Burnout, That Heavy Shadow

 Everyone working in office probably heard the word “burnout” once or twice. For me, I started to feel its weight a few years ago. Day after day, same work tasks, never-ending emails, back-to-back meetings. Somehow, work was swallowing my whole life.

Burnout is different from just being tired. It drains your body and your mind. Even small things make you break down easily. I used to tell myself, “If I just hold on a bit more, it will be okay.” But that “bit more” never came. Instead, I sank deeper into feeling powerless and cynical.

What I learned then was, “Don’t suffer alone.” At first, I was ashamed to tell anyone. I felt like I was failing, like I was lazy. But when I bravely talked to my boss and colleagues honestly, and tried professional counseling, I started to breathe again.

There is no one way to fix burnout. Everyone needs their own way to heal. For me, small wins and little breaks in daily life helped a lot. A short walk, listening to favorite songs, putting away my phone for a while — these things lightened my mind.

Most important thing is learning to be kind to yourself. It’s okay not to be perfect, and sometimes you need to rest. From that moment, I finally found the strength to stand up again.

Burnout is something many people face. Especially in English-speaking countries, “work burnout” is already a big social issue. We all need to take care of ourselves, sometimes stop, and find courage to start again.