Burnout can start manifesting in more subtle ways beyond the obvious. Photo by Freepik
Everyone feels tired or stressed from time to time—but when fatigue, frustration, or detachment becomes constant, it could be more than just a bad week. It might be burnout.
Burnout is more than just exhaustion. It’s a state of emotional, mental, and physical decline caused by prolonged stress. And in a fast-paced city like Singapore, mental health is on a decline. According to The Straits Times, nearly a third of youths aged 15 to 35 reported symptoms that included feeling empty, tense or upset most of the time, based on the National Youth Mental Health Study.
Recognising the early signs of burnout can help you take proactive steps to recover before it leads to deeper issues like anxiety or depression.
1. Constant exhaustion, even after rest
Do you wake up tired, even after a full night’s sleep? Or feel like weekends aren’t enough to recharge?
Chronic exhaustion is one of the most recognisable symptoms of being burnt out. It’s a deep fatigue that doesn’t seem to go away, even when you’ve had time to rest. You might feel drained by small tasks or find that you’re constantly running on low energy throughout the day.
This kind of exhaustion can also manifest emotionally. Feeling numb, easily overwhelmed, or mentally “foggy” are signs your mind hasn’t had a proper break in a long time.
2. Loss of motivation
Burnout often strips away the sense of purpose or drive you once had. If you’re struggling to care about projects, dread starting work, or feel indifferent even when you meet goals, these are signs your motivation may be depleted.
It’s different from occasional dips in morale, though. Burnout-related apathy tends to be persistent. You may stop setting goals, feel stuck in your role, or question the value of your work entirely. It’s often the tipping point for many professionals in high-pressure environments like sales, finance, or healthcare, where performance is constantly under scrutiny.
3. Increased irritability or detachment
Stress doesn’t just weigh down your thoughts—it can also affect how you relate to others. You might find yourself becoming more impatient, easily annoyed, or emotionally distant.
At work, this could look like snapping at colleagues, withdrawing from team discussions, or avoiding communication altogether. At home, it might be a lack of interest in social activities or feeling “too tired” to engage with friends and family.
Over time, this emotional detachment can lead to isolation and resentment, making burnout even harder to manage.
4. Drop in performance and concentration
One of the most frustrating aspects of burnout is how it impacts your ability to think clearly. Tasks that were once second nature suddenly take longer. You lose track of conversations, forget deadlines, or find it hard to focus for extended periods.
This mental fatigue can erode confidence and feed into a negative cycle—where the more mistakes you make, the more overwhelmed you feel, which in turn causes even more mistakes. It’s a vicious cycle.
In the long run, these issues can affect not just your career progression, but even your job security.
5. Physical symptoms
Burnout doesn’t just live in the mind—it shows up in the body, too. The longer stress builds up, the more it can affect your physical health.
Some of the most common physical signs include:
- Frequent headaches or muscle tension
- Gastrointestinal problems like indigestion or stomach aches
- Lowered immunity, leading to more frequent colds or flu
- Disrupted sleep patterns, including insomnia or waking up multiple times during the night
When these symptoms become chronic and aren’t linked to a medical condition, burnout could be the underlying cause. In more serious cases, prolonged stress may also contribute to depression, which, when paired with the fast-paced life in Singapore, will often require professional support to manage.
What you can do
Burnout can be managed. Oftentimes, communication is the first step to it. Photo by Freepik
Burnout doesn’t go away on its own. The first and most important step is to acknowledge how you’re feeling—and to understand that it’s okay to ask for help.
Here are some practical ways to start managing burnout:
- Set clear boundaries: Avoid checking emails after hours or working through lunch. Reclaim your time by setting firm work-life boundaries, even when working remotely. It’s easier said than done, but having a cut-off time, even if for short, does wonders.
- Prioritise rest: Sleep, exercise, and nutrition are often the first to slip during stressful periods—but they’re essential to recovery. Make time for proper rest and physical activity, even in short bursts.
- Talk to someone: Whether it’s a mental health professional, your HR department, or a trusted friend, talking things through can provide clarity and relief. In Singapore, platforms like Mindline and HealthHub offer mental health resources.
- Reassess your workload: If your to-do list never ends, speak with your manager about redistributing tasks or exploring flexible arrangements.
Employers also have a role to play. You don’t have to start big—just starting having regular check-ins shows your team you care. From there, you can also start creating spaces for open conversations around mental health and reviewing job scopes to ensure responsibilities remain realistic and manageable.
Final thoughts
Burnout can affect anyone—and in today’s high-pressure work culture, recognising the signs and addressing it early is more important than ever. Whether you’re an individual feeling the weight of chronic stress or a business leader aiming to build a healthier workplace, proactive steps make all the difference for your mental health when working in Singapore.
At Elitez, we help businesses manage people better through our expert-led HR services. From improving workforce planning to offering outplacement services in Singapore that support employee transitions, we’re here to make your HR approach more sustainable for the long term.
Let’s create better workplaces—speak to our team today and work together with Elitez.