Is your life heading in a different direction as opposed to your desire? Are you running on empty and struggling to find motivation for almost everything? Burnout is real, and it is more common than you think. Caused by chronic stress, often stemming from work, burnout is more serious than you think. Dr. Julie Smith, a clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, has shared three key signs of burnout that will help you recognize when it’s time to take action. Let’s take a look.
Physical symptoms
Burnout is more than a feeling. It can impact your physical, emotional, and mental health. Dr. Smith says that the burnout can manifest as physical symptoms. These physical symptoms is not just limited to fatique. While feeling exhausted most of the time is a clear red flag, you may also notice having trouble sleeping and frequent headaches. One may also experience changes in the appetite, such as feeling hungry all the time or not feeling hungry at all.
Emotional symptoms
According to Dr. Smith, burnout also exhibits emotional symptoms. “You'll feel defeated, helpless, or trapped, maybe even fantasizing about leaving all your responsibilities behind for a while,” she said, in a video shared on Instagram. A person experiencing burnout may lose all the sense of satisfaction, achievement, or enjoyment in things that they once enjoyed. This could be work, relationships, or even the simple things in life. These joys will be replaced by dread, worry, or anxiety.
Video
Behavioral symptoms
One of the biggest red flags is behavioral symptoms. One may procrastinate more than ever. “Tasks that used to feel easy now feel overwhelming, and you're so tired that even socializing now feels too much. You might also become more reliant on whatever your drug of choice is,” she adds. People might also become more short-tempered and tend to argue more with the ones that mean the most to them.
Dr. Smith also explains that behavioural symptoms are the first that get noticed, “That’s because we often move straight from a painful emotion into doing something to numb it and get some relief from it. You don’t think consciously about feeling overwhelmed with stress - you just notice that you are putting off all the jobs that used to come easy, and avoiding even the things you once enjoyed. None of this is a fault or weakness. Stress is information. When you are willing to look at that information with curiosity, it can tell you what you need.”
Physical symptoms
Burnout is more than a feeling. It can impact your physical, emotional, and mental health. Dr. Smith says that the burnout can manifest as physical symptoms. These physical symptoms is not just limited to fatique. While feeling exhausted most of the time is a clear red flag, you may also notice having trouble sleeping and frequent headaches. One may also experience changes in the appetite, such as feeling hungry all the time or not feeling hungry at all.
Emotional symptoms
According to Dr. Smith, burnout also exhibits emotional symptoms. “You'll feel defeated, helpless, or trapped, maybe even fantasizing about leaving all your responsibilities behind for a while,” she said, in a video shared on Instagram. A person experiencing burnout may lose all the sense of satisfaction, achievement, or enjoyment in things that they once enjoyed. This could be work, relationships, or even the simple things in life. These joys will be replaced by dread, worry, or anxiety.
Video
Behavioral symptoms
One of the biggest red flags is behavioral symptoms. One may procrastinate more than ever. “Tasks that used to feel easy now feel overwhelming, and you're so tired that even socializing now feels too much. You might also become more reliant on whatever your drug of choice is,” she adds. People might also become more short-tempered and tend to argue more with the ones that mean the most to them.
Dr. Smith also explains that behavioural symptoms are the first that get noticed, “That’s because we often move straight from a painful emotion into doing something to numb it and get some relief from it. You don’t think consciously about feeling overwhelmed with stress - you just notice that you are putting off all the jobs that used to come easy, and avoiding even the things you once enjoyed. None of this is a fault or weakness. Stress is information. When you are willing to look at that information with curiosity, it can tell you what you need.”
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