The phrase burnout has been in the media of late with several celebrities and high profile politicians telling their stories and expressing struggles but do you know what burnout is and would you recognise the signs in yourself?
Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion and occurs as a result of a build up of stress and/or being overworked. It can impact all areas of our life, work and relationships. All too often people develop a mindset of rest needing to be earned or putting off rest until all tasks are complete by which point you could already be experiencing burnout.
Common signs of burnout to look for include changes in sleep patterns, periods of depression, feeling sad, irritable or hopeless. People can also become withdrawn and stop enjoying things they previously enjoyed. Lack of energy, apathy and feeling constantly tired and drained are all indicators of burnout.
So how can you prevent burnout? Although it's tempting to rest when you have more time this could be counterproductive. If you are feeling stressed and rundown or you can feel it starting to build up, listen to those early warning signs and take a break. Identifying the underlying causes of your stress can be really helpful, what is it that is triggering these feelings? Once you can identify those triggers you can work on managing them and try to reduce your stress levels. Take some time off if you can, schedule in activities that are fun and lift your mood, regular sleep and exercise can help and some people feel the benefits of meditation. Whatever your situation, talking can help, if you find yourself struggling with stress and feel that you are close to burnout, consider seeking support and whether counselling could help you to process your struggles and better manage your stress. If this is something you would like to explore further please get in touch.