Today, it seems like burnout is disturbingly common. Pushing yourself too hard at work, taking on too many social obligations, or signing up for a heavy course load at school can all lead to burnout. But the warning signs of burnout have become normalized in our fast-paced society. Feeling exhausted or chronically stressed can seem like badges of honor in an intense profession. And sometimes, we even feel guilty if we aren’t “busy” or productive all of the time.
How can you recognize the signs of burnout early on? What can you do if you realize that you’re at risk for burnout? Let’s explore some of the telltale symptoms of burnout and discuss some prevention tips.
Burnout Leads to Constant Exhaustion
Burnout can cause a feeling of persistent exhaustion. After all, many people suffering from burnout simply don’t get enough sleep. You might be working late most nights or staying up well after work with other responsibilities that you’ve taken on. But even a good night’s sleep can’t remedy this sort of exhaustion. No matter how many hours you sleep, you can wake up feeling tired when you’re dealing with burnout. You might feel like you’re dependent on caffeine, but the brief caffeine kick isn’t a cure for your constant exhaustion.
Feeling Irritable Most of the Time
Do you find yourself feeling more irritable on your busiest days? We all experience this from time to time. When you have a hectic week, it can feel like you don’t have room for even one minor slip up, and you get upset when anything threatens to disrupt your schedule. But when you’re burned out, you might wake up every day feeling irritated about something. When someone in your household asks you a simple question, you can’t help but snap at them. And if something goes wrong at work, you might be quick to get mad at a coworker.
Minor Illnesses
Burnout can even affect your physical health. Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep even after a long day? Maybe you’ve been plagued with headaches and stomachaches. Or maybe you’ve even become more susceptible to minor illnesses, like colds and sinus infections. This can happen because stress affects your immune system. Perhaps you’ve even gone to your doctor to ask about your physical symptoms, but they haven’t had a real answer for you.
Protect Your Physical Health
What can you do after recognizing a few of the early symptoms of burnout? First, it’s important to take steps to protect your physical health. Create a routine that supports good sleep, and make sure to power down all of your screens at least one hour before bed. You can even create a relaxing nighttime routine to fall asleep faster. Make time to cook nutritious meals, and try to reach for water or herbal tea instead of coffee – your caffeine habit might be exacerbating physical symptoms of burnout! Finally, try to incorporate some gentle exercise into your day, such as yoga.
Finding Balance
Naturally, you’ll also need to free up some time in your schedule. Even if you’re taking good care of your physical health, you’ll need to step away from certain responsibilities that make you feel overwhelmed. For now, it’s time to say “No” to all but the most essential requests. This will likely take some practice as everything feels urgent and essential - that's what contributed to you becoming overextended in the first place. You may need to reach out to your manager at work to discuss shifting some of your projects to another employee or even outsourcing certain tasks. And don’t be afraid to ask your loved ones for help when you need it!
Have you been experiencing early signs of burnout? Prevention is key, and talking to a therapist can help. Reach out to us today to find out how therapy can help you.
Contact Me
I know how stressful and demanding it can be to make changes in your life, but you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Some of the benefits of individual therapy include:
- Having a safe, confidential space to work through life’s struggles
- Speaking openly with a highly-trained professional
- Learning to be curious about oneself and become more mindful about your choices
- Identifying relationship patterns that are helpful, or existing patterns that are interfering with your growth and wellbeing.
- I offer online therapy (video conference style of therapy), which provides an increased level of comfort as you could meet with me from the privacy and comfort of your own home or other location.
You can request a specific appointment time that fits your schedule. Once confirmed, you can complete all New Patient Intake paperwork online as well.
*** The tips offered in this article are for general information and should not be considered medical or psychological advice. For more personalized recommendations appropriate to your individual situation, please contact us or obtain professional guidance.
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