Summary
Let’s Get One Thing Straight
Burnout doesn’t hit you like a freight train. It erodes you. Quietly. Daily. Like the patient, evil monster it is. And if you’re high-functioning? It hides. In fact, it hides so well that no one may notice. Most people don’t even realize it’s happening themselves—until something snaps. It might sound like a tree falling or the smallest twig.
So let’s name them. The real signs of burnout. The ones no one’s posting about on LinkedIn.
1. You’re Crushing It—But You Feel Numb
You’re achieving, delivering, leading… but inside?
Flat.
Detached.
Unreachable.
When wins don’t feel like wins, something’s off. We’re not talking “unflappable” kind of numb, we’re talking nada. Even the nomination for an industry award gets zero reaction kind of flat.
2. You Fantasize About Quitting Everything
Not vacation. Not rest. You fantasize about vanishing.
- Shutting it all down
- Moving to the mountains
- Ghosting your inbox forever
These aren’t pipe dreams. They’re warning flares.
3. You Snap at Small Things
The email that shouldn’t bother you? It does.
The Slack ping? Rage.
The kid who asked for a snack while you were working? HOW DARE THEY.
You’re not “mean.” You’re maxed. People around you are probably noticing, but you’re sure it’s them, not you.
4. You Don’t Recognize Your Own Brain
Forgetful. Foggy.
Reading the same sentence five times.
Starting sentences you don’t finish.
Burnout doesn’t just kill energy—it hijacks cognition. People around you may be wondering if you are showing early signs of Alzheimer’s, and you may be wondering if you’ve developed ADHD.
5. You’ve Replaced Passion with Resentment
The job you once loved? Now feels like a trap.
The team you built? Now drains you.
The mission? Meh.
Resentment is often a mask for depletion. Chances are you didn’t just suddenly randomly stop caring about something that was previously so important to you.
6. You Clean… Obsessively
Suddenly doing dishes at midnight?
Deep-cleaning the pantry on deadline day?
It’s not about the dishes, window panes, or having a photo shoot-ready office. It’s about craving control where you’ve lost it.
7. You’ve Emotionally Flattened Out
You’re not sad. You’re not angry.
You’re just… nothing.
You say “I’m fine” so often, it’s muscle memory. It might be showing up in weird ways at home with your family, on the golf course, or in the bedroom.
8. You Don’t Pack Joy Into Your Days Anymore
Fun has become inconvenient.
Hobbies feel indulgent.
Even breaks have to be “productive.”
That’s not adulting. That’s burnout culture. Ask yourself, “When was the last time I just did nothing productive over lunch?” No working lunch, no lunch meeting, no errands—just you, food, and a mental break.
9. You’re Saying “Yes” Out of Fear, Not Alignment
Fear of being replaced.
Fear of disappointing.
Fear of being seen as “not a team player.”
Burnout thrives in spaces where boundaries are punished. Pay close attention to this one, you can easily “yes” your way straight into burnout fast and for so many reasons.
10. You Feel Alone—Even in a Room Full of People
The worst part?
No one sees it.
Because you’re still high-functioning.
Still showing up.
Still crushing goals.
And inside, you’re whispering, “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”
What I Want You to Know
If you saw yourself in any of these…
You’re not dramatic. You’re not weak.
You’re not failing.
You’re burning out. Quietly.
And that’s the most dangerous kind.
I’ve been there. I know.
It’s not too late to reverse it.
But you have to stop pretending you’re fine and everything is fine.
You deserve to function from fire—not fumes.
Let’s build that together.
—Sterling Phoenix
Want Help Before the Crash?
Grab the Burnout Recovery Quickstart Kit:
- Burnout Filter (3-question test)
- Energy Reset Planner
- Boundary Script Templates
- Journal prompts for truth-telling and clarity
- Bonus: “You’re Not Failing” printable affirmation card
