Burnout isn’t loud. It doesn’t knock on your door screaming, “Hey, I’m here to ruin your life!” No, it creeps in, one small step at a time, until you wake up one day wondering why you hate everything and why even the thought of another email makes you want to set your laptop on fire. Sound familiar? Yeah, me too.

Let’s get real: burnout is everywhere. In our industry especially, where the pace is relentless, the stakes are high, and the people are… well, people. It’s not a matter of “if” you’ll face burnout, but “when.” I’m not here to sugarcoat it or slap a motivational poster on it. Burnout sucks. It’s a soul-sucking, creativity-killing, energy-draining mess, and ignoring it only makes it worse.

So, What Does Burnout Look Like?

Here’s the thing about burnout: it’s sneaky. It doesn’t hit you all at once. It’s a slow drip that builds over time. It starts with feeling tired—“normal tired,” you tell yourself. But then the tired doesn’t go away. You sleep, you rest, you watch Netflix all weekend, and yet, you’re still exhausted.

It’s more than just physical. You start feeling detached from the things you once cared about. Work feels meaningless. You’re irritable, snapping at your spouse, kids, or co-workers over the smallest things. Tasks that used to take you minutes now feel like monumental challenges. And let’s not forget the cherry on top: a creeping sense of failure, like you’re not good enough, fast enough, smart enough—whatever lie your brain is serving up that day.

You might even catch yourself saying things like:

• “I’ll just push through this.”
• “It’s just a rough patch.”
• “Once this project is done, I’ll feel better.”

Spoiler alert: You won’t. Not without making some serious changes.

My Burnout Reality Check

I’ll be honest—this isn’t the first time I’ve hit the burnout wall. I’ve been here before, and every time, I promise myself it’ll be the last. But here’s the kicker: burnout doesn’t just happen because you’re working hard. It happens because you’re neglecting everything else. And I mean everything: your body, your mind, your relationships, your hobbies—the stuff that makes life more than just surviving.

Over the past few months, I’ve been in a funk. I ignored the signs, thinking I could outwork my way through it. (Pro tip: You can’t.) Instead, I ended up exhausted, unmotivated, and wondering why I even bother doing the things I love. That’s burnout, folks. And it’s a bitch.

How to Spot Burnout Before It Eats You Alive

If any of this resonates, let me save you some time: you’re probably burning out. But just in case you’re still unsure, here’s a quick rundown of the signs:

1. You’re always tired. Sleep doesn’t fix it.
2. You’re irritable or cynical. Everyone and everything annoys you.
3. You’ve lost motivation. Even the stuff you love feels like a chore.
4. You’re physically unwell. Headaches, stomach issues, or getting sick all the time.
5. You’re procrastinating more than usual. Everything feels overwhelming.
6. You feel disconnected. From work, from people, even from yourself.

Recognizing these signs is the first step. The next step? Doing something about it.

What I’m Doing to Fix It

Here’s the good news: burnout isn’t permanent. It’s not some unchangeable death sentence. But you’ve got to take action. Here’s my plan to crawl out of the burnout abyss and get back to being myself:

1. Set Boundaries. Work isn’t life. I’m limiting my work hours and giving myself permission to say “no.”
2. Get Moving. I’m prioritizing exercise again—not because I love it, but because I know it works.
3. Rediscover Joy. Music, scuba diving, welding—whatever gets me out of my head and back into life.
4. Rest Like I Mean It. No more pretending that scrolling on my phone is “relaxing.” Real rest, real sleep, real downtime.
5. Reconnect with Purpose. Why do I do what I do? I’m taking the time to remind myself of the bigger picture.

Burnout isn’t a problem you solve overnight, but it is solvable. It starts with admitting you’re human and can’t do it all. (Hard for someone like me, I know.)

NOTE: I’ve been here enough times now that I feel like I’m becoming a burnout expert. This is NOT anything to be proud of, but now that I’m here again, I’m a little pissed off! I’m formalizing my plan to deal with my burnout, I’ll call it “Evan’s Burnout Plan”. Once I’m done with it, I’ll include it in another post. Maybe you’ll find it useful for yourself.

Your Turn

If you’re feeling burned out, let this be your wake-up call. Don’t wait until you’re at the edge of the cliff. Step back. Take a hard look at what’s draining you and what’s feeding you. Then make the changes you need—no excuses, no delays.

And if you’re in the thick of it right now? Know you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. The important thing is that you don’t stay there.

Take care of yourself, because trust me: the work, the mission, the world—it’ll all still be there when you’re ready. But you need to be ready for it.

That’s it. No fluff, no B.S. Just the truth about burnout and what we can do to fight back. Let’s all stop wearing exhaustion as a badge of honor and start choosing a life that actually feels good to live.

Stay strong and take care of yourself—you’re worth it.