5 early signs of burnout and how to reset

Exhausted at work? Wanting to always call in sick? Feeling less passionate and unmotivated? Getting irritated easily? You might be feeling the classic signs of burnout.

Burnout is a state of complete mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. It can be experienced by anyone with prolonged levels of chronic stress and pressure due to work and home demands. Some might think that burnout is just normal and will just go away on its own. But if not properly identified and managed, this can cause pretty devastating impacts on your health, relationships, career, and general well-being.

Burnout mainly happens in one’s place of work. This can lead to various forms of job withdrawal such as absenteeism, intention to leave the job, and actual turnover. However, for people who stay on the job, burnout causes lower productivity and effectiveness.

So what are the early signs of burnout and how to avoid them? Keep reading to learn more.

5 early signs of burnout

Chronic fatigue

This is the feeling of being extremely tired that won’t go away even after sleep or rest. Chronic fatigue, just like the other early signs of burnout may be the result of an underlying health issue. So proper diagnosis is important to know its cause and to get proper treatment.

Forgetfulness and concentration issues

Do you tend to forget deadlines or tasks easily, especially those that are related to work? Or is it becoming more difficult to concentrate at work now than before thus resulting in procrastination and low productivity levels? Burnout is mainly associated with a decline in cognitive functions such as attention and memory. These mental processes are essential to everyday functioning and are greatly affected when you are on the road to burnout.

Sense of failure or doubt and loss of motivation

Motivation gives us the reason to accomplish something and reach our goals. So losing interest and motivation greatly impacts one’s performance at school or work. Individuals who suffer from burnout also feel the constant tingling of doubt in everything they do. You may feel that nothing you do makes a difference or is appreciated.

Outbursts

If you feel burnout, you easily get frustrated with your coworkers, loved ones, or the people around you. You may feel detached or alone. It is also difficult to engage in activities or relationships that you normally find meaningful. These can result in constant or sudden outbursts.

Other physical symptoms

When you experience burnout, your body will often display certain signs. These include trouble sleeping, frequent illnesses such as headaches, and changes in appetite.

Causes of burnout

Burnout is not caused solely by too many responsibilities or stressful work or home environments. There can be a lot of factors contributing to this condition and it is important that you are aware of them. These elements can be work-related, your personality, or even your lifestyle.

• Lack of recognition at work
• Having little or no control over your work
• Job expectations that are overly demanding
• Having no time to relax or socialize
• Lack of close, supportive, and nourishing relationships
• Too many responsibilities
• Not enough sleep and rest
• Extreme perfectionism
• Need for a sense of control

How to reset

Now is the time to take a break and regain balance in your life. After identifying the early signs of burnout and its causes, it is important to think of ways to overcome them. Some may look for short-term solutions such as vacations or going out with friends. This may take your mind off your problems but only temporarily. So finding strategies that will have a deeper impact, and create lasting change is still more important.

Give time to yourself

This shouldn’t be just a one-time event. Having time for yourself means you do things that will make you happy regularly. Starting a new hobby or scheduling a monthly get-together with your friends are some of the ways you can pause from all the responsibilities and pressures at work or home.

It’s okay to say no

We all want to perform every task to the best of our ability. So if you feel that a task or your mental and physical health will suffer as a result of taking on more work, don’t be afraid to say “no”. It can demonstrate good time management skills and is crucial for your mental and physical well-being.

Help Others

Helping others is one of the best ways to add meaning to your life. So if you are feeling less motivated at work, try to give to others or help your colleagues in small ways. It will make you feel good and help foster a good and positive working environment.

Exercise regularly and eat healthily

Taking good care of yourself by being active and eating a well-balanced diet can help alleviate stress and create a sense of well-being. This may also promote better sleep and less fatigue.

Consider CBD and CBG

Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) are two of the more than 120 identified cannabinoid compounds found in cannabis. They may help you achieve inner balance or homeostasis. Homeostasis is a self-regulating process that helps us maintain stability while adjusting to changing external conditions. These cannabinoids keep us balanced and support our well-being by working directly with our body’s endocannabinoid system or ECS. ECS is found almost throughout the body and plays an important role in regulating different processes in the body such as mood, pain management, sleep, and more.

Both CBD and CBG can be taken in a variety of ways. They are available in the form of oils, capsules, gummies, vaporizers, and even topicals! So getting your daily dose of these cannabinoids is easy.

Final Note

Don’t let the early signs of burnout affect your career, relationships, and health. When you start feeling its symptoms, take a step back and do things that make you happy and will help you take back control of your life. You deserve it!