Signs that you are burning out

According to the WHO, burnout has three elements: feelings of exhaustion, mental detachment from one’s job, and poorer performance at work. But oftentimes, one’s experience of burnout manifests in many different ways. As such, you may be burning out without you even knowing!

Today, we look at some telltale signs that you are burning out so that you can take some steps to get your life back on track before it is too late.

1. You are always unenthusiastic

A lack of interest or enthusiasm about what you’re doing is a crucial sign that you are burnt out. Even the tasks that used to make you feel happy are now draining you absolutely.

If you can’t muster even a smidgeon of passion about stuff that used to energize you, that’s a huge red flag for not only burnout, but depression as well. Perhaps it would be time for you to talk to your doctor or mental health professional.

2. Your work performance drops

As one would imagine, a lack of interest in everyday activities contributes to bad results, so burnt-out people just don’t care enough to do things well.

If you are generally careful but are starting to notice that your colleagues or bosses are pointing out more mistakes than usual, this might be an indication of a larger problem.

3. You are always tired

If you have been sleeping well and for an adequate amount of hours each night but are still feeling exhausted all the time, you most likely are experiencing burnout.

Fatigue and a general sense of weakness are typical signs of burnout. You can experience not only a physical loss of energy, but also an emotional depletion and drain. So, if getting out of bed and into the office each day is a more difficult task than normal, you might be on the verge of burnout.

4. You ache everywhere

Burnout can manifest in terms of physical complaints. Some physical indicators of burnout include:

• Insomnia
• Chest pain
• Headaches
• Increased illness
• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or fainting
• Gastrointestinal pain

Of course, these physical ailments could be caused by other health problems and not burnout, but if you are usually healthy and are experiencing these physical complaints, you are likely to be experiencing burnout.

Stop the burn (out)

Don’t wait until you experience all of the symptoms listed above before you take actual steps to do something about it! Just as you would immediately try to treat a physical illness such, do the same for your mental well-being!