At 19, I thought I was unstoppable.

Fresh out of school and ready to do my own thing.

Just me, my laptop, and my ambition. I’d launched a web design consultancy, landed a few clients, and for the first time in my life, I was making money doing something I loved.

But by spring, I literally couldn’t lift a pair of dumbbells. 

I was standing in a gym, holding 1kg weights…

(something I’d done hundreds of times before)

And my arms just… didn’t move.

That was the first time I understood that burnout doesn’t arrive like a storm. 

It arrives like fog. Slowly, silently, until you can’t see your way out.

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The burnout nobody saw coming

Burnout can happen at any age, in any job, to anyone with a nervous system and a drive to prove themselves.

I was 19 and self-employed. From the outside, I had freedom. But inside, I was running on panic.

I had received a tax bill I didn’t understand for money I’d already spent. I didn’t know how VAT worked. Suddenly, I owed more than I had.

My solution was to simply (but not so simply) work harder.

Pull 20-hour days, take a second job, slash my rates.

It worked on paper. But my body broke before my bank balance could recover.

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The cost of not knowing your limits

Burnout disguises itself as productivity, until it doesn’t.

You miss the early signs: skipped meals, constant anxiety, exhaustion. You push through because you think that’s what strong, ambitious people do.

Eventually, the cost shows up.

For me, it was physical just as much as it was emotional. 

A doctor’s visit for fatigue ended with a depression diagnosis.

Then, healing - not returning to normal - became the real goal.

I’m not the only one, either: a 2021 study by Indeed found that 52% of workers reported feeling burned out, up from 43% the year before. This includes teacher burnout and tech fatigue, especially in a world always "on."

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What burnout really feels like

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress with three key symptoms: energy depletion, mental distancing or negativism, and reduced efficacy. 

But burnout isn’t just tiredness. 

It’s emotional erosion. 

A slow loss of joy, trust, and mental health.

You lose focus. Connection. 

And the worst part? 

You get used to it.

For neurodivergent individuals, especially those with autism, or ADHD like me, burnout can be even harder to detect. 

ADHD burnout often brings extreme cycles of hyperfocus, followed by crashes of non-productivity (sometimes called ADHD paralysis).

It’s like what ADHD does normally - but worse.

In contrast, autistic burnout can also be caused by prolonged masking, or even overwhelm from everyday tasks - which can make it both more common and harder to predict or recognise. 

Hopefully, those quick overviews of the ADHD vs autism burnout experience show how burnout detection and recovery must be personalized.

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How I found my way back

For me, healing was a series of small choices:

Saying yes to therapy.
Letting go of the idea that rest equals weakness.
Noticing when I was spiraling, and gently interrupting it.

There were a lot of tough new habits to build, but I built them.

Years later, building Kin, I remembered this time in my life. 

More than needing advice back then… I needed space.

Space to reflect, recognize, and reconsider. 

That’s what Kin aims to offer: presence without pressure. 

A private place to self-reflect, journal, and just be…before things break.

And a gentle helping hand to get back on track if they do.

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How to recognize your own warning signs

Ask yourself:

• Do I feel rested after sleep?
  
  
• When did I last do something just for joy?
  
  
• Do I feel numb or disconnected?
  
  
• Do small tasks feel overwhelming?
  
  
• Am I avoiding things I used to enjoy?

These aren’t checkboxes. 

They’re invitations to personal reflection.

To slow down. To notice. To reach out. 

Even just one resonating with you could mean you’re burning out. It could mean nothing.

Either way, this is an invitation to say, honestly, "I need to talk to someone."

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Strategies that actually help

1. Redefine productivity
   True productivity is what you get done, not how long you do it for. Some studies suggest that most knowledge workers are only genuinely productive for about 2 hours and 48 minutes a day. Start measuring productivity by what is produced - and keep an eye on whether you’re breaking your work-life balance.
   
   
2. Journal, reflect, repeat
   Journaling helps you process feelings and track mental health over time. Whether it’s a full journal entry, or just jotting in your online diary, writing journal thoughts helps. Need ideas? Try journaling prompts like: "What drained me today?" or "What do I need tomorrow?" Kin can also suggest prompts tailored to your individual behaviour and needs.
   
   
3. Set tech boundaries
   Use "Do Not Disturb." Block time for deep work. Mute non-essential apps. This tip is small, but vital. Give yourself time for proper work, and for proper play.
   
   
4. Support for neurodivergent burnout
   Work with your symptoms, not against them.

For ADHD: Use visual task boards, body doubling, and plan decompression after focus sessions.

For Autism: Schedule quiet time after socializing, control sensory input, and stop masking when you can.

5. Build rhythms, not routines
   Anchor your day around energy, not rigidity. Try doing creative work in the morning, then admin in the afternoon - or the opposite, if that fits you better. Your day should work for you, not you for it.
   
   
6. Track energy, not just time
   Use a journaling app like Kin, or a paper notebook, to observe your patterns. The benefits of journaling are well-documented and very real - and Kin makes it easier than ever to access through being able to talk with you.
   
   
7. Practice micro-boundaries
   Saying things like: "I’m stepping away for five minutes. Back at 3." will help you build the skills needed to leave and return to work as you please. It’s small. It’s powerful. It helps you get control of burnout.
   
   

When tech respects your limits

I’m not here to villainize tech, but… 

Many tools track us more than support us. 

Issue-tracking systems, team communication platforms, even social media.

It can all quickly feel overbearing, and make it harder to work. 

In fact, Gartner reports that increased employee monitoring is contributing to toxic workplace cultures.

One solution is being more careful with what apps you use and when, sure.

But another is privacy-first tools, like Kin.

Kin doesn’t monitor you. It supports you. 

There are no alarms if you spend too much or too little time on Kin. No one is notified. 

It just tracks your emotional patterns, standing ready to offer introspective conversations and adapt without judgment.

Say "help me," and Kin listens. Say "how to start journaling," and it provides suggestions. Need someone to talk to? Kin is there. It only sends reminders to speed up or slow down if you want it to.

And for neurodivergent users, Kin adapts: sensory-friendly suggestions, simplified prompts, or just quiet companionship are all one Chat message away.

Most importantly, Kin protects your privacy. 

All of the above happens on local-first architecture, end-to-end encryption, and with no server-side tracking. So you know it’s a secure space to be truly honest. 

That’s where we see the future of tech, and we’re building it: support tools that champion empowerment and trust, not profit or data.

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You don’t need to break to take a break

If there’s one thing I’ve been trying to say, it’s this:

Prevention doesn’t feel urgent until it is.

Burnout is easier to treat early. But we often wait until we collapse.

Why? Because it’s easier to live in hope and denial.

What if we changed that?

What if rest wasn’t earned, but integrated?

What if support came before the breakdown?

Kin can help. So can therapy. So can your own voice saying, "I need help."

You don’t have to hit a wall to slow down.

Just notice when you’re veering off course, and choose a softer turn.

Whether you're using a journaling app, taking online therapy, or just writing in a journal…

The tools are out there.

Remember that your mental health and emotional clarity matter.

If you’re in the fog right now, I see you.

There’s a way out. 

Not all at once. 

Not overnight. 

But step by step. 

Start by taking this one with me, and talking to Kin.