Signs of Burnout

Burnout is more common than you may think and can happen in many aspects of life. Whether at work, in your relationship, with your friends, or in life in general, it can be annoying to have that feeling. In this article, you’ll learn what signs to look out for in the previously mentioned different aspects of life and how to overcome burnout.

When Does Burnout Happen?

You will experience burnout when you’ve been doing too much of something for too long and have been under lots of stress without enjoying what you’re doing at all. Oftentimes, if we don’t have some time to relax and unwind or just some time to spend on ourselves without thinking about whatever the constant, stress inducing task.

This usually happens when you don’t know how to set boundaries, and it affects you negatively if you’re unable to get it under control or take a break from what is causing the burnout.

Signs You’re Experiencing Burnout

You can experience burnout with just about anything, in many different aspects of your life. Below are some of the most common parts of your life you can experience burnout.

In Life

1. You’re tired or drained all the time. You may have noticed that even if you get enough hours of sleep, go to sleep early and wake up when your body tells you to, you still feel tired or you feel drained. Although this could be due to a number of reasons, you’re probably experiencing burnout.
2. You feel lonely. Feeling lonely can also be an indication that you are burnt out. This is because you might be isolating yourself without realizing it because you are burnt out. Since you are tired, stressed, and probably don’t feel like you can handle a lot of social interaction, you accidentally push people away, making you feel lonely.
3. You lack motivation. Even the simplest task can seem daunting if you are experiencing burnout, and that’s because you lack the motivation to do most things. You’re probably overworking your mind and body with whatever you have going on in life, and you need to slow down some.

In Your Relationship

1. You don’t look forward to doing things with them. When you’re in a relationship, you always look forward to seeing that person and spending time with them. When experiencing burnout in a relationship, it’ll be the complete opposite. It might even feel like a chore to have to spend time with them, and you won’t enjoy the time you do spend together. Be cautious of this and the other signs mentioned below. If you allow any of these things to happen too often, your partner may notice, and they could be hurt or not want to be with you anymore.
2. You feel stressed when you’re with them. Feeling stressed whenever you’re with your significant other is never a good sign. They should cause the opposite feeling and make you feel like spending time with them is something you can enjoy and a moment to take a break from the rest of the world.
3. They annoy you. If you notice that every little thing about them suddenly annoys you, this could be a sign that you’re experiencing burnout in your relationship. You’re likely more irritable because of this and are bothered by things that typically wouldn’t bother you too much.

At Work

1. You’re unable to be efficient. When experiencing burnout at work, you may notice that it’s hard to concentrate on tasks that require more effort or time. This is normal, and it shouldn’t discourage you. It is important that you find a way to be efficient, even if it means taking a moment every so often to clear your mind for a minute. Remember not to overdo it with the breaks, and only allow yourself a very brief moment so you can gather yourself.
2. You procrastinate tasks. Procrastination is a great way to know if you are feeling burnt out. When you put off a task until the last moment, it’s because you really don’t want to do it or you can’t focus enough on the task to get it done.
3. You’re constantly checking the time. You’re always looking at the time because you can’t wait to get out of there, and you want to see how much longer you have until the end of the day. If you’re enjoying what you’re doing, the last thing you want to do is know how much time you have left, which is why you can take this as a sign you’re burnt out at work.

With Your Friends

1. You don’t want to reply to texts or answer their calls. Sometimes you might find yourself replying to your friend’s text, even if it’s your closest friend, and especially to texts from people you’re not close with. You feel like it’s such a hassle to read whatever they’ve said, and interact with them, not because you don’t care, but simply because you feel burnt out. Sometimes you might be experiencing burnout in other aspects of your life, and you carry it into situations like these.
2. You avoid spending time with them. Your friends are probably trying to make plans with you, but you don’t want to do anything, and you’re trying to find excuses, so you don’t have to do anything with them. This is likely due to burning out, and once you’ve recuperated from it, you’ll be back to normal, wanting to do different activities with your friends.
3. You notice the friendship is one-sided. When you feel burnt out in a friendship, you’ll quickly realize that you’re not putting any effort into the friendship. You’re never the one to text first, and you’re never the one to suggest doing something together, it’s always the other person. This means that the friendship is becoming one sided. You should avoid doing this no matter how burnt out you may feel because you could lose this person as a friend.

How to Avoid Burnout

Burnout can definitely be avoided if you make sure to live a balanced life and not overdo it in any aspect. This can still be difficult to do, but with the tips listed below, you’ll be on the right track.

Take breaks when feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

The best thing you can do to avoid burnout is to take breaks whenever you start feeling stressed or overwhelmed in any situation. Sometimes, you can’t take the break you really want due to certain circumstances, which is understandable, but stepping away from an overwhelming situation, even for a minute, can help you quickly reset your mindset and continue with what you need to do.

Talk to someone about how you’re feeling.

Talking to someone might not seem like it will be helpful, but sometimes getting your thoughts out of your mind can be very helpful. It can also be beneficial to share how you’re feeling with someone else because they may notice something you don’t, or they may have helpful advice to share with you.

Find balance.

More often than not, if you’re experiencing burnout, it’s probably because you’re not living a balanced life. Your routine has too much of one thing, and that’s causing stress and making you incapable of doing that thing to the best of your ability because you’re not giving yourself space from it.

For example, if you’re working too much, make sure you’re only working during office hours and taking all of the breaks you are allowed, such as taking advantage of your lunch break to actually step away from your workload and enjoy your meal.

If the burnout is related to your relationship, you want to make sure that you’re not spending too much time with this person, that you’re giving each other a healthy amount of space, and that you have good communication with them.

How Long Does Burnout Last?

Burnout can occur for different amounts of times. It could last for a couple of days or even a couple of months. It all depends on the situation causing you to feel that way, the situation’s circumstances.

For example, if it’s work related, you may experience that feeling until you’re able to take a vacation and truly step away from all work related things for a decent amount of time and not just a weekend. If you catch it early on, you will likely be able to overcome it faster, so make sure you pay attention to the signs.

To sum it all up, everyone experiences burnout in many parts of their life, sometimes in several parts of their life at a time. Although it’s not an enjoyable feeling, it is normal, and you will overcome it if you allow yourself the space and time to do so.