248: Recognizing the Signs: Identifying Early Indicators of Burnout

Are you silently burning out—and don’t even realize it? Burnout isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s the quiet fatigue, the creeping cynicism, or the missed moments of joy that tell the real story.

Whether you're a woman in tech leadership, or someone simply trying to do it all, this episode is your wake-up call. I’m breaking down the early emotional, physical, behavioral, cognitive, and workplace signs of burnout—and more importantly, how to address them before they lead to long-term damage. Plus, I debunk the myth that burnout means you’re not strong enough—it actually means you’ve been strong for too long without support.

"Burnout is not a reflection of your abilities or your worth. It is a signal that something needs to change." – Toni

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What burnout really is—and why it's not just stress
• The 3 emotional indicators of burnout that often go unnoticed
• The physical symptoms your body uses to signal burnout
• How your behavior may be quietly telling you something’s wrong
• Cognitive signs like decision fatigue and imposter syndrome
• How burnout shows up in your work and personal life
• Why pushing harder might actually be the problem
• Practical strategies for recognizing and reversing burnout
• And more!

Feeling off but can’t quite put your finger on it?

If you've been pushing through, this episode invites you to slow down and listen. Because sometimes the strongest thing you can do is stop ignoring the signs.

 

**Useful links**

• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy 
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode248 
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.