Hidden Signs of Burnout: Signs You Shouldn't Ignore

  Subtle Signs of Burnout You Should Never Ignore

Burnout is inevitable when you are pushing yourself too much for too long without giving your body the proper care and attention it needs. Perfectionists and those who are highly ambitious are at particular risk. After all, lazy people rarely get burnt out. That’s because they’re not striving toward anything and don’t self-impose the same pressure on themselves that driven individuals do. The most common symptom of burnout that may come to mind is sheer physical exhaustion. However, our bodies will give us many, less obvious signals that we’re on the brink of breakdown. And it’s in our best interest to take heed. Not doing so could have undesirable consequences, affecting not just ourselves, but those around us as well. Keep reading for seven subtle signs of burnout that you might be overlooking:

 Getting Angry at the Drop of a Hat

Anger in certain situations is natural and understandable. In fact, a lack of anger might even indicate a lack of concern or indifference since anger is an emotional response to some type of trigger. However, if you’re finding that you’re more irritable than usual, or even the smallest things seem to make your temper flare, it could mean that you need to take a break so that you don’t do something out of anger that you might regret later.

 Feeling Like Your Best Isn’t Good Enough

Continuously pushing yourself beyond your emotional and physical limits will eventually take its toll on your mind and body. In turn, your productivity takes a nosedive. This isn’t a reflection of your worth, but it can be an indicator that you need to slow down so that you can deliver your best and feel good about it. When you feel lousy, even the biggest victories seem meaningless. Finishing a large project at work or school should be a reason to celebrate and be proud of your accomplishments. But when you’re approaching burnout, you may only be able to focus on all the things that went wrong or that you could’ve done better.

 Inability to Switch Off

You’ve done nothing else but fantasize about your bed all day. You’re exhausted. But once you lay your head down on your pillow, you can’t seem to turn your mind off. You can’t sleep and you’re restless, both mentally and physically. Your body is telling you it’s time for rest, but you just can’t switch off. When your body is all out of whack like this, it could be a sign that you need to ease off. Lack of sleep makes everything worse. You’ll find yourself more irritable and depressed, and all your other health conditions are exacerbated since your body needs sleep to restore itself.

 Constant Illness

The mind-body connection is real. When you’re physically ill, your brain might feel foggy and just not quite right. On the other hand, when you’re burnt out mentally, you may find yourself getting sick more often. Constant headaches and colds, or unexplainable aches and pains could be your body’s way of begging for the attention and care it needs. Pay attention, because continued neglect could result in some serious health consequences.

Apathy

Burnout is typically associated with our professional lives, but no one is immune. You could be a high school student who’s taking a full load of classes, playing sports, and doing volunteer work to beef up your college applications. Or you could be a stay-at-home parent with too many kids and not enough time. Burnout can happen to anyone if you work hard enough. Regardless of where you’re putting your effort, you might start to notice that you just don’t seem to care as much. In the work context, this could manifest in tardiness, repeated absences, and poor performance. Tread carefully at work because your employer could mistake these behaviors for a lack of concern, or that you’re thinking of moving on, when really, you’ve just been pushing beyond your limits. A temporary break could be just what you need to reignite your passion.

 Strained Relationships

When you’re burnt out, you’re not the only one who feels the effects. Your relationships can start to suffer as well. You may find yourself neglecting your partner or starting arguments with friends and family when you’re usually really easy-going. Your behavior could be the result of being short-tempered or lacking sleep like previously mentioned, or you could be projecting your own exhaustion onto others. Either way, you can do some serious damage to important relationships in your life if you continue to ignore the signs of burnout.

 Loss of Appetite

Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but if you’re working hard and running off coffee and energy drinks, it’s no wonder that you have no appetite. Nutrition is just as important as sleep, and we’ve already talked about how your body’s reactions to burnout may seem counterintuitive. No matter how tired you are, you just can’t get any rest. Similarly, even though you know you need to feed your body, everything just seems unappetizing. Just like the lack of interest in your responsibilities and relationships, you can no longer truly connect with your appetite or get any enjoyment from food. That’s because your body is using the little energy it has left just to stay afloat. Your body’s natural balance has been disrupted, and you’ve got to address the root cause before you can expect to feel any better.

  Conclusion: Take Heed of the Signs

At the end of the day, you can’t do much for others if you’re falling apart yourself. So it’s important to acknowledge that you, just like everyone else, have a limit. Your body will attempt to tell you that you’re approaching that limit, and it’s up to you to take notice. If you can relate to these subtle signs of burnout, consider taking a break, going on vacation, or taking a step back to allow your batteries to recharge. Ignoring these signs can lead to serious health issues, both mental and physical, that could take a long time to recover from.

  Share and Reflect

If you found this article helpful, give it a thumbs-up, and share it with your friends so they too can recognize the subtle signs of burnout and take steps to prevent it. For more articles like this, hit the subscribe button, and remember to click on the notification bell to stay updated. What do you think? Were you able to relate to any of these signs? Which ones do you need to work on? Let us know in the comments below.