Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It creeps in slowly, disguised as exhaustion, frustration, or just a sense that work isn’t as fulfilling as it used to be. By the time you recognize it for what it is, you’re already running on fumes.
If you’re a leader—especially a neurodivergent one—you might have spent years pushing through stress, ignoring early warning signs, and telling yourself that this is just how leadership feels. But burnout isn’t just being tired. It’s a complete depletion of mental, emotional, and sometimes even physical energy. And once you reach that point, recovering isn’t as simple as taking a vacation.
So how do you catch it before it takes hold? Here are the key warning signs that burnout is approaching.
1. You’re Constantly Tired, No Matter How Much You Rest
A full night’s sleep doesn’t help. Weekends don’t recharge you. Even things you used to enjoy—hobbies, time with family, quiet moments alone—feel like just another thing on your to-do list.
2. Your Patience Is Running Thin
Everything irritates you. The small mistakes that used to be no big deal now feel unbearable. You find yourself snapping at people, avoiding conversations, or rolling your eyes at yet another email that “should’ve been a meeting.”
3. Work Feels Like a Slog
You used to be engaged, even excited about your work. Now, even tasks that should be easy feel overwhelming. You procrastinate, avoid responsibilities, or struggle to find the motivation to do the bare minimum.
4. You’re Emotionally Reactive
Burnout isn’t just physical exhaustion—it’s emotional exhaustion. Maybe you’re finding yourself taking things personally, reacting more strongly to criticism, or feeling waves of frustration, sadness, or even resentment toward your role or the people around you.
5. You’re Feeling Disconnected or Cynical
You start to wonder: What’s the point? You used to care, but now everything feels transactional. Maybe you’re disengaging from your team, your colleagues, or the purpose behind your work.
6. Your Neurodivergent Traits Feel Amplified
If you’re neurodivergent, burnout can make symptoms worse. Executive function takes a hit—you forget things more often, struggle with prioritization, or hyperfocus on the wrong things. Sensory sensitivities might spike, making normal work environments suddenly unbearable.
7. You’re Using Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Burnout often drives people toward short-term relief rather than real recovery. You might be:
- Overworking to prove you’re still “on top of things.”
- Numbing out with food, alcohol, doomscrolling, or binge-watching TV.
- Withdrawing from friends or family because you just don’t have the energy.
8. You Keep Telling Yourself It’s “Just a Phase”
Burnout thrives when you convince yourself that “things will calm down soon” or that you “just need to push through.” But if you’ve been feeling like this for months—or longer—it’s not a phase. It’s a sign that something needs to change.
How Coaching Can Help
If these signs sound familiar, you’re not alone. The good news is, you don’t have to wait until burnout takes over completely to do something about it. Coaching helps you step back, recognize the patterns driving your exhaustion, and figure out what actually needs to change.
- Identify the root cause – Are you burned out because of workload? People? A misalignment in values? Coaching helps uncover the real issue.
- Create boundaries that actually stick – Saying no isn’t enough. You need strategies to protect your time and energy without guilt.
- Redefine how you work – Instead of pushing harder, coaching helps you work smarter—in ways that align with your strengths.
- Reignite motivation – Burnout disconnects you from the reasons you started in the first place. Coaching helps you reconnect with what matters.
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means something isn’t working. And once you recognize the signs, you can start making the shifts that will keep you from reaching breaking point.