13 Signs of Burnout You Shouldn’t Ignore (Especially if You’re a Working Parent)

Burnout doesn’t always arrive with a bang. Often, it creeps in — slow, quiet, and easy to dismiss. A few bad nights of sleep. A short fuse. A growing disinterest in things you used to enjoy.

And if you’re a working parent, it can be especially hard to recognise burnout for what it is — because exhaustion feels like part of the job.

But burnout is more than just being tired. It’s a full-body, full-mind state of depletion — emotional, physical, and mental. And when it goes unchecked, it can affect every area of your life: your work, your health, your relationships, and your sense of self.

What is burnout really?

Burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s a natural response to chronic and overwhelming stress — especially when you’ve been holding everything together for everyone else.

It tends to show up in three core ways:

1. Exhaustion: Not just tiredness — but emotional, cognitive, and physical depletion. You wake up feeling like you’ve already run a marathon. Coffee doesn’t touch it. Weekends don’t fix it. You’re running on fumes.

   
   

2. Cynicism or Emotional Withdrawal: You start feeling disconnected — from your job, your family, even yourself. Tasks that used to matter now feel pointless or irritating. You may feel more irritable, numb, or emotionally shut down. It’s not that you don’t care — it’s that you’ve cared too much, for too long, without a break.

   
   

3. Reduced Sense of Accomplishment: Even when you’re doing your best, it doesn’t feel like enough. You might doubt your competence, lose confidence in your skills, or feel like nothing you do is making a difference. You start to question whether you’re a good parent, a good employee, or a good partner — even if nothing on the outside has changed.

   
   

Originally studied in caregiving and helping professions, burnout is now recognised as a widespread issue — especially for high-functioning individuals who are doing it all, often without enough time, space, or support to recover. For more info on burnout, check out this page here: Signs of Burnout | Reimagine Psychology

13 Signs of Burnout You Shouldn't Ignore

This isn’t just feeling tired. It’s waking up fatigued. It’s feeling like your battery never fully recharges, no matter how early you go to bed.

Booking an appointment, replying to an email, packing lunch — they all feel like too much. Your cognitive bandwidth is low, and decision fatigue is high.

Snapping at your kids? Withdrawing from your partner? Getting frustrated over things that usually wouldn’t bother you? Irritability is often a burnout red flag.

Hobbies feel like chores. Conversations feel draining. Even downtime doesn’t feel restful. This loss of pleasure is a sign your emotional system is under strain.

You might be sleeping more, or struggling to fall asleep at all. You lie in bed thinking about work, family, or just feeling numb.

You’re going through the motions, but not really present. You feel like you’re watching life happen from a distance — emotionally flat, even when things should feel good.

You catch yourself thinking things like, “I’m failing,” or “I should be able to handle this.” Burnout often fuels harsh inner narratives and perfectionism.

Not just a mild Monday slump — but a sense of anxiety, dread, or emotional heaviness when you think about returning to work.

You love them, but you feel distant. Your patience is thin, and your joy feels muted. Burnout can make it harder to connect with the people who matter most.

Even during moments that should be relaxing, your nervous system is still in go-mode. There’s a constant undercurrent of pressure, alertness, or urgency.

You feel mentally foggy, indecisive, or second-guess yourself constantly. Burnout can impact executive functioning and focus.

Texts go unanswered. Invitations feel like obligations. You want connection but don’t have the capacity for it.

You’re not sure who you are outside of work and parenting. Your identity feels blurry, and you can’t remember the last time you felt grounded or inspired.

If This Feels Familiar, You’re Not Alone

Burnout doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’ve been trying to hold too much, for too long, without enough support.

If these signs resonate with you, know that you’re not alone — and you don’t have to keep doing this on your own. Therapy can help you make sense of what’s going on beneath the surface and find ways to heal, reset, and reconnect with yourself.

About the Author

I’m Alec — a registered psychologist working with professionals who often appear fine on the surface, but underneath are running on empty. I offer therapy and coaching designed to help high-functioning individuals:

• Navigate stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue

• Build clarity around their needs, values, and limits

• Let go of guilt and perfectionism

• Reconnect with a version of success that includes their wellbeing

  
  

Together, we can work toward a healthier, more sustainable version of life — one that includes rest, resilience, and the permission to be human.