Maybe you recognize that you feel stressed at work. Perhaps you've noticed yourself fantasizing about dramatically quitting your job without any warning. Are these telling signs that you need a new job? Or do you just need to dial in better self-care?
Sometimes burnout is incredibly obvious. But other times, the symptoms aren't quite so apparent. Subsequently, one person's burnout may look drastically different from someone else's. Let's get into what you need to know.
Understanding the Subtle Signs of Burnout
All jobs can be stressful, but workplace burnout can significantly impact your physical and emotional well-being. Furthermore, some of the signs are insidious, and you may not recognize their full impact for several months (or even years).
Anyone is susceptible to burnout, but some common risk factors include:
working in a high-stress work setting
working too much and not having enough time for your personal life
persistently lacking control at work
dysfunctional or toxic work dynamics
having unclear or constantly changing work expectations
working in a helping profession
Burnout symptoms may start slowly and worsen progressively over time. Unfortunately, some people disregard their feelings or assume they just need to push through their stress. Here are some subtle signs you might be struggling more than you realize.
Your Physical Health is Deteriorating
It's no secret that chronic stress affects the body. Burnout may trigger medical issues, resulting in increased headaches, stomach problems, muscle aches, and downright physical exhaustion.
Moreover, the problem often compounds itself, creating a vicious cycle. If you're feeling burnout, you might struggle to implement healthy habits. For example, instead of eating nourishing foods, you may turn to convenient takeout. Instead of exercising, you might flop on the sofa and watch TV. You may also resort to unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking to cope with your stress.
You Continue Feeling Inadequate or Insecure
Some imposter syndrome is common in every industry. But if you consistently feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities- or you have this nagging belief of being a fraud- you may actually be struggling with burnout.
We all need to feel supported in our professional roles. If things feel scattered or your boss is unavailable or the job expectations are confusing, these obstacles can affect your mental health. You may feel like you spend most of your days "guessing" what you need to do.
And if your employer criticizes your performance (or has unrealistic expectations), that just adds more pressure. You may feel like you'll never be good enough.
You Keep Trying to Escape
Are you showing up to work later and later each morning? Do you seem to spend a good amount of time daydreaming about winning the lottery or finding a new job? Have you joked about wanting to get fired?
It's fairly common to consider alternative employment paths, but a persistent theme of escape may signify burnout. It's possible you've already emotionally checked out of work altogether.
You Feel Apathetic About Work (and Life)
It's one thing to feel cynical or frustrated at work. Most people recognize these symptoms as classic hallmarks of burnout.
But what if you just don't care at all? What if you wake up feeling numb or suddenly have trouble connecting any real emotion to your work?
Apathy is a key sign of burnout that many people don't recognize. Apathy means you've reached the point of indifference, and you are so burnt out that you no longer even focus on the negative parts of work. You've just detached completely.
This mindset can quickly spiral into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Apathy impacts motivation and concentration, which inevitably affect your success in the workplace. And if you don't feel as invested in your job or company, you may experience performance issues.
You Feel Disconnected From Your Family and Friends
Burnout doesn't just affect your work performance. It often seeps into every facet of your personal life, affecting your relationships, self-esteem, and hobbies.
People experiencing burnout often feel lonely, tired, and confused. These feelings can aggravate relationship problems, making you feel even more resentful.
By the end of the week, for instance, you may be too exhausted to socialize with your friends. You might find yourself projecting anger onto your partner. You could feel frustrated with your family for not understanding how much stress you face.
You're Constantly Tired
Burnout coincides with mental exhaustion. No matter how much sleep you get, you may feel more tired than usual. At work, the hours may seemingly drag on- you feel this constant sense of fatigue, and no amount of caffeine seems to help.
On the other hand, burnout can also affect your sleep quality. High levels of stress can make falling asleep difficult, and you might also struggle with work-related nightmares.
As you may have realized, a lack of energy often fuels more burnout. Poor energy makes it challenging to prioritize self-care, which can lead to exacerbated emotional distress.
There Seems to Be Nothing That Can Fix How You Feel
It may be helpful to ask yourself this: What would need to change at work- or in your company- to feel better?
Do you want a higher salary? Better support from your coworkers or boss? More flexible hours or challenging tasks?
If you can identify a specific change that might spark motivation, focusing on achieving that change could improve how you feel. But if there's nothing that will make you feel better- or if that specific change is largely unobtainable- you may need to reconsider your job altogether.
Toxic jobs rarely improve on their own. The longer you stay, the more your work may impact your confidence, relationships, and sense of purpose. Over time, you will likely feel even more tired and lost.
How Therapy Can Help You With Workplace Burnout
Burnout can be a multifaceted issue, but it often correlates with other mental health issues, like depression or anxiety. Regardless, it's helpful to talk about your symptoms, and it's important to learn how to manage your stress.
Together, we can address your work pain points and review potential strategies for moving forward. Work is stressful, but you shouldn't feel so overwhelmed or exhausted that everything seems hopeless.
If you are struggling, I am here to help! Contact me today to schedule your initial consultation.
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