Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash
Burnout is emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by chronic stress.
We all have a certain amount of stress in our lives, but when it gets excessive, or we let it go on for too long without addressing it, that’s when it can lead to burnout.
Does experiencing all these symptoms mean you’re definitely heading toward burnout?
Of course not - but trust me when I say that you do not want to find out…
I can tell you that after having been through the other side of burnout (and working with people who have experienced full on burnout), it is SO much easier to prevent it than fix it once it’s set in.
There are lots of tiny changes you can make to prevent stress from turning into chronic stress (and prevent chronic stress from turning into burnout)…
But the very first step is to notice the symptoms. Here are a few to look for:
1: You're having trouble focusing
You're usually on the ball like a ninja, but lately you've been feeling like you're struggling to concentrate because you're feeling unmotivated to do the things you usually love, in work and life in general.
2: You're too stressed to sleep
You either have trouble falling asleep or you can't stay asleep, because your brain is filled with ruminating thoughts that you can't seem to quiet down.
3: You're irritable or overreactive
You feel more sensitive than usual and you're struggling to control your emotions. You might be experiencing mood swings or snapping at the people around you, especially at work.
These are just 3 symptoms that can contribute to burnout if they're ignored.
But if you notice and address them soon enough, you can stop them from snowballing into something bigger.
Stay tuned for more tips on how to spot the signs of burnout early on, so you can get back to feeling your best and doing what you love.