← All modules · Module 4 · 10 min
Running on Empty
"Tired week" and "heading toward burnout" look similar day to day. Here's how to tell them apart, and what actually helps each one.
The checklist
Three signs, honestly answered
| Sign | Just a tired week | Trending toward burnout |
|---|---|---|
| Exhaustion | Tired, but a weekend of proper rest mostly fixes it | Tired even after rest; sleep doesn't seem to help anymore |
| Attitude toward work | Not in the mood today, but you still care about the outcome | Growing numb or cynical about things you used to care about |
| Sense of effectiveness | Slower than usual, but you can still see progress | Feeling like nothing you do makes a difference, even when it objectively does |
This is a general awareness checklist, not a diagnosis — it can't tell you what's happening for you personally. If more than one row feels like "trending toward burnout" and it's lasted more than a couple of weeks, that's worth talking through with a counsellor or doctor, not just pushing through.
If it's a tired week
Small resets that work
01
Protect one full night's sleep
Not "catch up on the weekend" — one specific night, tonight, non-negotiable.
02
Cut your to-do list by a third
Move the least urgent third to next week. A shorter list finished feels better than a long one abandoned.
03
Do one thing with zero screen involved
A walk, cooking, a call with someone — not another feed to scroll through.
If it's trending toward burnout
This needs more than a good weekend
Rest helps, but it usually isn't enough on its own once you're here — the load itself typically needs to change, and that's easier with support than alone.
| 1 | Talk to one person today — a friend, family member, or counsellor. Naming it out loud is often the hardest and most useful first step. |
| 2 | Look at what's actually on your plate and identify one thing you can genuinely drop, delay, or hand off this week. |
| 3 | Most campuses have a free counselling service — even one session can help you see the load more clearly than you can on your own. |
This module shares general, publicly available information about stress and burnout — it isn't medical advice and can't replace a conversation with a qualified professional. If you're struggling, please reach out to your campus counselling service or a doctor.