Sandra Bullock takes a break from acting due to burn out, what is it?

Sandra Bullock has announced that she’s taking a break from acting, due to burn out. What is it?

Sandra Bullock takes a break from acting due to burn out, what is it?
© David M. Benett / Getty Images
Sandra Bullock takes a break from acting due to burn out, what is it?

American actress Sandra Bullock has announced that she’s taking a break from acting and producing due to burn out.

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Sandra Bullock is 'so burnt out'

Bullock said in an interview with Hollywood Reporter:

I don’t want to be beholden to anyone’s schedule other than my own. I’m so burnt out. I’m so tired, and I’m so not capable of making healthy, smart decisions and I know it.

When asked how long the break might last, she responded: 'I really don’t know.' She continued:

Work has always been steady for me, and I’ve been so lucky. I realized it possibly was becoming my crutch. It was like opening up a fridge all the time and looking for something that was never in the fridge. I said to myself, 'Stop looking for it here because it doesn’t exist here. You already have it; establish it, find it and be OK not having work to validate you.'

Instead, she’s going to focus on her two children, 12-year-old Louis and 10-year-old Laila. She said in a previous interview with Entertainment Tonight:

I just want to be 24/7 with my babies and my family. That’s where I’m gonna be for a while.

Bullock produced and starred in the film TheLost City alongside Channing Tatum, which grossed more than $100 million in the United States. Her latest film, Bullet Train, in which she stars alongside Brad Pitt, is currently scheduled to be released on 5 August.

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Sandra Bullock takes a break from acting due to burn out, what is it? Nubelson Fernandes / Unsplash

What is burn out?

In 2019, 'burnout' was acknowledged by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an 'occupational phenomenon,' however, it's not always explicitly work-related. So what is it exactly? According to Mental Health UK:

Burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. It can occur when you experience long-term stress in your job, or when you have worked in a physically or emotionally draining role for a long time.

Signs of burnout include:

  • Frequently feeling tired or drained
  • Feeling helpless, trapped, and/or defeated
  • Feeling detached/alone in the world
  • Possessing a cynical/negative outlook
  • Self-doubt
  • Procrastinating and taking longer to complete tasks
  • Feeling overwhelmed

If you think you are experiencing burnout, please talk to your GP or mental health provider.

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