The Signs of Burnout (sung to the tune of The Sounds of Silence)

Hello Burnout my old friend,

You’ve come to talk with me again.

Because the truth is that you never left,

Your silent looming that leaves me bereft,

And the task list that I wrote up for today,

Still remains,

Despite the signs, of burnout.

I’d love to dream but I can’t sleep,

Anxiety that makes me freak.

And the morning always comes too soon.

And the day it always seems to loom.

And when the first notifications start to sound,

I hit the ground.

I’ve got the signs, of burnout.

And in my I head I think I saw

Ten million people, maybe more

People struggling to get dressed

People working when they should rest

And the sound of the keyboards writing emails to show they’re there.

No one dares,

To show the signs, of burnout.

“Fool,” said I because I know,

That burnout like a cancer grows.

But I find myself still pushing through,

Because this feeling, it is nothing new.

And I smile and chat and I pretend I’m fine,

Just one more time, 

Although I know, I’m burnt out

And the people do the same, 

Past the point where it’s insane.

Despite signs that flash their warning,

For the health risks that are forming.

And the people say, “yes that’s true but I can’t stop,

I need this job.

I can’t afford, to burn out.”