It’s not uncommon to feel as though you are burnt out in the 21st century. We have so many responsibilities to juggle, including family and work, and then we still have to try and maintain a social life and keep our sanity in check.
Furthermore, there are many other stressors that may be coming at us from all angles. Stress is okay to feel in the short term as it may boost performance, but when it starts to be a chronic occurrence, that’s when we start to feel burnout. To learn more about the different burnout symptoms and how to prevent them, read on.
Burnout Signs and Symptoms
1. Exhaustion
You will know that you are suffering from exhaustion when you feel a sense of persistent fatigue and tiredness. Your energy may be so low that you find it difficult to complete mundane tasks. When you are exhausted, you will feel emotionally, mentally, and physically drained all the time.
2. Loss of Enthusiasm
If you are suffering from burnout, then you will have very little energy left to feel enthusiastic about certain matters in life. You may even start to distance yourself emotionally from the things that you once loved and felt really passionate about.
3. Reduced Work Performance
When you are feeling burnt out, you may find it difficult to concentrate at work. It may also be tough for you to get through simple tasks or assignments, and you may be a lot less efficient while doing them.
4. Sleep Disturbances
Having chronic stress that comes with burnout will usually have an impact on your sleep in one way or another.
5. Anxiety
Burnout can easily increase your anxiety levels as your cortisol levels are raised. Cortisol is the stress hormone that may get out of hand when we are overly stressed and overworked.
6. Irritability and Mood Swings
Anyone who is suffering from burnout is bound to experience some form of mood swings or irritability.
7. Physical Burnout Effects
You may notice that you start developing physical symptoms if you are going through a burnout phase, and these may include headaches, migraines, back pain, and even skin issues.
Dealing With and Preventing Burnout
If you are going through burnout, it’s important to get out of it as soon as possible, as it can have terrible effects on your health in the long run.
1. Setting Boundaries and Taking Breaks
Setting healthy boundaries that don’t make you work overtime too often or encouraging yourself to take breaks more regularly are some ways to alleviate burnout. Making sure you do fun things over the weekends to destress from your weekdays is another way to let go of stress.
2. Maintain a Good Work-Life Balance
Maintaining a positive and healthy work-life balance is a good way to prevent burnout, as you will have time to unwind after stressful situations.
3. Balanced Diet and Regular Exercise
Ensuring you follow a healthy diet and that you get a few hours of exercise every week is also essential for ensuring your body stays healthy and hopefully stress-free.
4. Seek Professional Help
If you are knee-deep in a burnout phase and you are not sure how to get out, then you may need to seek professional help from a psychologist or life coach who can guide you to a healthier way of living.
