I didn't know I was experiencing burnout until it was too late
#Burnout #Mental Health #Young Workers #Stress #Work-Life Balance #Digital Society #Recovery #UK Youth
📌 Key Takeaways
- 39% of young UK workers aged 18-24 took time off due to poor mental health caused by stress in 2025
- Burnout affects people even at career peaks, as seen with Olympic athlete Laviai Nielsen
- Young people face unique pressures from digital society and uncertain job markets
- Recovery from burnout is possible but requires significant rest and lifestyle changes
- Many young people stay silent about their stress despite mental health advocacy
📖 Full Retelling
Young people across the UK are increasingly experiencing burnout at alarming rates, as highlighted by Team GB sprinter Laviai Nielsen and numerous other young professionals who spoke with BBC Newsbeat about their struggles with mental exhaustion following the 2024 Paris Olympics. The phenomenon affects 39% of young workers aged 18-24 who took time off due to poor mental health caused by stress in 2025, according to Mental Health UK, with factors including unmanageable workloads, financial pressures, and the challenges of navigating today's digital society and uncertain job markets. The personal stories reveal how burnout can strike even at career peaks, as Nielsen discovered immediately after her Olympic success when she found it exhausting to perform basic tasks. "It would take all of my energy to even get out of bed and get to the track," she recalled, noting that her decision to take a three-month break went against everything she believed an athlete should be. Similarly, 23-year-old Bristol graduate Mimi Abbas experienced burnout during her final university year and struggled for six months after graduation, eventually withdrawing her house savings to pursue part-time work that better supported her mental health. Mental Health UK's 2026 burnout report emphasizes that younger generations face pressures both inside and outside work, with many staying silent about their stress despite championing improved mental health attitudes. Clinical psychologist Dr. Claire Plumley clarifies that burnout isn't a new issue but is now more recognized, though it remains outside official mental health diagnoses. Despite the challenges, recovery is possible, as demonstrated by Dr. Becca Salmon, who took six months to a year to recover after quitting her NHS job. "It's just nice to know that burnout doesn't have to be the end," she says, with experts recommending preventative measures including creating breathing space from stress and recognizing that "rest is not laziness. It's a necessity."
🏷️ Themes
Mental Health, Work-Life Balance, Youth Pressures
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Figure skating
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Original Source
I didn't know I was experiencing burnout until it was too late 37 minutes ago Share Save Georgia Levy-Collins BBC Newsbeat Share Save You've just won two Olympic medals, reached the peak of your career so far, you're the strongest you've ever been, right? Wrong. Laviai Nielsen says straight after the 2024 Paris Olympics she felt "emotionally, psychologically and mentally" burnt out. Speaking to BBC Newsbeat, the 29-year-old says that once she realised she had burnout it was too late. "It would take all of my energy to even get out of bed and get to the track," she says. "It felt very unnatural for me, to think: 'Hold on, I need to slow down'." Newsbeat has been hearing from young people who say they have experienced burnout for a range of reasons, including unmanageable workload and pressure - with some pushing back key milestones, like saving for a house, as a result. In Nielsen's case, the Team GB sprinter decided to slow down and ended up taking a three-month break. "It goes against everything you think an athlete should be," she says. "The conversations leading up to the decision were the hardest bit, but once I made that decision, it was so easy." Nielsen began representing her country in her teens and won her first senior World Championship medal in 2017. But by the time she'd reached the Paris Olympics, mid-twenties activities - like socialising - became "exhausting". Despite competing at a high level athletically, she's not alone in her experience and young people are struggling with burnout in the workplace. The charity Mental Health UK reports that two in five (39%) of young workers aged 18 to 24 took time off due to poor mental health caused by stress in 2025. The charity describes burnout as "a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion". It can build up over a long period of time - meaning it can take a while to recognise. The charity found that while young people are often seen as championing improved attitudes towards mental health at work, ma...
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