Are you on the road to burnout?

You may be on the road to burnout if:

· Every day is a bad day.

· Caring about your work or home life seems like a total waste of energy.

· You’re exhausted all the time.

· The majority of your day is spent on tasks you find either mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming.

· You feel like nothing you do makes a difference or is appreciated.

Signs and symptoms of burnout

Most of us have days when we feel helpless, overloaded, or unappreciated—when dragging ourselves out of bed requires almost all the energy we have in our body. If you feel like this most of the time, however, you may be burned out.

Burnout is a gradual process. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it can creep up on you. The signs and symptoms are subtle at first, but become worse as time goes on. Think of the early symptoms as red flags that something is wrong that needs to be addressed. If you pay attention and actively reduce your stress, you can prevent a major breakdown. If you ignore them, you’ll eventually burn out.

Physical signs and symptoms of burnout

· Feeling tired and drained most of the time.

· Lowered immunity, frequent illnesses.

· Frequent headaches or muscle pain.

· Change in appetite or sleep habits.

Emotional signs and symptoms of burnout

· Sense of failure and self-doubt.

· Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated.

· Detachment, feeling alone in the world.

· Loss of motivation.

· Increasingly cynical and negative outlook.

· Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment.

Behavioural signs and symptoms of burnout

· Withdrawing from responsibilities.

· Isolating yourself from others.

· Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done.

· Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope.

· Taking out your frustrations on others.

· Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early.

There are some important questions which you need to ask yourself:

· Have you become cynical or critical at work?

· Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?

· Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers or clients?

· Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?

· Do you find it hard to concentrate?

· Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?

· Do you feel disillusioned about your job?

· Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?

· Have your sleep habits changed?

· Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be experiencing job burnout. Consider talking to a doctor or a mental health provider because these symptoms can also be related to health conditions, such as depression.