Tilt Management: How to Prevent Burnout? A Guide by GG.BET and NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak

We continue exploring mental health challenges together with NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and team partner GG.BET. In the first article of the Tilt Management special project, we covered how to recognize and deal with demotivation — from identifying early symptoms and signals to practical tips. Next up is another familiar opponent for both esports players and fans — burnout.

“You’re just tired, you need to rest,” “It’s just laziness,” “Isn’t burnout just a trend people talk about these days?”. Unfortunately, burnout is still often misunderstood in today’s world, even though its scale is significant. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 16.2% of people worldwide experience different forms of emotional exhaustion. Why is it important to talk about burnout, why rest alone isn’t enough, and why labels like “laziness” or “trend” can be harmful?

Symptoms and consequences of burnout

Unlike demotivation, burnout is chronic exhaustion that negatively affects both physical and mental health. Key symptoms include constant fatigue (both physical and emotional), waking up without energy even after enough sleep, neglecting food and rest times, a sense of emptiness and ongoing stress, as well as declining work performance and strained interactions with others (feedback feels harsher, irritability and even cynicism appear). Urszula Klimczak notes that the main cause of burnout is performing repetitive tasks without breaks or rest while having bad routines — something common both in esports and beyond.

“Modern work culture amplifies this issue, as online work often lacks tangible physical results, making it harder for the brain to perceive progress. When we keep doing the same things — first skipping breaks, then vacations, gradually giving up hobbies and spending less time on leisure and social life — it creates tension in both the mind and body. Without change, this tension can turn into a sense of emptiness and apathy, leading to total exhaustion on all levels and, in critical cases, a loss of sense of purpose in life.”

The 5 stages of burnout

Paradoxically, burnout — a state of total exhaustion — often begins with peak productivity. However, this productivity is accompanied by irritation. There is a sense that a lot of effort is being invested, yet it never feels enough. Anxiety appears, tasks begin to pile up, and it becomes increasingly difficult to start working on them — even when deadlines are approaching.

When to seek professional help?

Warning signs that indicate professional help is needed:

– increased productivity with panic happening repeatedly (not just once) – consistently neglect food, sleep, and self-care due to workload – struggle with communication or relationships at work – constantly irritated and sarcastic instead of being open and approachable – sleeping during the day as an escape rather than recovery

Important note:

A short 15–20 minute nap during the day that helps you feel restored is normal. However, if you constantly feel the need to sleep and extend the nap time while still waking up exhausted, it may be a warning sign.

How to give burnout no chance

The ability to say “no”

No matter how exciting tournaments may be, a packed schedule can be harmful. Esports is a unique profession, but without the right approach, even top players with outstanding skills and achievements risk burnout. Urszula has seen such cases throughout her career, proving that even a dynamic industry and a dream career do not protect against mental health struggles. NAVI carefully evaluates tournament participation and sometimes prioritizes rest over competition.

“Without rest, success is impossible. Doing more does not equal achieving better results — especially when you’re exhausted.”

In everyday life, the ability to pause is just as important. Urszula says that communication should go both ways: employees need to highlight their workload and challenges, while managers should be attentive and adjust expectations, deadlines, or workload when needed.

Variety as a foundation

Let’s remember that the main driver of burnout is the monotony of tasks without rest. At first glance, it may seem that this has nothing to do with esports: spectacular matches, constant travel between countries, different tournaments, popularity, fame. But behind all of this lies a large amount of repetitive activity: constant training — both in-game and physical, a fixed sleep and nutrition routine, a nearly unchanged match format, and very often short breaks between matches and tournaments. Not to mention that goals and expectations from competitions create additional pressure. That is why variety is essential — filling your day with things that can bring additional enthusiasm, shift your focus, and provide inspiration.

“People often say: ‘I just have a 9-to-5 office job.’ Yes, but during that time you can interact with different people, switch between tasks, and have coffee with colleagues. Now imagine simply training like an athlete and competing without rest: matches change, opponents change, but the core activity stays the same. Without variety and without breaks, mood swings and irritability appear, concentration decreases, and this affects the performance. And when you face losses, it can also kill any passion.”

At NAVI, the importance of rest and variety is well understood, so they aim to create the right conditions even within a demanding schedule. Diverse, nutritious meals and occasional junk food to boost dopamine, the opportunity to sleep longer after late matches, shared activities outside of training and games (going to the cinema, walks around the city, etc.), different forms of physical activity, time with family, and dedicated free time within tournament schedules for personal needs — all of these are part of what helps sustain players.

Insights from esports for work-life balance

Reducing uncertainty

The brain does not tolerate uncertainty, and if you let your day drift, it only increases tension and dissatisfaction. It may sound simple, but planning is what helps you stay focused and better track your condition. Urszula recommends creating a daily schedule that includes not only work tasks, but also moments for rest, meals, and personal activities — meetings, training, hobbies, communication with friends and family. By reflecting on what worked and what didn’t, you gain a better understanding of what you’re doing well, where you lack time, and where you might lack tools to achieve a specific goal. The key is to have awareness and the ability to praise yourself when things go as planned or close to a plan.

Rest as a strategy

When it comes to work, people are used to taking a strategic approach — setting goals and planning for growth. But very few apply the same thinking to rest, even though it is just as important for success and burnout prevention. A rest strategy is not only about planning vacations, but also about breaks during the workday. Urszula highlights several important points:

– Several shorter breaks throughout the year are better than one long vacation. Even 1–2 extra days off added to your regular weekends can be a great way to reset and recharge.

– Breaks during the workday are just as important as breaks throughout the year. Don’t skip lunch breaks, and make sure to include small activities outside your workspace — going out for coffee, spending 10 minutes outdoors, etc.

– After periods of intense work, the body may respond with illness. This happens because cortisol levels drop and the immune system becomes more active. That’s why it’s important to take breaks during the day and ensure proper rest after work. If you start noticing early symptoms — slow down, or ideally pause and take a day off. Pushing through will only make things worse.

Screen-off practice

You can have time to rest and still not recover — because what matters is how you spend that time. Scrolling social media or reading the news is part of our digital lives, but it does not provide real recovery. During your rest, try to include at least some physical, real-world interaction — meeting friends or family, reading books, drawing, going to the cinema. Anything that brings you enjoyment and helps you stay present in real life, not just online.

“Here and now” practice

In modern psychology, mindfulness — conscious focus on the present moment without judgment — is widely used to build emotional resilience. It is practiced through meditation, mindful daily actions, and actively noticing your surroundings. Urszula notes that at NAVI, there is a dedicated time to practice mindfulness or related exercises during bootcamps.

“I usually guide a meditation where we learn to listen to ourselves and stay present: to feel the body — the heartbeat, the relaxation of muscles — and focus on sounds. This helps you feel the moment and your place in it.”

In everyday life, this can be practiced not only through meditation but simple activities — for example, during a trip to the supermarket: paying attention to your route, noticing people around you, observing changes (trees blooming, more cars on the street, etc.). Awareness of the moment can be a source of energy.

Homework from GG.BET

1. Plan your next day in as much detail as possible: – a list of work tasks and meetings, including lunch and coffee breaks – meals, morning/evening walks – personal activities: meeting a friend, grocery shopping, English classes, watching a match or your favorite streamer, etc.

At the end of the day, review what worked and what didn’t — and why — without judgment or shame. Then plan the next day and see whether you can improve your results.

2. Digital detox: Put your phone away for at least 15–30 minutes and do one small offline activity.

3. Review your work routine with care: – think about what in your work gives you energy and inspiration – identify what doesn’t work and why (conflicts, overtime, impact on personal time, etc.)

Consider how you can improve or adjust these aspects.