10 Ways Burnout Sneaks Into Your Life Without Warning
Burnout is insidious, working quietly in the background to sabotage your life
It can be sneaky. So let's review 10 ways into can sneak into your life to arm you with the knowledge you need to notice burnout before it gets a chance to take hold
the invisible overload you say yes to everything because you don't believe you can afford to pass
anything up and before you know it your last boundary has vanished your energy will start
to wane before you even realize what's happening and that's how burnout operates a recognition gap
The work might keep getting done, but when there is no acknowledgement of the effort that was put into that work, people start to lose motivation
If you notice a serious dip in motivation, you might be quietly disengaging
Always On If you feel under pressure to be on constantly it an open door for burnout If your job expects you to respond to a quick ping at 3am or make yourself available for work calls on weekday evenings
rest starts to feel like a guilty pleasure. Rest is a basic human need and without it
you cannot function. Leading through fear, if you're operating under high expectations
but you don't have adequate support, you're going to drown under the weight of your responsibilities
Focus is out the window, and fear is in the driver's seat
All this achieves is higher stress levels, spreading it even further. Insomnia
Insomnia is a clear sign that there are larger issues at play
And because sleep is so key to every aspect of our health, you can't afford to ignore sleep disorders
Stress and emotional exhaustion are the enemies of sleep. So if you have a difficult time falling asleep or staying asleep, it's a sign to pull back and reassess your schedule
Memory issues Do you dismiss your forgetfulness as a sign of getting older There is of course some level of forgetfulness associated with reaching middle age
But stress can wreak havoc on your memory. So, if you forget appointments, miss items off your chore list
or keep forgetting to pick up creamer after work three nights in a row
it might be a sign of impending burnout. Physical pain. Physical pain is a common sign of burnout, and it's partially due to a lack of sleep
contributing to higher levels of inflammation, and it's partially due to tension. You may experience
stomach problems, fatigue, or headaches. Don't ignore these signs. Appetite Issues When burnout starts to hit a little harder, it starts to impact you in more physical manifestations
While exhaustion is an obvious sign of burnout, you may not pick up on an appetite problem initially
Whether it's down to exhaustion or a timing issue, you just don't feel compelled to hit the kitchen for a snack
and you aren the best at sticking to mealtimes either These are red flags Isolation Whether you withdraw due to despair or another reason humans require social bonds for optimal contentment Your stress
levels, anxiety, and looming burnout will try to convince you that your friends don't want to see
you, but it's a lie. Your friends love you, and leaning on them for support will help you navigate
burnout. So if you've noticed a decrease in plans in your social calendar, it's time to start
planning to keep burnout at bay. Ignoring the early signs, you might feel like burnout came out
of nowhere, but there are always signs. Unfortunately, many of us are so used to brushing them off
that it's become easier to ignore them. You can't brush off exhaustion as normal or fall for the lie
that the best performers push beyond their limits. The limit does exist. You simply need to find yours
and respect it. Thank you