How to Know if You're Burning Out

1. Emotional exhaustion

You wake up every morning, not knowing how you’ll face the day. Tasks that used to feel simple or routine now feel overwhelming. Your tank is empty, and a weekend off (or a week off) won’t fill it back up.

Before I say anything else, I must point out that there are other things that can cause you to feel this way. For example, depression and burnout can present with similar symptoms, so it’s important not to diagnose yourself (this information should never replace getting help and personalized advice from your physician or a qualified counseling professional).

Some studies have reported a shared overlap between depression and burnout, and the two conditions are more likely to coexist in someone who is severely burned out. That’s what happened to me. I was diagnosed with severe depression during my ER residency training, but I appreciate now that burnout played just as much or even more of a role in the symptoms that I was experiencing.

2. Depersonalization and cynicism

When you experience the depersonalization of burnout, you stop seeing people as people. It’s as if your brain turns off your compassion, your ability to identify with others and their problems and concerns, as a self-protective mechanism. You become noticeably cynical. You might start using a critical or mocking tone when talking about people who make demands on you at work. You may even start treating people badly. This impacts your relationships with both clients and coworkers, creating a spiral of negativity.

You might also notice yourself complaining more about your work or organization. You feel resentful or unusually negative about your work environment and tasks.

Cultivate more compassion for yourself and others if you observe this phenomenon. If you’ve become markedly more negative, don’t judge yourself harshly. See it as a red flag pointing to something very important. You could be burning out, and all this negativity may simply be your brain crying for help. Don’t ignore it.

3. Reduced personal accomplishment or efficacy

When you’re worn out from work-related stress, you don’t perform at your best. It’s no surprise that burned-out people feel anxious about the quality of their performance, and start to lose their confidence.

Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!

Reflection:

What are your thoughts on burnout?

#BurnOut #Stress #Work

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