Everyone gets tired and needs breaks from work sometimes. However, there is a difference between needing time off and burning out. When you experience burnout, taking a vacation simply won't help. Here are five signs you're overworked and need a change of pace.
Many people think of stress as something psychological, but it can have drastic effects on the physical body too. You need to make sure you can recognize both the psychological symptoms of stress and the physical ones. One way of looking at physical stress symptoms is as subluxation. Subluxation refers to tension, misalignment and neurological imbalance. Think of how tense your shoulders can get when you're worried or how you may clench your teeth when you're worried. These could be signs you're feeling overworked.
Those feeling typical amounts of stress tend to find that resting and taking time for themselves alleviates that stress. They can take time off, get a good night's sleep or spend a weekend resting and enjoying themselves any feel refreshed and ready to get back to work afterward. When you're burned out, regular rest and relaxation don't cut it. If you don't feel well-rested and refreshed even after extensive amounts of time off, or if you find yourself sleeping for longer periods of time and still feeling tired, you're likely experiencing overwork and burnout.
Self-medicating is a common coping mechanism for those suffering from stress due to overworking or feeling overwhelmed. You may find yourself turning to drugs and alcohol to help you relax or let you disconnect from your stressors more easily. Some people also self-medicate with caffeine and other stimulants to try to increase their productivity or by overeating comfort foods. If you notice you're drastically increasing your intake of anything without a clear, positive reason, you should analyze your workload and think about what could be causing this behavior.
People who experience burnout find it nearly impossible to keep up with productivity demands, both internal and external. This is a different kind of difficulty from the midafternoon slump or not being able to concentrate on a Friday because you're excited for the weekend. When you're burned out, your pace of work can slow to a crawl. You may feel as though you can't think straight or like you can't produce anything worthwhile, even after hours of work. If these feelings seem familiar to you, it may be time to consider whether you're burned out and what to do to help yourself feel better.
Burnout doesn't just affect your work, productivity and energy levels. It can also affect your interpersonal relationships and cause you to stop doing things you enjoy. You may find yourself feeling irritated or drained by interacting with others, even those whose company you would typically enjoy or benefit from. You may also feel exhausted by a simple exchange of pleasantries with someone in the breakroom where normally that conversation might energize you or have no effect on your energy levels whatsoever. Your hobbies and social life may also suffer. Activities you love, such as sports, reading, visiting museums and traveling may no longer appeal to you. If you notice yourself withdrawing from friends and loved ones or snapping at them, or if you feel apathetic toward your hobbies, you're likely experiencing burnout.
Being overworked can lead to mental exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed. There are many strategies you can utilize to manage and treat burnout, but before you can do so, you need to make sure you can recognize the signs and understand what they mean.
Publish Date: March 30, 2022 11:45 PM |
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