I am one person who works very hard, rarely with time to rest. But all this came with a price last two weeks when I was admitted in hospital for two days due to burnout.Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest or motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place. To some extent it is harmful to your health.The negative effects of burnout spill over into every area of life – including your home and social life. Burnout can also cause long-term changes to your body that make you vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu. Because of its many consequences, it’s important to deal with burnout right away.But burnout is not caused solely by stressful work or too many responsibilities. Other factors contribute to burnout, including your lifestyle and certain personality traits. What you do in your downtime and how you look at the world can play just as big of a role in causing burnout as work or home demands. There are many causes of burnout. In many cases, burnout stems from your job. But anyone who feels overworked and undervalued is at risk for burnout – from the hardworking office worker who hasn’t had a vacation or a raise in two years to the frazzled stay-at-home mom struggling with the heavy responsibility of taking care of three kids, the housework, and her aging father.Burnout is a gradual process that occurs over an extended period of time. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it can creep up on you if you’re not paying attention to the warning signals. The signs and symptoms of burnout are subtle at first, but they get worse and worse as time goes on.Think of the early symptoms of burnout as warning signs or red flags that something is wrong that needs to be addressed. If you pay attention to these early warning signs, you can prevent a major breakdown. If you ignore them, you’ll eventually burn out.Physical signs and symptoms of burnoutFeeling tired and drained most of the timeLowered immunity, feeling sick a lotFrequent headaches, back pain, muscle achesChange in appetite or sleep habitsEmotional signs and symptoms of burnoutSense of failure and self-doubtFeeling helpless, trapped, and defeatedDetachment, feeling alone in the worldLoss of motivationIncreasingly cynical and negative outlookDecreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishmentBehavioral signs and symptoms of burnoutWithdrawing from responsibilitiesIsolating yourself from othersProcrastinating, taking longer to get things doneUsing food, drugs, or alcohol to copeTaking out your frustrations on othersSkipping work or coming in late and leaving earlyBurnout is an undeniable sign that something important in your life is not working. Take time to think about your hopes, goals, and dreams. Are you neglecting something that is truly important to you? Burnout can be an opportunity to rediscover what really makes you happy and to change course accordingly.Take time off. If burnout seems inevitable, take a complete break from work. Go on vacation, use up your sick days, ask for a temporary leave-of-absence—anything to remove yourself from the situation. Use the time away to recharge your batteries and take perspective.
