How to Recognize Signs of Burnout Before You Burn Out
Once you realize that you are burned out, you can break away from the ledge , but it is better to never reach it at all. Fortunately, the signs are usually right in front of you: you just don’t want to see them, or you are too busy with work to recognize them. If you watch closely, you can get rid of the burnout before it gets so bad that you can barely get up to work.
Early, subtle signs of burnout
Most people only think about defeating burnout after it gets really bad. We’ve explained how to bounce back , how to get motivated again, how to get back to work , and they’re all great … after you’re already feeling overwhelmed. In fact, the best thing you can do to beat burnout begins before you hit rock bottom. Here are the first signs to watch out for:
- Frustration and ridicule about your job, workplace, or coworkers . If you catch yourself reacting poorly to things that you usually take calmly, or suddenly display a ton of sarcasticity or disdain for even minor announcements in the office, you suffer from the earliest, earliest signs of burnout. Don’t get us wrong – a light joke about work is okay. When the boss starts talking about “core competencies synergy,” it’s okay to roll your eyes. But if you roll your eyes more often than you think about what they are telling you, it’s time to take a step back.
- Creeping fatigue . We’re not talking about a food coma in the afternoon. If you are just dead tired from the moment you walk through the door to the moment you leave, and you never feel like at any moment during the day you get into the “zone” and shoot all the cylinders? You’ve probably burned out.
- Feeling stagnant, as if the work is not going anywhere . Likewise, if you feel like you’re doing a ton of work and it never stops (even if the nature of your work is infinite), you also probably start to feel burned out. You should find some solace in completing something before tackling anything else, even if it’s small chunks of a big project. If you’re tenacious enough to miss out on these small accomplishments, it’s safe to say that you need a break.
- Boredom and aloofness, even if you have things to do . Boredom, even if you have a lot of work, is a sure sign that things are going downhill. Even the fact that you are bored while working is a bad sign, as it shows that you are not busy with what you are actually doing. Maybe you are just doing something or want you to do something else, but either way, it annoys and weakens your motivation.
- The level of procrastination is higher than usual . Everyone is postponing a little. In fact, this is good for you . However, too much indicates that you are trying to get away from work. Maybe you just don’t like it, or you are not inspired, or you are not motivated for some reason. If you could otherwise handle this job easily, it’s time to take a step back and take a break.
- Mysterious diseases and stress is above average, from which you cannot get rid of . Monitor your health. If you find yourself falling ill with mysterious, often stress-related illnesses, such as stomach discomfort, insomnia, or headaches, when you don’t normally suffer from them, the stress is probably coming to you . This is different from a simple cold: everyone gets sick from time to time, but if your body reacts to the stress and lethargy that you experience from your work, something is wrong. The last thing you want to do is see your overall health hurt by work.
- The realization that you have never had a vacation . If you’ve never taken a vacation from work, or have a ton of vacation lying on a desk that you didn’t take, this is a sure sign that you’re starting to burn out, even if you don’t feel like you . Everyone needs a break from time to time, and if you don’t, even if you think you feel great, you are probably burning the candle at both ends. Even worse, if you’re struggling to get through the day thinking, “I really need a vacation,” you’ve definitely burned out. Don’t let it get by.
These are all some of the first physical, psychological and behavioral signs of burnout . These are not the only signs, they can simply appear in your daily life, even if you do not notice what is really happening. When you’re stressed, it’s natural that you get a little annoyed about your job, or put off unpleasant tasks, or struggle with a headache a few days later. If they are one-off, that’s okay. But if they become the norm, as Psychology Today explains , you should try to stop them before they threaten your mental (and physical) health, let alone your job.
Stop for a moment and evaluate yourself (and your work)
If any of the above sounds like you right now, it’s time to take a step back and think about what you are doing at work. Take an hour – maybe next Friday – to stop working and see everything that happens in your area from 10,000 feet. What parts of your job do you like and what do you hate doing every day? What is it about your job that makes you afraid to come to the office, and what parts of your job inspired you in the first place (even if it’s just a salary?)
The more you can take a step back and reassess not only what you are doing, but why you are doing it , the easier it is to determine where you should focus your energy and where you should try to shed the load. For example, if you love writing status reports for your team but hate submitting those reports to weekly meetings, see if someone else is willing to do so, or tell your boss that you love collecting information but hate standing around and answering questions. about other people’s work. There may be nothing you can do about it, but trying to do something is better than just getting over it.
Finally, take a broader view of your career . Maybe you burned out because you thought you were going to get ahead, or you aren’t getting where you want to go. You may have taken on promises of promotions and training and all of a sudden they were all “over budget” or available only to other people. It may not be your real job that upset you, but something other than the job that is affecting your job. Your love life is more important than your job, but your job pays the bills. It makes sense to fix both of them if there is a common problem between them.
Get rid of burnout sooner before it gets worse
So, now that you’ve identified the early signs of burnout and evaluated where you are at your job and why you’re burning out, it’s time to figure it out. Here are some tried-and-true methods both in and out of the office:
- Take breaks when you can . We’re not just talking about hanging up a water cooler. Good, real breaks give your brain a chance to process what you’ve done, get rid of the cobwebs, and get back into the game. It also makes you more productive in general, especially if you can take some outside walks .
- Plan your vacation now, anytime . Don’t leave your vacation unfinished is part of your benefits, and not taking it is like leaving cash in the hands of your employer. Plan your vacation ahead of time and don’t forget to take it. If you are worried that this is not the best time, don’t. There is never a “good” time , so you better go. The benefits, even if just a break from work is stressful , outweigh the disadvantages. Then you can come back strong , feeling refreshed.
- Get rid of all the crap and focus on what you like (or what really matters to you). Doing what we love at work is a surefire cure for burnout , but few of us are fortunate enough to do just what we choose to do in the office. Everyone puts up with some shit, but if you can, shift it and delegate the worst to people who would rather do it or are better suited to it. I can’t stress enough: if you have day-to-day responsibilities that you hate, talk to your boss about whether you can outsource them to someone else or another department. If they are key to your job, this is not possible, but if they are not, you can greatly improve your crappy job with a single conversation.
- Put this on paper . Keep a work diary . Having something to scroll through makes it easy to see and be inspired by your accomplishments , identify what you dislike about your job, and of course, makes it easier to select our accomplishments and notable projects if you need to update your resume. All of this serves as a catharsis for those crappy moments, but it’s also useful for getting rid of all the bullshit or choosing projects that you know will inspire and captivate you – the ones that will make you happier when you come to work in the morning.
Some of these tips work for just about any career situation, whether you’re feeling exhausted, happy with your job, or you’ve already drank it and want to quit. But that makes it all the more important. The benefits of taking vacations, taking breaks, and tracking achievements go far beyond just helping you with your day to day work, they make a difference to your entire career. Best of all, they are invaluable if they can help you stay involved and help you not burn out, throw up your hands at work, and just hate everything on your desk.