You love your job, but you find it to be incredibly stressful. Over time, you’ve found yourself feeling exhausted continuously and increasingly more apathetic. Sound familiar? Then you might be burned out.
Here are nine signs you’re experiencing burnout at your job:
1. You’re tired all the time
One of the telltale signs of burnout is that you feel tired all the time. This can be emotional, mental, or physical exhaustion. You feel as though you’re completely spent, and sleeping enough doesn’t seem to help.
2. You feel a lack of motivation
You no longer feel excited or enthusiastic about work or even things in your personal life. You might also find that it’s harder to get going in the morning and it’s more challenging dragging yourself into work.
3. You are frustrated
You might feel disillusioned with your job, and that what you’re doing doesn’t matter anymore. You find yourself feeling more and more pessimistic than you used to.
4. You can’t concentrate
Chronic stress and burnout can interfere with your attention and concentration. If you find that it’s hard for you to concentrate and focus most of the time, then chances are, you are being exposed to chronic stressors at work.
5. Your job performance is slipping
Have you noticed that your job performance is slipping? Compare it to previous years to see if you’re experiencing more chronic burnout.
6. You’re experiencing interpersonal issues
You notice that you have more conflicts with other people both at home and at work. You might be getting into more arguments, or you could be withdrawing from your coworkers, friends, and family.
7. You’re not taking care of yourself
You’ve stopped going to the gym and cooking healthy meals. Instead, you find yourself drinking too much, smoking, eating too many unhealthy foods, and not getting enough sleep. When suffering from burnout, some people engage in unhealthy coping strategies.
8. You think about work all the time
Even when you’re not at work, it preoccupies your thoughts. If you’re expending mental energy thinking about your job, you’re not giving yourself time to recover from the stresses of your day.
9. You’re unhappy
You used to feel super positive about things, but now you feel less happy and satisfied with your career and personal life. You just feel stuck.
How can you combat burnout?
To prevent burnout from happening, you should really learn to separate your work life from your personal life. Find something outside of work that you are passionate about that really gets you going. You should also carve out time for relaxation, unplug from communication technology every evening, and make sure to get enough sleep. Don’t be afraid to approach HR about creating a better, more positive work environment, too.
References
- “10 Signs You’re Burning Out — And What To Do About It,” Forbes, April 1, 2013.
- “How to Tell You Have Reached the Point of Burnout,” Verywellmind, May 11, 2019.
