Burnout

Our modern ways of life have drastically affected our work-life balance and stressors, causing many to experience burnout. We conducted polling of 4,502 adults in the UK, of which 2,591 were workers. We captured the public’s perceptions of burnout and the contributing factors in our Burnout Report 2026.

Uncover key insights into burnout, and its causes, in the Burnout Report 2026.

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What is burnout?

‘Burnout’ is recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an ‘occupational phenomenon’. While it is not a medical or mental health condition, it has been classified as a syndrome, meaning a collection of symptoms or signs associated with a specific health-related cause. Burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It can occur when you experience long-term stress and feel under constant pressure.

Whilst burnout can be caused by stress, it isn’t the same as stress. Stress tends to be short-term and whilst it may impact your sleep, energy, and emotions, you are still able to engage in the activity that is causing you stress. With burnout, you feel so detached and demotivated that it impacts your ability to function and you feel hopeless that your situation can change.

Very often burnout is considered in a workplace setting, but burnout can be experienced alongside other life pressures and excessive demands such as responsibilities as a caregiver, parent, or living with a chronic illness or condition.

Burnout can occur when you have repeated and prolonged high demands that exceed resources. It’s likely that burnout, whatever the cause, will impact upon the individual’s wellbeing at work and personal life, such as their relationships. Due to the consequences of burnout, it’s important to recognise it before it saps energy and motivation and becomes overwhelming.

Since burnout can be a cause for mental ill health and can be a risk factor for developing mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, it should be taken seriously.

What are the symptoms of burnout?

Burnout is a gradual process over time. Signs you have burnout could be attributed to stress, depression, or anxiety, and as such could go unnoticed and unaddressed.

Burnout symptoms can be recognised physically, emotionally, and behaviourally. Most people will experience a combination of the symptoms below, including severe exhaustion, feeling cut off from others, and feeling they have no hope, energy, or reason for things to change.

If looking for signs that someone is burnt out, it can often be recognised by someone’s behaviour both at work and home.

They might be less productive, absent from work, excessively tired, or appear irritable. Sometimes, people rely on excessive alcohol or drugs, or their eating habits may change.

Physical symptoms

  • Feeling tired or exhausted most of the time
  • Reoccurring insomnia and sleep disturbances
  • Frequent headaches
  • Muscle or joint pain
  • Gastrointestinal problems, such as feeling sick or loss of appetite
  • Frequent illness due to lowered immunity
  • High blood pressure
  • Issues breathing

Emotional symptoms

  • Feeling helpless, trapped, and/or defeated
  • Self-doubt, feeling like a failure or worthless
  • Feeling detached and alone in the world
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Feeling demotivated, having a cynical/negative outlook
  • Lacking sense of satisfaction and achievement
  • Loss of interest and enjoyment
  • Persistent feelings of dread, worry and anxiety

Behavioural symptoms

  • Procrastinating and taking longer to complete things
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Decreased output and productivity
  • Becoming isolated and withdrawing from people, responsibilities, etc.
  • Reliant on food, drugs, or alcohol to cope
  • Irritable and short-tempered, likely to have outbursts and take frustrations out on others
  • Increased tardiness, being late for work and/or higher absenteeism

Causes of burnout and what you can do

Below are some of the common areas of life that may contribute to burnout and self-care measures to reduce and manage them.

Money worries

We know that money and mental health go hand in hand; 48% of people agreed that money worries had caused stress and may contribute towards burnout.

Here are some ideas of how you can manage your money and budget:

Worries about job security

Over 1 in 5 working-age people are now out of work, and worries about job security and fear of redundancy are amongst the top three factors cited as driving stress for UK workers.

Here are some ideas on how to ease those worries.

  • Talk to your employer: If you are worried about your job security, you can speak to your manager. You can ask them if your job is at risk, and you can ask them to be honest with you. You can ask your manager what the next steps are and when you will know more information.
  • Get advice: It can help you to get expert advice on the situation to know more about what your rights and options are. You can contact ACAS for free confidential advice. You don’t have to give any personal details if you don’t want to.
  • Look for another job: If your job is at risk you can prepare to look for another job by updating your CV. Find out more information on writing a CV
  • Careers advice: You can contact the National Careers Service for careers advice. They provide information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training, and work opportunities.
  • Make a plan: If your job is at risk, it might help you to make a plan of the things you can do if you lose your job. Making a plan can help you to:
    • Take control of the situation,
    • Know what your options are, and
    • Reduce stress, by knowing there are practical things you can do if you lose your job.

Isolation

36% of UK adults say that feeling isolated outside of work in the past year has caused stress and may contribute to burnout.

If you’re worried about isolation, you may find the following support services helpful:

  • Support lines: Talking about how you are feeling can have big benefits. People who care about you like friends and family are usually happy to listen and support you. But you can also call the following lines to talk about how you are feeling: Samaritans, Support Line, C.A.L.M, Silverline (for people over 55) and The Mix (for people under 25). For regional support visit the Hub of Hope.
  • Support groups: Mental health support groups help you connect with others who have mental health issues and their carers. The following organisations provide support groups, so you can see if there’s one in your local area: Rethink Mental Illness, local Minds and Carers Trust (for support groups and services for carers).
  • Investing in relationships: The Mental Health Foundation’s top tips on relationships explains what you can do to create better relationships with yourself and with the people around you. This can help to reduce isolation.

Physical health

Doing things that help us to relax and make us feel happy or calm, such as exercise, eating well, and getting enough sleep, can impact our mental health. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and they influence each other. 38% of people agreed that poor physical health had caused stress and may contribute towards burnout.

  • Eat healthy foods and have a balanced diet. Find more information on the NHS website
  • Keep physically active. Exercise can help to reduce stress and anxiety. It can increase the levels of serotonin and endorphins which are your body’s natural ‘happy’ chemicals. Find out more
  • Drink enough water. Visit the NHS website
  • Avoid or reduce drinking alcohol. Find out more
  • Avoid or reduce smoking. Find out more

Sleep

Problems with sleep can affect how you feel physically and mentally, and how you feel can also affect how you sleep. 59% of UK adults agreed that poor sleep had driven stress this year.

Here are some ideas on how to improve your sleep:

  • Diary: Using a diary or journal can help you see if there is a pattern to your sleep. It may also help to see what may be affecting your sleep. You may find using our 7-day sleep tracker helps you to do this.
  • Routine: Having a set routine before bed can help with having a better night’s sleep. You may have to try different things before you find the right routine that helps. It can help to do things that help you relax before going to bed. Find out more information about sleep
  • Relaxing techniques: Finding the right activity that can help you relax can help you with your sleeping. You may need to try different activities before you find the right one that helps you. You can try things such as yoga, meditation, art, or listening to soothing music.
  • Speak to your GP: If you are having problems sleeping, going to see your GP could help as they may be able to suggest some options to help you.

Relationships

It’s important for our wellbeing to have good relationships so that we can share our hopes, fears, confidence, and happiness, and keep us going when we need extra support. Almost one third of UK adults (28%) cited problems in personal relationships as contributing to burnout.

Here are some ideas on how to improve your relationships.

  • Your relationship with yourself: Having a healthy relationship with yourself is as important as your relationship with others. To have a healthy relationship with yourself self-care is important. Self-care can be different for everyone. Self-care can include resting, exercising, spending time outside, speaking to others, and reflecting on the good parts of your day.
  • Your relationships with others: The Mental Health Foundation’s top tips on relationships explains what you can do to create better relationships with others.
  • Your relationship with your partner: If you have a partner, it’s important to maintain a healthy relationship with them. Ways to do this can be:
    • Give time to each other
    • Be present for each other
    • Listen to each other
    • Share thoughts and feelings

Caring for others

Caring responsibilities alongside work was a factor cited by three in ten UK adults aged 45–54.

If you’re worried about looking after someone with a mental health problem, our founding charity partner in England, Rethink Mental Illness can provide advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know whether I am burnt out or stressed, anxious, or depressed?

Some of the signs of burnout are also symptoms of being stressed, anxious or depressed, which can cause confusion due to the overlap. Burnout can increase the risk of developing depression or anxiety disorders. However, there are clear distinctions. Burnout is not a medical condition, whereas depression and anxiety are medically diagnosed.

Prolonged stress can lead to burnout and whilst momentary stress can leave you feeling exhausted, burnout can make you feel empty and hollow. People who are stressed often believe that there are aspects they can change or control, but people who are burnt out are beyond caring whether they can change anything about their situation because they have lost hope, motivation, and are exhausted.

People living with depression often have negative thoughts and feelings about life, whereas burnout trends to be centred on the factors which caused it. Put simply, if someone’s high pressured job has led to burnout, they would typically feel detached and hopeless about work, whereas someone who experienced depression would tend to feel detached and hopeless in general both at work and at home.

What should I do if I think I’m in danger of becoming burnt out?

It’s important that you reach out to people you trust, who can offer support. Talking to your GP would also be worthwhile, as they could provide a fit note, giving you time away from work or refer you to a counsellor. In understanding what has placed you at risk of burning out you could identify factors within your control to change or modify.

Depending on the contributory factors, you could reach out to your manager or HR to look for ways of reducing your workload or accessing support mechanisms your employer offers. If the challenges you face are at home, you could find some respite from caregiving such as asking a family member to take a shift to allow you time back.

What can I do to prevent burnout?

Burnout can sometimes be the result of factors outside of a person’s control, so it’s important to acknowledge that there are steps you could take, but it may not prevent burnout.

Depending on your circumstances, there will be various ways you could potentially prevent burnout. Below are just some examples:

  • Ensuring you carve out time for yourself in a busy schedule, whether it’s taking regular breaks at work or booking some respite care from your responsibilities.
    Setting clear boundaries at work and at home to ensure your time is protected so that you can restore your energies.
  • Building a good relationship with your manager so that you can share with them when you are struggling and support mechanisms can be put in place.
  • Practice meditation or mindfulness to help restore a calmness and perspective against life’s challenges.
  • Find employment that provides meaning and enjoyment so you can feel sense of achievement and fulfilment in some or all that you do at work.
  • Build a support mechanism at work and socially with people you trust, so that you can open up and be supported at times when you need.
  • Enhance your resilience by taking up something you enjoy, offsetting the challenges you might face.
  • Try to eat nutritious foods and keep regular sleeping patterns to support your energy and physical health
  • Exercise and movement is a great way to boost your mood and is beneficial to your wellbeing both physically and mentally.
  • Find ways of understanding and reducing the stressors in your life where possible to ensure you have a sense of agency and control over contributing factors.
  • Reframe the value you place on aspects of your life, such as work, so that you can start nourishing aspects that are important and restorative.

Can time away from the cause of burnout prevent it?

Having time out of a situation that could cause burnout can certainly help you process and reset your thoughts and feelings. For example, if you’re a carer, taking time for yourself and having respite is important to your wellbeing. If working a high-pressured job, having a break from it can help you to restore your energy and motivation.

However, returning to continued high demands may place you at risk again and therefore it’s important to find outlets, structures or support that can continue to prevent you from burning out.

How can you treat burnout?

Everyone’s recovery from burnout will be different depending on the factors that caused burnout and the resources available to them.

Burnout is not regarded as an illness but resolving it usually involves a combination or immediate relief from the factor causing it as well as more long-term measures such as talking therapies, such as counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

It’s important as part of that process to understand the causes of burnout so that solutions can be put in place to prevent further burnout.

How long does it take to recover from burnout?

How long it takes to recover from burnout will differ from person to person, whilst also dependent on whether they are still in the situation that caused them to burn out and if they are receiving support.

It takes time and could be from anywhere between a couple of months to a couple of years.

If my job has caused me to burn out, should I leave it?

This is entirely an individual’s choice and there will be many factors to consider when making the decision. Leaving employment can have wider repercussions, such as financial, so if possible other options should be considered first. Workplaces have a ‘duty of care’ to their employees and should support their health and wellbeing.

Accessing the support systems they have in place — such as reasonable adjustments, special leave, occupational health or Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) — might prevent someone from feeling they have to leave their employment. Strategies could be put in place by the employer which could support them whilst at work and manage their wellbeing.

For more information about the support employees can access at work, visit: ACAS’ website

Is burnout related to perfectionism?

Perfectionism is a character trait that involves a person having high and exacting standards they hold themselves and others to. These standards can apply to all areas of their lives such as education, workplace, relationships, etc. It can lead a person to have set goals and expectations that may not be achievable or realistic for themselves and others. This approach can often be accompanied by a critical outlook if goals aren’t met, whilst making mistakes can be perceived in an overly negative way.

Perfectionism in and of itself isn’t a negative character trait and can often lead to high achievement. However, research has indicated that having a perfectionist’s approach could lead to burnout due to the exacting and unrelenting standards people may hold themselves to, which could lead to burnout in the long-term.

Why is burnout a concern?

Burnout is not an isolated workplace issue but a systemic challenge affecting the UK’s economy, productivity, and future workforce.

Levels of stress remain extremely high among adults in the UK with 91% report high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year. One in five needed to take time off in the last year due to poor mental health caused by pressure or stress.

Adults aged 25–34 are now the age group most likely to experience high or extreme levels of stress in the past year (96%), overtaking adults aged 35–44, as highlighted in the 2025 Burnout Report.

Young workers aged 18–24 continue to face a great deal of strain in the workplace, with 93% experiencing high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year, and nearly two in five (39%) having to take time off due to poor mental health.

The Burnout Report 2026

All you need to know about burnout in the UK

Despite modest improvements since 2024, pressure across the UK workforce remains critically high. Nine in ten adults report high or extreme stress, with one in five workers taking time off due to stress-related poor mental health, continuing to push people out of the labour market and underlining the urgent need for clearer standards on what constitutes a healthy, sustainable workplace in the UK.

Read the report

Burnout at work

We continue to work in a fast-changing environment, with rising demands, ongoing economic uncertainty, and shifting expectations shaping people’s experience of work.

A high or increased workload remains the biggest driver of stress at work (42%), followed by unpaid overtime and fears about job security. These pressures are felt unevenly, with younger workers more likely to report unmanageable workloads, financial strain, isolation, and bullying, and women more likely than men to say workload contributes to burnout.

One in five workers needed time off in the past year due to stress-related poor mental health, with rates highest among young workers and parents of young children. Yet support is often lacking: over a quarter of those who took time off received no help on their return, and only a small minority had a formal return-to-work or recovery plan.

More than a third of workers would not feel comfortable telling their manager if they were struggling, increasing the risk that problems escalate.

Burnout guidance for employees

Here are some recommendations for how to avoid burnout at work:

1. Create a personal wellbeing plan

Define what good mental health looks like for you by completing a Mental Health UK Wellbeing Action Plan. Include early warning signs, coping strategies, and what support helps you most.

2. Set boundaries and achievable goals

Break tasks into manageable steps, keep deadlines realistic, and protect work–life boundaries by switching off outside contracted hours.

3. Communicate openly with your manager

Discuss workloads, challenges, and expectations regularly. Ask for adjustments before pressures build – without guilt.

4. Prioritise the four foundations of health

Focus on sleep, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. Make time for activities outside work that bring joy and balance.

5. Recognise and manage stress early

Use tools like the Mental Health UK Stress Bucket to identify what’s driving stress and how to cope.

6. Make full use of workplace support

Access Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), wellbeing resources, and speak to your GP if you need ongoing help.

7. Celebrate small wins

Recovery after burnout is gradual. Every step forward counts.

Burnout guidance for employers

As an employer, you have a duty to protect both the physical and mental health of your staff. Burnout costs people, teams, and organisations – but there are practical ways to prevent it, spot it early, and support recovery.

Burnout is preventable. By creating a culture of care, keeping workloads manageable, training managers, and providing structured support, employers can protect staff, boost productivity, and reduce turnover.

We’ve organised the guidance into three areas: Prevention, Early Intervention, and Recovery.

Prevention

  • Actively participate in the Keep Britain Working vanguard phase by becoming a vanguard employer.
  • Create and maintain a clear mental health strategy for staff.
  • Equip managers with the tools to talk about mental health.
  • Support healthy work–life balance.
  • Keep workloads manageable.
  • Regularly assess stress and burnout risks.

Early intervention

  • Help managers recognise and act on burnout.
  • Normalise conversations above workload and wellbeing.

Recovery

  • Create a culture where mental health recovery is fully respected.
  • Provide structured return to work support.
  • Ensure consistency and review.

All figures related to the Burnout Report 2026, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4,502 adults, of which 2,591 were workers. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3rd and 5th November 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

Workplace tools and resources

We've developed some helpful resources to help spread awareness and address occupational burnout.

Download information on recognising the signs of burnout, steps towards self-care, and conversation guides to support open discussions between managers and employees about the impact of job burnout.

Conversation guide: talking to an employee about burnout

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Conversation guide: talking to your manager about burnout

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Spot the signs of burnout
A4 poster

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Burnout self-care steps
A4 poster

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Workplace Mental Health and Training

Our Workplace Mental Health and Training team works with organisations of various sizes to help them create psychologically safe workplaces that prioritise wellbeing. We can deliver a broad range of support tailored to your workplace; from therapeutic coaching, facilitated group peer support, to virtual or face-to-face training.

Find out more

Stories of burnout

Sharing stories can help others feel less alone, encourage open conversations, and remind people that support is always within reach. Read and share these inspiring stories.

"I knew I was stressed, but it was like a ‘chicken or the egg situation’ – was I stressed because my mental health conditions were flaring up, or were they flaring up because I was stressed? "

Read Eliza’s story

"Burnout isn’t a sign of weakness, but our body’s way of keeping us safe when we can’t do it ourselves."

Read Jen’s story

"One day, I logged on to work and felt completely frozen – crashed, like a computer."

Read Aiden’s story
View more stories