a key early sign burnout is developing.
• Ask yourself: When did I last feel genuinely satisfied (not just relieved) after completing a work task? 

2. The Emotional Rollercoaster: Snapping or Numbness

• What it looks like: Small things set you off – loud chewing on a call, a minor revision request sends rage through your chest. Or maybe it’s the opposite: you feel flat, numb, and disconnected, even during important conversations. You might hold it together at work but find yourself snapping at loved ones over trivial things at home.
• Why it matters: Chronic stress exhausts your emotional regulation capacity. Your nervous system is maxed out, making reactions disproportionate.
• Ask yourself: Are my emotional responses feeling too big for the situation lately? 

3. The Performance Paradox: Working Harder, Achieving Less

• What it looks like: You’re putting in longer hours but your output is dropping. Tasks take twice as long. You reread emails without absorbing them, zone out in meetings, and make careless mistakes on things you know how to do. Your focus feels shot.
• Why it matters: This isn’t you getting worse at your job; it’s your brain lacking the cognitive resources to function at full capacity due to energy depletion. If you’re wondering “why am I always tired at work?”, this could be why.
• Ask yourself: Am I working more but getting less done than I used to? 

4. The Body Keeps Score: Mysterious Aches & Pains

• What it looks like: Persistent tension headaches, jaw clenching (maybe waking with tooth pain), unexplained stomach issues, constant fatigue no matter how much you sleep, or new aches in your neck, shoulders, or back. Maybe you’re getting sick more often.
• Why it matters: Mental stress directly impacts physical health. Stress hormones, reduced immunity, and muscle tension are your body signaling it’s overloaded.
• Ask yourself: What new or worsening physical symptoms have I noticed in the last few months? 

5. The Withdrawal: “I Just Can’t Tonight”

• What it looks like: Skipping team happy hours you used to enjoy, letting texts from friends go unanswered for days, canceling social plans because you feel too drained. Hobbies, exercise, even connecting with loved ones feels like too much effort. You isolate yourself to conserve energy.
• Why it matters: While it feels protective, withdrawal cuts you off from the very activities (social connection, enjoyable hobbies) that actually refuel you, creating a vicious cycle.
• Ask yourself: What activities or relationships have I been avoiding that I used to genuinely enjoy?