Stress vs. Overwhelm vs. Burnout: What’s The Difference?
Ah, burnout—when your soul starts buffering and never quite loads.
Burnout isn’t just being tired. It’s a full-body, full-mind, full-spirit crash-and-burn brought on by chronic stress, often from work, caregiving, or emotional overload. It’s like your internal battery has been run down for so long, the charger gave up and left. It’s the inability to think clearly, complete exhaustion and getting irritable about the limited space left for you in the driveway.
What Are The Symptoms of Burnout? Or, Am I Burned Out?!
🔥 Classic Symptoms of Burnout
🧠 Mental & Emotional Exhaustion
• You wake up tired—even after sleep
• Everything feels like too much
• Crying easily or feeling emotionally numb
• Feeling overwhelmed, even by small tasks
Think: Your brain is fried and your give-a-damn is broken.
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😤 Cynicism & Detachment
• Growing negativity or irritability (“What’s the point?”)
• Resentment toward clients, coworkers, or family
• Isolation or withdrawal from others
• Feeling emotionally distanced from your work or people you care about
You go from “I love helping people!” to “People are assh*les!”
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📉 Reduced Performance
• Decreased productivity or creativity
• Brain fog, forgetfulness, poor concentration
• Feeling ineffective, unmotivated, or like you’re failing
• Procrastination skyrockets—even on stuff you used to enjoy
It’s not that you won’t do it… it’s that you just can’t anymore.
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🩺 Physical Symptoms
• Insomnia or disrupted sleep
• Frequent headaches or muscle tension
• GI issues (nausea, bloating, constipation)
• Weakened immune system (getting sick more often)
• Changes in appetite (overeating or no appetite)
Your body is waving red flags while your brain’s still trying to “power through.”
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💥 Behavioral Red Flags
• Using alcohol, food, or Netflix to numb out
• Escapist daydreams (fantasizing about quitting everything and moving to a cabin)
• Losing track of time or days
• Short fuse—snapping at others over minor things
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⚠️ Burnout vs. Stress
Stress Burnout
Over-engaged Disengaged
Reactive Numb or checked out
Feels urgent Feels hopeless
Still caring Can’t care anymore
Energy overload Energy depletion
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🧭 What To Do About It?
1. Acknowledge it. Denial keeps you stuck.
2. Set boundaries. Start saying “no” like your life depends on it—because it might.
3. Take breaks. Even short ones help reboot your nervous system. Studies show it takes at least twenty minutes of DOING NOTHING to allow your nervous system to begin to recover from overwhelm.
4. Reconnect to meaning. What lights you up (that isn’t just productive)?
5. Get support. Friends, therapist, coach—don’t try to lone-wolf your way out.
6. Rediscover play. Play is any activity that is freely chosen, personally directed, and intrinsically motivated. It’s something you do for the pure joy of doing it—not for a specific outcome, reward, or productivity goal. Play reduces stress, lifts your mood, alleviates depression and anxiety, boosts creativity, enhances learning, deepens connections, and improves communication and empathy. Not a bad list for an activity without a goal!
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Burnout doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’ve been too strong for too long without enough support. If you’re running on fumes, it’s time to pull over—not keep flooring the gas. It’s the alarm bell notifying you to reallocate more time and energy towards soul care, boundary work, and radical rest.
Feeling fried, frazzled, or just plain burnt out? You don’t have to tough it out alone. Book a session with Dr. John Schinnerer or Joree Rose, LMFT—two of the sharpest minds in couples counseling, men’s work, and women’s empowerment. Ready to ditch the stress and reclaim your joy? Email John or Joree today and let’s get you back on track.
Wanna Climb Higher Up The Happiness Hill ? Here’s Where To Begin Your Ascent:
😡 For info on Dr. John’s Ultimate Online Anger Management Class (which has over 20,000 graduates!), visit his High Performer Shop at https://guide-to-self.mykajabi.com/store
🧠 Top tools for emotional mastery and high tech execs from the best executive coach in San Ramon Valley:
💬 The best podcast for relationships and those who want to create a happier, safer love life:
🎙️ Love Isn’t Enough Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-isnt-enough/id1774236475
👉 For the tremendous work Dr. John & Joree are doing in couples counseling, visit their top couples counseling site:
🎙️ Straight talk on evolution, masculinity & growth on the top 10 podcast for men over 30 who are tired of being emotionally disconnected
👉 https://TheEvolvedCaveman.com
For the Evolved Caveman podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.
🌱 Joree’s expert work on mindfulness, therapy & transformation (aka, the best therapist for women near you):
📸 For more info on the superb counseling Joree is doing with women who don’t want the next 20 years to be like the last 20, visit her site at
👉 https://MindfulnessAndTherapyCenter.com
💬 The top 10 podcast for women over 40:
🎙️ Journey Forward with Joree Rose Podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/journey-forward-with-joree-rose/id1454834765
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