Burnout does not come quickly. It’s more like slow factors that creep up and start affecting different parts of your life. Most people who say are burned out did not quite expect it.
They knew that something was off, they felt tired and unmotivated but just thought it was just a phase.
But when you put all the signs together, then you get a different picture.
This tool will let you better understand what are the early signs of feeling tired, and unmotivated, and intervene early.
Everybody reacts differently to stress and exhaustion. Some have higher thresholds from which they feel they need a break, some need breaks more often.
Some people identify exhaustion when they just feel like weekend getaways are a nuisance and they would rather stay in and watch Netflix.
For others, it’s waking up at night with thoughts about work.
Sometimes it’s about yelling at your friends or family in situations where you wouldn’t do this or being more irritable than usual.
Other times it’s all about feeling that you need to do even more to keep up with all the work.
And whatever it is, it’s never quite enough. The inbox and task list are never finished.
So identifying where you stand when it comes to exhaustion is a great way to stay on top of your well-being, just like you would follow up on an important project.
Take 5 min to think about the last time you felt tired, unmotivated, hopeless, and felt that it is hard for you to continue keeping pace:
What physical sensations did you feel? Almost always, stress will manifest itself with negative physical sensations in your body. It’s your body’s way to tell you that something is off.
Look for: headaches, lump in your throat, tightness in your chest, and shaky hands.
What did you feel like doing? Changes in your work or life routine are also a common sign of exhaustion.
Ex. postponing projects; spending more time than usual on projects; / You didn’t feel like socializing anymore; isolating from family or friends / Spending more time alone gaming or on Netflix/ social media / Getting more disengaged from your life
What were the thoughts that popped into your mind? Long periods of stress come with negative thinking. Your brain starts to act like it’s under assault and creates negative scenarios or evaluations just to keep you on your toes.
Ex. That you don’t like what you do anymore / You start doubting yourself and your abilities / You don’t care how the projects will finalize. / You believe that people want to hurt you.
4. What emotions were you feeling? - changes in your general mood are a good indicator that exhaustion and burnout are right around the corner.
Look for: feelings of sadness, irritability, agitation & anxiety; a sudden rise in fear or anxiety in contexts where you wouldn’t feel that normally.
Now that you have an overview of your breaking point, write down what you noticed. You can use the worksheet provided here and write down any changes that you might notice.
See you next time with a brand new tool!