Burnout

Written By Janell Mihelic

Early Warning Signs for Clinicians

Burnout rarely arrives all at once. For most clinicians, it develops quietly, through small shifts in energy, thinking, and emotional availability that are easy to rationalize in the moment.

Often, burnout is not recognized until it has already become a larger problem. Early signs are frequently misinterpreted as “just part of the job.” Recognizing these signals early allows for adjustment before exhaustion becomes entrenched.

Below are common early warning signs clinicians report before burnout becomes obvious.

1. Subtle Emotional Numbing

You may notice:

  • feeling less emotionally responsive in sessions or in your personal life

  • reduced curiosity about client material

  • fewer moments of clinical engagement or satisfaction

  • dread before sessions and relief once they’ve ended

This does not mean you have lost empathy. It often reflects emotional overload and insufficient recovery time. Your nervous system may simply be signaling that it is carrying too much.

2. Increased Irritability or Impatience

Early burnout often shows up as:

  • feeling unusually irritated by administrative tasks

  • Frustration, or relief, around no-shows or cancellations that once felt manageable

  • reduced tolerance for ambiguity or slow progress

These reactions are usually signs of depleted bandwidth rather than personality changes. They often indicate cumulative stress that needs space to be processed and released.

3. Dread That Appears Before the Workday Starts

Many clinicians describe:

  • a sense of heaviness before sessions begin

  • difficulty transitioning into the workday

  • sleeping more than usual or difficulty waking in the morning

  • thinking about work immediately upon waking, even on days off

This anticipatory stress is an important signal that work demands may be exceeding available emotional or cognitive resources.

4. Cognitive Fatigue and Decision Overload

Burnout often affects thinking before it affects mood.

Common signs include:

  • difficulty concentrating during sessions

  • increased second-guessing of clinical decisions (decision fatigue)

  • feeling mentally “foggy” by mid-day

  • avoidance of documentation or follow-up tasks

When cognitive fatigue sets in, even familiar tasks can feel disproportionately effortful. Things that once felt routine may suddenly feel overwhelming.

5. Shifts in Professional Identity or Motivation

You may notice thoughts such as:

  • “I used to care more than this.”

  • “I don’t feel as competent as I used to.”

  • “Maybe I’m not cut out for this long-term.”

These thoughts often reflect exhaustion rather than an actual loss of skill, values, or professional identity.

6. Boundary Erosion or Overcompensation

Burnout can lead to:

  • difficulty saying no

  • extending sessions more often than intended

  • checking messages outside of work hours

  • or, conversely, rigid boundaries driven by exhaustion rather than intention

Either extreme suggests strain rather than balance.

Burnout Assessment Tool

Did you know that there is a burnout assessment tool available. The Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) can help you gauge your current level of burnout:

https://burnoutassessmenttool.be/start_eng/

What These Signs Mean (and What They Don’t)

Experiencing one or more of these signs does not mean:

  • you are failing as a clinician

  • you chose the wrong profession

  • you need to leave the field immediately

They do suggest that your current workload, systems, or expectations may need adjustment, or that you may simply need rest. Burnout is rarely a personal deficit; it is more often a mismatch between demands and available support.

Responding Early

Responding early does not require drastic change. Often, it involves small but intentional shifts, such as:

Reassessing workload or scheduling
Try rating your daily activities based on whether they increase or decrease your energy. Rate both personal and professional activities. Do this for one week, then consider whether you can increase energy-giving activities while reducing those that drain you.

Strengthening consultation or supervision
Consultation and supervision provide emotional support and serve as a quality check to ensure that the care you provide remains aligned with your values and standards.

Examining documentation or administrative burden
Are there tasks that can be delegated, automated, or simplified? Even small efficiencies can reduce cumulative strain.

Clarifying boundaries that have drifted
Revisit boundaries that may have slowly eroded over time and re-establish them with intention.

Addressing burnout early is a form of ethical practice, it protects both clinicians and clients. If you notice these signs, consider setting aside one or two days to reflect on what needs to change in order to restore energy and sustainability.

Closing Take Aways

Burnout is not a sudden collapse; it is a gradual process. Early warning signs are not failures to endure, but information worth listening to.

Consider creating a monthly burnout check-in, a brief, intentional pause to assess how you’re doing. Sustainable clinical work depends not on pushing through exhaustion, but on noticing when something needs to change and responding with intention rather than self-criticism.

Janell Mihelic