Photo Credit: P. Gordon

Conflicting work, social and familial forces can push us close to breaking point.

We all have days when we feel like we shouldn’t have bothered getting out of bed.

When the burden of responsibility feels too heavy to hold.

When we are on the verge of giving up and jumping on a plane to Mexico.

These feelings usually pass within a day (or three).

But persistent overwhelm may be a sign that your are on the brink of burnout.

What is burnout?

Burnout describes a state of emotional and physical ill-health and exhaustion brought on by continual and excessive stress. While stress is manageable in the short term, prolonged periods can cause you to question the meaning of your life, and to crumple physically and emotionally.

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It is a gradual process of building. While this can make burnout difficult to detect – especially at first – it also means that you have a lot of opportunity to recognise and rectify an impending burnout before it is too late.

Signs that you are approaching burnout

Constant exhaustion

Work and life can take it out of you, and it is natural to feel tired from time to time, but constant exhaustion is often a sign of a more significant issue. Can you remember the last time you woke up feeling energised? If not, then you may be close to burnout.

Cynicism

Burning out means that you are likely to find yourself smiling less and becoming increasingly frustrated by the people and activities that once gave you joy. Your outlook on life will become increasingly negative and you will find yourself sceptical of new ideas as well as the things that you may have previously taken for granted.

Reduced motivation

When you are approaching burnout, your motivation levels are likely to lag significantly. You will find yourself questioning why you bother at all, and will dread completing tasks at home, going to work or anything for which you have responsibility. Whereas you once would have jumped at a workplace challenge or dived straight into the housework to get it out of the way, you now want to keel into a ball and forget about the world.

Hopelessness

Above all, you will feel that each of the above symptoms are incurable when you on the brink of burnout. You will start to believe that you will never find motivation, enjoy your social life or feel relaxed in your down time again. This sense of hopelessness can place you in a destructive spiral and lead you to withdraw from every aspect of your existence – both the good sides and the bad.

What you can do to avoid burnout

Don’t overcommit

The most common catalyst for burnout is an overload of responsibility. Even though we want to turn down that extra project or that dinner offer, our mouth often says “yes” before our mind can tell us “no”. Take a look at your schedule and see what there is that you can cut – and do it!

Establish a healthy routine

If you are close to burnout, you are likely to experience irregular sleeping patterns, eating unhealthily, exercising less and relying on caffeine. This neglect of your physical health exacerbates the emotional symptoms you are feeling and can drastically deteriorate you energy levels and self-esteem. Establish a solid routine that balances work, rest and play, and commit to eating a balanced diet. There will be nights when you have to stay up an extra hour and there will be days when you need to throw in a chocolate bar to get you through the afternoon – and that’s fine! As long as you maintain regularity and consistency you will notice an improvement in your outlook on life.

Start the day on the right foot

Instead of jumping straight out of bed in the morning and getting into action, try spending 15 minutes writing in a journal, reading, listening to the radio or even doing some stretches. Easing yourself into the day will give you a more positive outlook on what is to come.

Get creative

Re-connecting with your creative side is one of the most effective ways to halt burnout and have you feeling good about yourself again. Learning an instrument, taking a cooking class or even sneaking your child’s Crayolas after they have gone to bed to do a spot of drawing can be incredibly therapeutic and allow you to forget the troubles weighing on your mind.

You may even be able to pin your own artwork up on the fridge for once!

The Clarity Road Team