Do you feel more stressed than ever before? We live in a fast-paced world, and over the past couple of years, we have dealt with the unprecedented impact of the pandemic. For a lot of people, they are experiencing what is known as burnout. This is when you have been working so hard that you have completely drained yourself, emotionally and physically.

Whether this is your first brush with burnout or not, it is vital to recognize what you are dealing with to cope with it effectively. If you keep pushing and pushing yourself even though your body is running on empty, you could end up experiencing severe mental or physical health issues, and this is the last thing anyone wants. In this blog post, we will help you identify the different signs of burnout so that you can make the required changes.

There is only one place to begin, and this is by clearly measuring what you are experiencing. Are you feeling drained most of the time? We recommend you start by completing our short What is Your Stress Level exercise. Go ahead; we will wait for you to get your results!

Do you always feel exhausted?

This is not a normal state, and it is time for change. Some people feel tired from the moment they wake because sleeping does not restore or rejuvenate their bodies. This is partly because they are so drained that it would take more than the regular amount of rest to recuperate. If you are working yourself to the bone, day in and day out, getting eight hours of sleep may not be enough to provide your body with the rejuvenation it needs.

This does not mean that you simply need to sleep longer but that you need to change how you approach your day-to-day life to reduce the feeling of exhaustion. You may also find that you’re not even getting the sleep you need because you’re just so drained and stressed. While your body may be unbelievably tired and exhibiting symptoms of exhaustion, you cannot sleep because of other factors.

Emotional exhaustion is when you cannot sleep because you are just so stressed, and your thoughts are so consumed that you can’t turn your mind off. This turns into a vicious cycle because you only become increasingly exhausted and push yourself to the limit of good mental health.

If you routinely feel overwhelmed due to work-related stress, it could be an obvious sign that you are experiencing burnout. When you recognize the signs of burnout in your life, taking a step back and prioritizing self-love and self-care is essential. One clear sign of job stress is when tasks that usually excite or feel easy to you have started to overwhelm you. To prevent burnout, you need to restore your energy reserves before reaching physical exhaustion.

Signs of Burnout

While you may be very good at your job, research on burnout shows it is crucial to recognize that you are not a superhero and immune from workplace burnout. Chronic stress, not prioritizing a healthy diet, and failing to relieve stress or manage job demands are all early warning signs you are experiencing job burnout. Below are some signs of workplace burnout to be aware of:

• Low Job Satisfaction
• A feeling of little or no control
• Changing personality traits
• Ignoring your responsibilities as a family member
• Frequent illnesses
• Feeling tired from poor sleep habits
• A prolonged period of poor sleep
• An ongoing negative outlook
• Loss of interest in friends and hobbies
• Neglecting your health
• Poor job performance
• Avoiding home life
• A reoccurring sense you are treated unfairly

The first step to burnout prevention is to reduce stress by spending an appropriate amount of time relaxing, recharging, and rejuvenating. Your well-being is crucial so you can return to the workplace and be your most productive and happiest version of yourself.

In addition, workplace job burnout can be due to feeling lonely and detached from the world around you. You may feel disconnected from your friends or that you don’t see them anymore. You may feel like you can’t relate to your coworkers or colleagues.

You may have even started to notice that the impact of this is affecting your relationship with your partner. These are all signs that you are burning out and that it is time to make some drastic changes to be effective in the workplace, have balance in your life, and protect your relationships. After all, no one deserves to feel lonely because they are a hard worker.

Another sign that you may be burning out in the workplace is if you are experiencing a lot of self-doubt and have a negative or cynical outlook. When we are drained of our energy, it is hard to be enthusiastic and motivated. You start to feel you are not as good at your job as you thought because if you were great at your job, surely you would be coping better. However, it doesn’t work like this.

We all need balance in our lives, and no one can work 24/7 and feel amazing doing it, no matter how great they are. Finding that balance again will help you feel more confident in the workplace. It will also help you have a more positive outlook on life, which you’re bound to be craving by now if you have been experiencing these feelings for quite some time. You may even feel trapped, defeated, or helpless, but it is critical to recognize that these feelings do not need to last forever.

What to do if I recognize burnout?

The first step is realizing that you are not alone. In addition to seeking help from family and friends, you should relate your concerns at work and seek support from the management to tackle the situation from all angles.

You may even want to consider working with a life coach or a mental health professional who can help you restore this balance and provide you with some techniques and practices to reduce your stress levels and prevent burnout again in the future. Long-term stress can impact one’s job and quality of life and, if left unaddressed, can even manifest in illness or impairment.

Medical personnel can also help with physical complaints. To deal with the emotional signs of burnout and for techniques for managing stress, consult our partner support institutions in Tarrant County. They can work with you to help you overcome workplace burnout and lead a more balanced life.