7 Subtle Signs of Work Burnout & How to Overcome It

BurnoutDo you ever find yourself not focusing as you used to, being easily agitated or annoyed with the people around you? These could be signs of burnout. Mental burnout, coined in the 1970s to describe the psychological effects of relentless work stress, happens so subtly that you can easily confuse the symptoms for other negative forces, like a bad cold or a bad boss. You’d think you’d know — or at least feel — the signs of burnout pretty quickly, right? Not always.

Here are seven red flags that you’re under serious mental stress — and how to overcome them.

1. You’re overly cynical.

2. You want to run away.

3. You’re messing up normally easy tasks.

4. You’re always tired.

5. You’re always disgruntled.

6. You’re doubting yourself.

7. You’re sick all the time.

How to Feel Better & Overcome Burnout
If you said yes to any of the above, it’s time to step back and start making changes. Try one of the following:

  • Intentionally book some time with friends who always put a smile on your face. That means you’re going to have to scale back on some of the work demands on your calendar, but that’s the point, isn’t it?
  • Splurge on yourself with a little TLC. Whether this means booking a spa appointment or tickets to a hot show you’ve read about, it’s time to renew your appreciation of the world you’ve worked hard to build for yourself.
  • Trim down your to-do list. When you’re letting important details slip through the cracks, chances are you have crammed more into your day than is realistically possible.
  • Express work concerns to your bosses. It may seem counterintuitive to draw attention to your dissatisfaction to those you believe are to blame. But when you approach this conversation as an intervention, not a conflict, you may be able to remove the tensions at last.
  • Reorganize your work goals to invigorate yourself again. The burnout connected to exhaustion can indicate that you’re not just tired, but tired of the same old minutiae of your day-to-day routine.
  • Seek ways to take on new responsibilities in the same field to feel more engaged. Join an organization related to an aspect of your job that you’d like to gain more experience in.
  • Book a vacation! It isn’t a cop-out to take leave. Think of it as doctor’s orders. A beach break might be exactly what you need.

 

This blog post was written by Erinn Bucklan on DailyWorth. Click here to read the full article. 

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top