You aren't tired. You are empty.

Stress is an engine running too hot. Burnout is an engine out of fuel. Knowing the difference saves the car.

High performers are good at stress. In fact, many of us run on it. We treat cortisol like caffeine - a fuel source that helps us meet deadlines and push through 14-hour days.

But there is a point where the engine stops revving and starts grinding.

Most people confuse Stress with Burnout, but biologically, they are opposites. If you treat burnout like stress (by just "trying to relax"), you won't get better. You might actually get worse.

Here is the mechanical breakdown of what is happening to your system.

The Core Distinction

Stress is "Too Much." Stress is a state of hyper-arousal.

• The Feeling: Too many pressures, too much noise, too much urgency.

• The Biology: Your cortisol is spiking. Your heart rate is high. You are chemically "wired."

• The Mindset: "If I can just get this done, I’ll be okay." You still care; you are just overwhelmed.

  
  

Burnout is "Not Enough." Burnout is a state of hypo-arousal.

• The Feeling: Empty, flat, hollow.

• The Biology: Your system has shut down to protect itself. You aren't wired; you are numb.

• The Mindset: "It doesn't matter even if I do get this done." You have stopped caring.

3 Warning Signs Lights

You don't wake up burned out. It happens in stages. Here are the glitch indicators to watch for on your dashboard:

1. Cynicism (The Detachment): This is the first sign. You start feeling annoyed by things you used to love. You detach from your work or your friends because caring costs too much energy. You become "functionally present" but emotionally absent.

2. Inefficacy (The Stall): You are sitting at your laptop for 4 hours, but you’ve only written 3 sentences. Burnout destroys your cognitive speed. You feel like you are driving with the handbrake on.

3. Exhaustion (The Crash): This isn't "I need a nap" tired. This is "soul tired." You sleep for 10 hours and wake up still feeling drained. This is because your battery isn't just low; it's unable to hold a charge.

The Fix: Rest vs. Refuel

This is where people get it wrong.

• The cure for Stress is Rest. If you are stressed, you need to unplug, sleep, and lower the inputs. You need to cool the engine.

• The cure for Burnout is NOT just Rest. If you are burned out, lying in bed might make you feel more empty. The cure for burnout is Refueling.

You need to reconnect with things that give you energy, not just things that use zero energy. This might mean small creative wins, reconnecting with a purpose, or seeing friends who actually recharge you.

How Mingo Spots the Decline

Burnout is a "Blind Spot." You usually don't see it until you have already crashed. Mingo sees it coming.

By tracking your mood stats over weeks, Flammingo can detect the shift from "High Energy/High Stress" (The Warning Zone) to "Low Energy/Low Mood" (The Crash).

It’s the check engine light you didn't know you had.

Stop driving on empty. Check your stats with Flammingo