What is Burnout?
In summary, Burnout is a state of chronic (i.e longterm) stress which leads to physical and emotional exhaustion.
Burnout can creep up on us and then from my own experience, it just kind of slaps you in the face! Or does it?
Perhaps if we listened to what was happening in our bodies, we would choose not to ignore the many signs, but like so many, I have chosen on more than one occasion to ignore those signs and tell myself everything will be ok.
The thing is it won’t be ok. It’s a vicious cycle. Stress builds up over time, the cup overflows, we have a meltdown and then we think ‘oh that feels better I can crack on as normal now’. And then guess what, it happens again, and again and again!
How do you know if you are experiencing Burnout?
You may be experiencing some of the following:
- Chronic fatigue
- Forgetfullness
- Inability to concentrate
- Increased illness
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Anger
- Loss of enjoyment
- Pessimism
- Isolation
- Detachment
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Increased irritability
- Lack of productivity
You can read more about the above symptoms in an article HERE. Although this article starts by stating that burnout is a hazard for high achievers, it’s important to note that it’s not exclusive to high achievers. It’s a hazard to anyone who just has too much going on!
As women we are juggling a job, household, children and everything that comes along with all of these responsibilities. Is there ever any time to allow yourself to rest or do something just for you?
Perhaps now would be a good time to look at everything you have going on. Consider if you really need to be doing certain things and if not let it go. This will enable you to create some much needed space so you can breathe and allocate some to looking after yourself.