Work can be very stressful; no doubt about that. There are deadlines you must meet, and lots of expectations to live up to. In most cases, this means you have to spend extra hours on work, and less time to rest and relax. If you have been in this situation for some time already, you are at risk of getting burnt out. Work burnout is not only a hindrance to your job performance, but also damaging to your health.
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, which is often caused by high levels of stress and lack of rest. In order to combat burnout early, it is important that you know what is causing it and what can be done to prevent it from happening.
What Are the Signs of Burnout?
Here are some signs indicating that you are about to suffer from work burnout:
Lack of energy – You just feel tired all the time, to the extent that you find even the smallest tasks difficult to handle. This kind of exhaustion could be mental, emotional or physical.
You easily get irritated – You notice yourself becoming more impatient with your clients, customers, colleagues and even family members. Everything they do seems to annoy you very easily.
You find it hard to concentrate – It is impossible for you to complete tasks in a short period of time because you cannot focus on doing what you have to do. Also, you don’t have any motivation to finish your projects. You don’t feel passionate about the job you once loved so much.
You can’t eat and sleep well – Although you are tired all the time, you still can’t sleep. Insomnia and lack of appetite are very common signs of burnout.
You don’t feel well most days – You have back pains, headaches, and stomach problems consistently, which are signs of burnout.
What Causes Burnout?
There are several reasons you may experience burnout. Some of the most common are:
Lack of time off from work – Workers like you need to get some time off every once in a while. Without it, you will feel overwhelmed by the work you do and the lack of rest you get. These can pose a lot of risk to your health. Thus, it is important that you keep the balance between your career and your personal life. Not only will this be good for your health, it will increase your productivity at work as well.
Skipping lunch to work – Taking a lunch break is a necessity, not just because you need to it, but your mind and body need to take even a short breather. Take note that eating at your work desk is not recommended, because it will cause you to develop bad eating habits. What you should do is step out of your workspace for a while, have some fresh air, and do something not related to work.
Having a job you don’t love – Research shows that having a job you are not happy with is a cause of stress, and eventually a burnout. That is why career experts always emphasize the importance of getting a job that you are passionate with because at the end of the day, it is your love for your work that will keep you happy and going.
Conclusion
There are several ways to combat work burnout. It is important that you maintain the balance between your career and your personal life. You also need to interact with people, so your mind could be away from work from time to time. If you need help in dealing with stress and workout, joining a life coaching program will benefit you significantly.