Do you have a plan to prevent burnout in your life?
Whether it’s work stress or personal stress, burnout can sneak up on you before you realize it. Burnout isn’t a medical diagnosis, but it is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion that can often feel totally debilitating. Burnout is what happens when stress goes unchecked for too long.
Luckily, there are signs so you can spot burnout before it goes too far and there are things you can do to prevent burnout in the first place.
How can you tell if you’re feeling burnout?
Burnout is related to stress, so a good clue that you’re heading toward burnout is that you experience regular stress that goes untreated. Here are some other symptoms of burnout that you should be aware of:
Exhaustion:
Do you feel completely overwhelmed at the thought of more to do? At the end of the day, are you exhausted, physically and emotionally? If you experience persistent exhaustion, this could be a sign that you’re heading toward burnout.
Isolation:
Our culture is one that is obsessed with productivity, so it can feel very lonely to admit that you’re overwhelmed with work. If you feel like you have no one to turn to at work or in your personal life, you may feel like you have no options but to keep going even when you need a break. Remember, you’re not alone! Everyone feels burnout at some point.
Irritability:
When you’re feeling burned out, it’s easy for every little thing to set you off. If you notice your temper has been shorter than normal or that everyone is annoying you, that can be a sign that you have too much going on and need a break.
Frequent illness:
This is your body’s way of telling you to slow down. If you experience frequent headaches, colds, or other illnesses, you may be so burned out that your body is trying to force you to take a break. Listen to what your body is telling you!
Feeling hopeless or cynical:
Do you feel like what you do doesn’t matter? Are you feeling cynical about the state of your life and everything you have to do? Feeling this way can indicate that you are mentally and emotionally exhausted and need a break.
Ways to prevent burnout:
Establish boundaries:
When you’re burnt out, establishing and enforcing boundaries can help you prevent it from getting worse. Don’t feel bad trying to separate work from your personal life. It’s okay to turn down projects when you’re already overwhelmed. If you can, talk to your boss about how to keep work and your life separate. Once you have boundaries in place, make sure you enforce them! People should respect the boundaries you set.
Take time off:
Most of us get time off of work for a reason – burned out employees don’t work as well as well-rested employees! There is no shame in taking the time off work that you’re entitled to. Even if you can’t afford a vacation, take your vacation days off and just take the time to reset. Try to make sure you have regularly scheduled breaks in the future so that you can head off burnout before it becomes serious.
Manage stress:
Since burnout is related to stress, learning techniques to manage stress can help you. Anxiety grounding techniques, deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and even regular therapy appointments can be a regular part of your wellness routine to lower your stress level and prevent burnout.
Get enough sleep:
Good sleep is the foundation for a lower-stress life! If you’ve been sacrificing sleep for work (or your personal life), feeling burned out can be a great opportunity to reassess your sleeping habits. Can you go to sleep earlier? Will blackout curtains or a white noise machine help you fall asleep?
Have a creative outlet:
Give yourself a way to recharge and explore your interests outside of work. Is there a hobby you’ve been meaning to try, or one that you gave up but want to try again? If you give yourself other opportunities for creativity and meaning outside of your regular stressors, you can help to counteract the feelings of hopelessness that often go along with burnout.
Everyone experiences burnout from time to time. The important thing to remember is that there is no shame in stepping away from stress and doing what you can to counteract burnout.
Pivotal Counseling Center has therapists who specialize in individual and couples counseling. We have locations in Woodstock, Illinois, and Lake in the Hills, Illinois. If you are in need of someone to help, please consider giving us a call at (815) 345-3400.
