Noticing Burnout Before Someone Says a Word

Years ago, I worked with a colleague who was always full of energy — loud, cheerful, hugging everyone, lighting up the room.

But one week, something shifted.

She was still loud, but in a different way.

Her voice became sharper, higher.

Her eyes moved quickly, reacting to everything instantly — the kind of nervous alertness people don’t notice in themselves.

And she laughed less than before.

I stopped her one day and gently asked if she was alright.

She wasn’t.

Her personal life and her job had become overwhelming.

She was exhausted, depressed, and had started self‑medicating just to get through the day.

We sat together a few times — meditation, Reiki, simple grounding practices — and made a plan to help her find her way out of the cycle.

She spoke to her doctor, got proper support, and asked management for help.

They moved her to a slower‑paced department for a while.

Within a month, she felt lighter.

Within two, she was herself again.

Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse.

Sometimes it looks like someone becoming “more themselves,” just in a way that feels off.

Recognising the signs early — and asking for help — can change everything.

Give yourself credit: you’re allowed to pause, to shift direction, and to accept support.

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