Burnout is a form of emotional exhaustion that can occur in response to persistent and unrelenting stress. Since COVID-19 lockdowns, many people struggled to establish boundaries between work and home, and, in some cases, to juggle the twin demands of work, home school and childcare with no supports in place – the perfect combination of stressors that could eventually result in burnout, even after restrictions eased.

Burnout encompasses a wide range of symptoms, including low energy, motivation or mood; feeling isolated or trapped; feeling cynical or disengaged from work; decreased life satisfaction;
procrastination; irritability; feeling exhausted or drained; disrupted sleep; and physical responses like headaches and body pain.

You don’t need to exhibit all of these symptoms to be experiencing burnout. Conversely, if you’re exhibiting some of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily experiencing burnout. Burnout usually occurs when you experience some/all of these symptoms in combination with feeling emotionally overloaded. According to the World Health Organization, burnout is an ‘occupational syndrome’, which means

it’s often linked to work; however, new research from the Black Dog Institute and the UNSW School of Psychiatry found that it can also impact people undertaking unpaid home or care duties as well.In short, anyone can experience burnout, although not everyone will – researchers now believe that some personality types are more prone to burnout than others. Autistic Burnout is specific to neurodivergent people, however, the strategies to remedy it are similar, but in conjunction with, an inclusive plan & routine to mitigate triggers and sensitivities while still engaging in a rewarding and balanced lifestyle.

While burnout can feel overwhelming, the good news is that it’s highly manageable.
In fact, self-care – that is, activities you can do at home without the need for medical intervention – can be a good starting point for responding to the symptoms of burnout.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to be proactive about your emotional wellbeing, rather than hoping things will improve on their own.