Signs You’re Close To Burning Out

3 years ago

Feeling tired or drained

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Image Source/ VecteezyOne of the biggest and most well-known symptoms of being burned out is feeling tired and drained. It is common to feel tired regularly, and could be a symptom of all sorts of disorders but if this is something you experience alongside numerous other symptoms, you may be experiencing burnout.

Feeling helpless and defeated

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Image Source/ Everyday HealthNot being content in your workplace and having a bad boss, hard work, or lack of motivation can lead to you having feelings of helplessness and defeat. The World Health Organisation recognised burnout as an occupational phenomenon in 2019, which was further excelled by lockdown.

Feeling detached

Image Source/ The UproarWhile detaching yourself and disassociating can be symptoms of other disorders or illnesses, they may be a sign of burnout. Removing yourself from the pressures of work, or social activity of your work life, may be your body's way of trying to cope with the burnout you're experiencing.

Negative outlook

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Image Source/ FreepikWhen experiencing burnout it's hard to have an optimistic outlook on life, so a negative outlook is what takes over. You might always think the worst of people, or situations, and feel like everyone at work is out to hurt you, which is a pessimistic view of life.

Self-doubt

Image Source/ FreepikDoubting yourself is something that is inherently human, and imposter syndrome has recently been coined to describe someone who doesn't think they are worthy, intelligent enough, or belong in their role. It might be that you're experiencing this, which could be a sign of burnout.

Procrastinating

Tired man sleeping on laptop keyboard flat illustration

Image Source/ FreepikWe've all procrastinated before and that's fine. But if it's something that is becoming so regular it's negatively affecting the work you're producing, it can be detrimental to your happiness at work and may lead to an overall dissatisfaction in your job.

Feeling overwhelmed

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Image Source/ FreepikThis could be as a result of extra work, or trying to balance your work, home, and social life, but being overwhelmed is a normal thing for humans to feel. However, if you're feeling overwhelmed even during calmer times, you might be experiencing burnout.

Becoming cynical

Angry business person breaking office computer with big hammer

Image Source/ FreepikCynicism could be the antagonist of productivity. Being burned out can lead to cynicism, which won't have a positive impact on your work. While the main culprit is burnout, other symptoms like exhaustion and irritability can also lead to cynicism.

Exhaustion

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Image Source/ FreepikWhile some might think that exhaustion is similar to feeling tired, it's more of an entire-body experience rather than fatigue. Exhaustion can lead your 8-hour shift to feel like 12, and your entire body and muscles ache despite not over exercising them.

Getting headaches/migraines

Image Source/ FreepikWhile it's still scientifically disputed, psychologist Herbert Freudenberger cited headaches and migraines as characteristics of being burned out. Freudenberger coined the term burnout back in 1974 when he tested the symptoms and created a diagnosis of the disorder.

Low feelings of depression

Young depressed woman sitting on sofa and holding head

Image Source/ FreepikThis one is probably to be expected. If you're experiencing even a few symptoms on this list on a regular basis then it's no surprise that depression can come with. While burnout is specifically related to your job, it can cause depression outside of your work-life.

Hating your job

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Image Source/ FreepikWhile some may think that it's not possible to like a job, there's a big difference between withstanding your job and despising it. If you feel dissatisfied with your work-life it may well be a major symptom of burnout, and you may want to seek help.

Becoming irritable

Image Source/ FreepikSome days we experience higher levels of irritability, and that's okay. However, if this is going on for long periods, it might be a sign of burnout. Being irritated can lead your stress levels to heighten which can lead to long-term stress-related illnesses.

Anger outbursts

Image Source/ FreepikSimilarly to before, being irritable can lead to anger outbursts. Sometimes our emotions get the better of us and results in us having a backlash at our colleagues (or even worse clients) which can massively, negatively affect our relationships with those around us.

Lack of concentration

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Image Source/ FreepikBeing unable to concentrate and allowing your mind to wander can be a sign that you're experiencing burnout. It's one of the some 100 symptoms of experiencing burnout, along with abstract, motivation symptoms like disillusionment and a loss of idealism.

Insomnia

Image Source/ FreepikStudies connect insomnia to burnout, but not all. While you may think that burnout would cause you to want to sleep, it can have the opposite effect. Long-term consequences of lack of sleep can include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and high blood pressure.

Experiencing gut pain

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Image Source/ FreepikBurnout and stress can have major physical impacts on your health, and this also means lowering your immune system. With a weakened immune system, your body can't fight off the right bacteria which leads to stomach and bowel pains that can be excruciating.

Overindulging in food

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Image Source/ FreepikBeing burned out can lead to us overindulging in substances that make us feel good, and one of these things is food. Obviously, overindulging in food can lead to all sorts of health complications later on, so you may want to address your burnout if this is happening to you.

Loss of appetite

Image Source/ FreepikSimilar to overindulging in food, your work-life might be making you feel so exhausted that your body moves past the hunger stage leading you to not have an appetite. Leaving this to go on for some time can lead to extreme weight loss and should be referred to a doctor.

High blood pressure

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Image Source/ FreepikIt's important to keep an eye on your blood pressure as an extremely high or low pressure can have detrimental impacts to your long term health. High blood pressure, coupled with a quicker heart beat, can cause damage to your heart, brain, and kidneys, which isn't good news.

Drinking more alcohol

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Image Source/ FreepikWhile some may find themselves overindulging in other substances, it can become easy to rely on alcohol as a means to an end. Being able to recognise that your alcohol consumption has increased may be the first hurdle in addressing your burnout head on.

Indecisiveness

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Image Source/ FreepikBeing indecisive may just be a personality trait or may be a sign of burnout. Making decisions is a part of everyday life and if you're finding it hard to make them it may be a sign of anxiety, lack of preparation, and self-doubt, all of which point to burnout.

Excessive thirst

Tiny woman pouring clean water from faucet with mountain landscape

Image Source/ FreepikExperiencing burnout for a long period of time can lead to long-term health illnesses, one of which is type 2 diabetes. While there are many symptoms of diabetes, excessive thirst is a major one. If you think you might be undergoing burnout, and have recognised that your thirst is unquenchable, you might want to seek medical guidance.

Blurry vision

Image Source/ FreepikSimilarly, another symptom of type 2 diabetes is experiencing blurry vision. While it comes hand-in-hand with hunger and fatigue, coupled with the last symptom of excessive thirst, it could be the formula of underlying type 2 diabetes that has gone undiagnosed.

Shutting yourself off from loved ones

Image Source/ FreepikBecause you feel so burned out from being at work, you feel like you don't want to do anything productive or healthy after work, which leads to you shutting off yourself from peers, loved ones, and friends. This may be a sign that you're experiencing major burnout.

Feeling lonely

Image Source/ FreepikAfter you've cast away all your friends, you may start to experience episodes of loneliness, feeling like you're in a never-ending cycle of exhaustion, rest, and alone time. Surprisingly 1 in 5 people have felt this way in their lives due to their work life.

Taking regular sick days at work

Image Source/ FreepikResearch has proven that experience burnout can lead to developing absenteeism and presenteeism. While the latter means coming to work despite being sick, the former means the opposite, which is taking too many sick days. This can lead to feeling restless on the days you go to work.

Feeling numb

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Image Source/ FreepikAfter experiencing burnout for a long time, your body may regulate to the new heightened level of stress and eventually try to level itself out. This means that you find it difficult to be happy and don't really feel down either, which is a sign of burnout.

Forgetfulness

Image Source/ FreepikBurnout can affect your mind, with it being a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. This is why it can affect your memory too, meaning you might struggle to retain information on a long or short term basis, which you'll definitely want to get checked out.

You're Pessimistic All The Time

Image Source / Medical News TodayIt's very easy to feel negative about absolutely everything when work is dragging you down. Because work takes up all day, most days, it very easily bleeds into your attitude of everything else. So if you're finding you're grumpy about everything alongside a stressful job, it could be burnout.

You Don't Even Remember What A Good Night's Sleep Feels Like

Image Source / Harvard HealthYour work stresses may be resulting in you lacking sleep. You may have constant trouble sleeping, all night every night, which is a sign that your brain is struggling with burnout. To make it worse, the less sleep you get, the more likely your burnout will get worse.

Your Immune System Has Taken A Hit

Image Source / News MedicalHow you're feeling in regard to stress, exhaustion and lack of sleep can negatively impact your immune system. So if you're finding that you're catching every cold and virus out there and constantly under the weather, it's a sign your immune system could be compromised from burnout.

You've Gained Weight

Image Source / Eat This, Not ThatWhile burnout can leave you with a loss of appetite, it can also do the opposite and mean you put on weight. This could be because of over-indulgence in junk and comfort foods because you're stress-eating, and therefore putting on the pounds - and especially if you're too tired to work out.

You're Having Pain In Your Muscles

Image Source / Medical News TodayMuscle pain and stress go hand in hand, and that's because your muscles tense up as a reaction to stress in order to try and protect the body on instinct. So the more stressed you are with being overworked, the more likely it is you're going to have aches and pains in your body as a result.

You Snooze Your Alarm Way Too Much

Image Source / Pine CoveEven people who love their jobs can be tempted by that snooze button - just five more minutes! But if you're slamming the snooze again and again only to rush out of bed extremely late, it's a sign that you just don't want to get up and go to work at all - which is about more than just wanting to stay in bed.

Your Time After Work Is Completely Ruined

Image Source / Chris BaileyYou have no energy, physically or mentally, after you've finished work, which means your entire evening routine suffers for it. You can't be bothered to cook, clean, work out or even just have a conversation with someone. You might not even have the energy to move from the sofa.

Your Sleep Schedule Is All Over The Place

Image Source / Home HacksWe've already mentioned burnout can affect you by preventing you from sleep, but you could also have a manic sleep cycle. One day you could be sleeping far too much in a deep sleep because you're so tired - another you might only get an hour of sleep because you're fretting about something you did wrong at work. You might even fall asleep during your commute.

Going Home On A Friday Feels Like Overwhelming Freedom

Image Source / Wikimedia CommonsEveryone feels happy when they finish work for the weekend, but if you're ready to fall to your knees and cry in relief when the end of Friday rolls around, it's almost like you've been so stressed and kept contained all week that it's an overwhelming liberation just to get home for two days.

Your Response To Anyone Asking About Your Job Is "Fine"

Image Source / Inc. MagazineSomeone who is burned out is not likely to openly tell someone they're burned out and they hate what they do. The best you can hope for is to respond with "oh, it's fine" if a friend, family member or even someone you've just met asks how your job is going.

Too Many People Are Asking If You're Okay

Image Source / SpotifyEven if you're trying your best to get on with it, sooner or later people are going to realise you're burned out. If you're having more and more people ask if you're okay - especially work colleagues - then your exhaustion is obviously beginning to show on your face and through your interactions.

You Avoid Work Socials As Much As Possible

Image Source / The GuardianYour normal working hours are working you to the bone, so why would you want to put extra time in with colleagues and the business at social events, like work lunches or Christmas parties? You may find you're doing everything you can to avoid anything extra to do with your workplace.

It's Always Dark Outside

Image Source / PinterestSeasonal changes can affect anybody's mood, but this is worse when you're overworked. You may be arriving at work early when it's still dark outside, and not returning home until long after night has fallen. If you're only ever seeing the world as 'night', it can affect your mood negatively.

The Monday Dread

Image Source / The Minds JournalSunday Night Blues + Monday Morning Dread = it's likely you're being burned out by your job. If you feel on the same level as your dread for Monday as you do for your relief to finish on a Friday, it's a sign that the weekends are the only desperate reprieve you're getting.

Your Fantasies Are Always About Quitting

Image Source / ForbesMost people will sit there and daydream about a dream job, better pay or maybe even a reality where they don't have to work at all. But if your mind is constantly thinking about one thing, and one thing only - quitting your job altogether - it's a sign that you'd been pushed to the limit.

You Don't Want To Explain Your Job To People - And You Dread Being Asked

Image Source / Happier HumanOne thing everyone who hates their job has in common is the dread of being asked "So what do you do?" at social events, or by new people. You just don't want to talk about your job, least of all when you're outside of work and trying not to think about how exhausted you are.

You're Beginning To Take It Out On Your Colleagues And/Or Customers

Image Source / Bored PandaWhen you're starting to really lose your patience and be pushed to the brink in terms of burnout, it's bound to come out negatively on those you work with. You may become snappier with your colleagues or even impatient with customers who are being difficult.

You Don't Even Remember When You Last Accomplished Something In Your Job

Image Source / CareersmartMaking accomplishments and reaching positive milestones at work is what keeps a person motivated. A tell-tale sign that your job might be running you into the ground is if you can't even remember what it feels like to be satisfied with something you've done. You're working for the sake of working and getting no personal reward from it.

You Feel Completely Stuck

Image Source / FreshBooksWhen you hit that brick wall in a job and feel like you're stuck in a rut, it's very likely that burnout is going to be a thing for you very soon. It's reached a breaking point of repetitiveness, day in and day out, and the fact that you don't know how to move past feeling stuck can make your exhaustion even worse.

You're Now Dangerously Cynical About Your Workplace

Image Source / 3Phase AdvisorsAn employee who has completely given up caring about what they do, as well as whether they even keep their job because they're ready to quit, is a dangerous one for the company. You could be making costly mistakes or risk losing business because you're being rude to customers or clients.