And no, your headaches are not normal.

Stress isn't all bad though – here are some things it's great for.

If you experience any of the signs below, you could be on the brink of burning out.

You could change – by sheer awareness and willpower, you might be able to stop the pattern.

But if you need to stop bad habits, you can build an personalised routine right here.

In this Google Sheets tool I built (yes, I'm a nerd), you start with a short symptom self-assessment, list your interests, rate their energy level, and paste your results into ChatGPT which will give you customised daily routine.

10 subtle signs Burnout is creeping in

1. Working late “just to get ahead.”
2. Saying yes when your gut says no.
3. Following everyone else’s pace instead of your own.
4. Believing rest is a reward you earn after the breakthrough.
5. Filling free time so you don’t feel unproductive.
6. Running on caffeine instead of energy.
7. Calling it a “busy season” that never ends.
8. Feeling detached but blaming everything else.
9. Scrolling to relax but ending up more drained.
10. Talking it out with friends instead of getting real support.