Escape Career BURNOUT: The Practical Guide

Did you know that, according to Mental Health UK’s Burnout report, 91% of UK adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year? This led to one in five workers in the UK needing to take time off work during that period.

So, if you feel demotivated, tired, and trapped by your work, you’re not alone.

The question is: What are you going to do about it?

Stick around, and I’ll give you three practical steps that you can start applying today to get out of your current burnout. At the end, I’ll also reveal how to avoid burnout long-term and reignite that fire in your belly.

THE DARK HOUR

First off, let's get something straight: burnout isn’t just for the weak or the overachievers. No, no—it believes in total equality, destroying everyone just the same.

It's like that monster under your bed, except it's real, it’s under your desk, and it eats your motivation for breakfast. Burnout isn’t just about being tired; a nap and a cold beer won’t fix it.

If you’re wondering whether you’ve hit the burnout point yet, here are some signs to look out for:

1. Chronic Fatigue
   Your energy ship has sailed, sunk, rotted, and been eaten by mutant crabs at the bottom of the ocean. You’re always tired. You go to sleep exhausted and wake up just as tired.

2. Cynicism
   Everything seems like a dark comedy. You keep making cynical jokes, but they’re not funny—neither to you nor the people around you.

3. Low Productivity
   No matter how much you work, you feel like you're just spinning your wheels in mud. You’ve fought to push through it, but your good friends concentration and motivation have fallen in battle, leaving you alone. The only escape seems to be procrastination, binge-watching TV, or indulging in food and alcohol.

There are many more physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. However, if even one of the above seems familiar, face the fact: you’re in—or about to enter—burnout.

In fact, I’m experiencing burnout myself right now, which is why I decided to create this guide. Luckily, it’s not my first time, so I know how to pull myself out of it. The tips I’m about to share are ones I’m applying to my own situation.

Let’s deal with it together.

STEP 1: Learn to Say “No”

Did you notice that, as soon as you hit burnout, issues seem to pile up faster than ever? Everyone flocks to you with problems and requests, like flies to a sweaty mule.

The more you try to dig yourself out, the heavier the pile gets.

It’s not the universe kicking you when you’re down; it’s just that you can’t handle the normal ups and downs of life as well as you could in your regular state. Until you recover, you need to prioritize and start saying no.

For some of us, saying no is tough. I’m one of those people—a chronic problem-solver, always chasing crises. If an issue pops up, I feel compelled to fix it, even if it’s not my responsibility or if no one asked me to help.

Here’s the cruel irony: in burnout, you can’t fix it all. Trying will only leave you more overwhelmed, and the spiral will continue.

You can’t abandon work entirely, but you can reduce the strain. Here’s how:

1. Block Your Calendar
   Dedicate long stretches of time to your most important tasks and block them in your calendar. Do not accept new meetings during these periods. Keep smaller windows for less critical tasks.

   Also, block out lunch breaks—and don’t eat at your desk! Eat outside if it’s warm, or visit a café.

2. Delegate Wherever Possible
   Delegation is a vital skill, especially during burnout. You don’t need to be a manager to delegate; even in a matrix structure, you can share tasks with peers.

3. Stick to a Work Schedule
   Set a strict cutoff time for your workday—whether it’s 5 p.m., 6 p.m., or 7 p.m.—and stop working once you reach it. No checking emails late at night or responding to messages early in the morning.

STEP 2: Change Your Environment

Do you have the same routine every day? Work, commute, grocery store, home, and repeat?

If this sounds familiar, it’s time to mix things up.

• Take a different route home.

• Try a new playlist on Spotify.

• Swap your usual gym routine for a boxing, HIIT, or yoga class.

• Visit a café in a part of town you’ve never explored and bring a new book to read.

Changing your environment disrupts the negative thought cycles and stale habits that keep burnout alive.

STEP 3: Remember What’s Important

With a lighter workload and a refreshed environment, you’ll have the space to reflect on what truly matters.

Ask yourself: What is most important in my life?

Here’s my list:

1. Health – Physical and mental health is the foundation of everything.

2. Family & Friends – Cherish the people who love and support you.

Gratitude is a powerful antidote to burnout. Focusing on what you do have gives you joy and strength to recover.

STEP 4: Find Your Purpose

The first three steps will help you recover, but to avoid burnout long-term, you need a guiding purpose—a “North Star.”

If you already have a purpose, congratulations! Use this time to refocus on it.

If not, take the time to explore. I have a full a post and a video on how to discover your purpose through an existential crisis, which I’ll link below:

https://www.theequivalentexchange.com/blog/existential-crisis-change-your-life-in-one-second

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CZ5c6AxzvQ&t=117s

Burnout isn’t a life sentence—it’s a challenge you can overcome. I’m on my way out of my burnout, and creating this guide has been part of the healing process. Hope it helps to defeat yours.

I wish you all the best on your journey.