21 Signs of Corporate Burnout: The Ultimate Guide to Burnout Symptoms

Oct 8

Written By Growthalista

21 Signs of Corporate Burnout

Chronic Fatigue
Insomnia
Compromised Immune System
Headaches
Muscle Pain
Changes in Appetite
Digestive Issues

Anxiety
Depression
Irritability
Detachment
Sense of Failure
Cynicism
Lack of Motivation

Concentration Issues
Memory Problems
Poor Decision-Making
Negative Thinking
Reduced Creativity
Procrastination
Hypervigilance

Burnout is sneaky. It’s become a pervasive part of work culture. Many silently suffer for years and others go in and out of corporate burnout like a recurring flu. Unfortunately, burnout creeps up on all workers from time to time. Maybe you are next on its chopping block...

In this post, we’ll expose corporate burnout for what it is, delve into its causes and symptoms, and arm you with solutions to combat it.

What is Corporate burnout?

It's a level of exhaustion that can’t be solved with a day off or a new skincare routine. Corporate Burnout reveals deeper issues with you and your relationship to work. It's a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress that leads to a decrease in motivation, energy, and productivity. Recognizing burnout and having a game plan is important for taking steps to recover and prevent burnout at work.

Causes of burnout & Risk Factors

Let’s be honest. Capitalism has a tendency to exploit. There are companies and institutions that benefit from your burnout, through extra hours worked and cheaper labor.

While there are systemic issues that contribute to burnout at work, it's crucial to identify personalized factors that may also lead to corporate burnout.

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It's the result of prolonged exposure to stressful work environments and demanding workloads.

Several factors can contribute to burnout, especially in high-pressure corporate environments. These include:

Work Overload: Constantly handling excessive workloads without adequate breaks.
Lack of Control: Feeling powerless over your job responsibilities and outcomes.
Insufficient Reward: Lack of recognition, financial compensation, or job satisfaction.
Poor Work-Life Balance: Struggle to balance work demands with personal life.
Lack of Support: Absence of supportive colleagues or management.
Unclear Job Expectations: Ambiguous roles and responsibilities can create stress.
Toxic Work Environment: Negative interactions and conflicts with coworkers or supervisors.

Understanding these causes can help you pinpoint areas in your corporate life that might be contributing to corporate burnout and start taking proactive measures.

Now that we've identified these signs, let's dive deeper into how these burnout signs present as physical, mental, and emotional symptoms of burnout at work.

Physical Symptoms of Corporate Burnout

Corporate Burnout can manifest in various physical ways. Here are seven signs to look out for:

1. Chronic Fatigue

You’re not having an “off” day or being unproductive, your body is sending a signal to you that you're burnt out. If you’re feeling constantly tired, even after sleeping 8 hours, you may be burnt out.

2. Insomnia

Having trouble relaxing? Chronic work stress disrupts your ability to go to sleep and stay asleep. If your sleeping patterns have changed, burnout at work may be the culprit.

3. Compromised Immune System

If colds, infections, or minor illnesses are coming more often and staying around for longer than usual, it may be caused by a weakened immune system. Chronic work stress disrupts the body’s defenses as stress hormones flood your body, leading to an increased susceptibility to illness and slower recovery times.

4. Headaches

Persistent headaches, particularly tension headaches, are a common physical symptom of corporate burnout. They can be aggravated by stress at work.

5. Muscle Pain

Stress can cause muscle tension, leading to aches and pains, particularly in your back, neck, and shoulders. Muscle pain is a clear sign of tension building up in the body.

6. Changes in Appetite

Corporate burnout can affect your eating habits, leading to loss of appetite or unhealthy eating patterns. Both can have significant impacts on your health.

7. Digestive Issues

Stress often manifests in your digestive system, causing issues like stomachaches, diarrhea, or constipation. Stress from burnout at work can negatively affect the bacteria in your gut.

Emotional Symptoms of Corporate Burnout

Corporate Burnout also affects your emotional well-being. Here are seven emotional signs to watch for:

8. Anxiety

Have you suddenly started to worry constantly? Experiencing bouts of increased heart rate? Persistent anxiety about work tasks or performance can be a major sign of burnout at work.

9. Depression

When joy fades and hopelessness sets in, it’s more than just a bad day—it’s Corporate burnout knocking. Feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and a lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed can indicate burnout and can severely impact your quality of life.

10. Irritability

Are you one step away from going off on anyone in a 3 feet radius? Increased irritability and frustration over minor issues can be a sign that you’re burning out. This can strain relationships both at work and at home.

11. Detachment

Struggling to give a ….!? Feeling disconnected from your work and colleagues can be a red flag. Detachment can lead to a lack of motivation and decreased productivity.

12. Sense of Failure

Burnout is not just about feeling exhausted, it also brings a constant feeling of failure and self-doubt. It can make you question your abilities and impact your self-esteem.

13. Cynicism

Feeling bitter at work? Have a sour outlook on your workplace? Developing a negative and cynical attitude toward your work and colleagues is a common emotional symptom of burnout at work. It can make the workplace feel toxic.

14. Lack of Motivation

If you’re struggling to find the motivation to start your day or complete tasks, burnout could be the reason. This lack of drive can hinder your performance and drive you deeper into corporate burnout.

Mental Symptoms of Corporate Burnout

Corporate Burnout doesn’t just affect your body and emotions; it can also impair your mental functions. Here are seven mental signs to consider:

15. Concentration Issues

When you're burnt out at work, concentration feels impossible, and distractions constantly derail your day—it's not a productivity issue; it's Corporate burnout. Trouble focusing and frequent distractions can be signs of burnout. The mental fatigue of work burnout makes it hard to concentrate on even simple tasks.

16. Memory Problems

Are you experiencing brain fog? Burnout can affect your short-term memory and cloud your thoughts, making it difficult to remember things and impacting your work efficiency.

17. Poor Decision-Making

When you’re burnt out, the simplest choices can feel like a monumental event. Making decisions (even small ones) can be overwhelming, stalling projects and increasing stress.

18. Negative Thinking

Your head—it's getting dark up there. A pattern of negative thoughts and pessimism can be indicative of Corporate burnout. It can create a cycle of stress and unhappiness that's hard to break.

19. Reduced Creativity

Corporate burnout can stifle your creativity and innovation. If you’re finding it hard to come up with new ideas or solutions, you might be experiencing mental burnout.

20. Procrastination

Putting off tasks until the very last moment and racing to meet deadlines? Procrastination can be a symptom of burnout at work, creating a cycle of stress and burnout that's hard to escape.

21. Hypervigilance

Are you constantly bracing for problems and anticipating new issues? Hypervigilance keeps your stress levels high, leaving little room for relaxation.

Cost of Corporate Burnout

The effects of burnout go beyond the present. Your future and your identity become warped. You begin to believe that burnout is the only state of being, that you will always feel this way (“I’m always tired”), and you begin to identify your burnout systems with who you are.

You are not burnout. You are a person with beyond-your-work burnout. You are experiencing burnout. But, burnout is a condition you should fight against! The environment and culture that encouraged you to burnout, perpetuated your burnout, and benefited from your burnout is exploitative.

Here’s what burnout is costing you:

Time: Burnout decreases the time you have for yourself and your life
Money: Corporate burnout and the factors that lead to burnout (working longer hours, corporate politics, etc) give your employer extra hours of unpaid labor and decrease the money YOU make.
Happiness: Isn’t this one obvious? Burnout feels horrible, the exhaustion and dissatisfaction you feel seep into your perspective on the future
Experiences: You're less likely to seek out new experiences when you are burnt out and feel too tired to enjoy your current experiences.
Novelty: When burnout takes over, it’s easy to forget what once brought you joy and excitement. Your days begin to lack the spark and become mundane.
Health: Burnout can negatively affect both your physical and mental health leading to chronic illness.
Relationships: Corporate burnout can affect your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues due to increased irritability, mood swings, and lack of energy or time for social activities
Longevity: The stress hormone Cortisol runs havoc on your body and has been shown to increase aging.
Quality of life: Burnout can be caused by a life focused solely on work and "being productive", leaving little energy for anything other than eating and sleeping.

What to do about it

Choose change. Change can be individualized, where you choose to change your work habits, change jobs, or change teams. It can be team-based where you talk to your manager. Company-wide by implementing new policies. Or social change, where all workers decide to demand better work conditions, create a healthier work culture, and redefine society's views of work in our lives. But something does have to change.

On an individual level listening to your body is crucial—consider implementing regular breaks, staying hydrated, and exploring relaxation techniques like stretching or deep breathing. Don’t hesitate to speak with a healthcare professional; they can help identify underlying issues and provide strategies to mitigate burnout, allowing you to reclaim your peace.

Embrace change to combat Corporate burnout at individual, team, company, and societal levels. Burnout at work can be decreased by setting boundaries, discussing workloads, and implementing supportive policies. On a social level change involves advocating for improved work conditions and reevaluating our relationship to work. Recognizing burnout signs and prioritizing action is crucial.

What does burnout mean for you?

Corporate burnout is a signal to do deep introspection. Check out the Burnout to Balance guide for 30 days of journal prompts to help guide you out of burnout and into balance.