A psychologist has laid out five distinct signs that could suggest you are currently or about to experience burnout.
In an article on Webmd, medically reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD, burnout was described as a type of exhaustion that could be caused by stress.
What is burnout?
While stress arises due to too many obligations or things to worry about, people with burnout typically experience a lack of motivation, energy, and overall care.
The term has seen great notoriety in recent years, but it’s a little complicated due to the fact that burnout cannot be medically diagnosed. Still, if you think you are struggling with burnout, then it’s best to seek a medical professional.
The first step is identifying some of the signs that could point toward a burnout period. In a bid to understand those signs a little better, The Focus spoke to our resident psychologist and dating expert Dr Betsy Chung.
Going through the motions
One of the leading signs of burnout is the overwhelming feeling of being on autopilot. Another example could be if you feel like you’re forced to muster a great deal of energy to combat simple issues.
“Whereas you used to feel motivated to do certain things, you now just feel like everything is on auto-pilot and everything feels like a chore to be checked off a list,” Dr Chung explained. “Even things you used to enjoy feel burdensome now.”
A lack of excitement
As adults, most of us have a set routine we have to follow to keep up with the humdrum of day-to-day life. Unfortunately, this could lead to feelings of stagnation, like you’re not going anywhere. Naturally, this causes more self-doubt and you begin to question whether you’re competent at that routine at all.
Dr Chung said: “It’s been a while since you’ve felt like you’re improving because you’re no longer doing the extra things that are necessary for growth.”
Isolation
Dr Chung further revealed that some people in burnout experience feelings of isolation or loneliness. Because “all you want to do is rest”, you might find yourself missing out on plans or neglecting to make them at all.
Of course, being alone with your thoughts has been shown to have a negative effect on overall mental health. It even has a knock-on effect on physical health, affecting everything from heart health to weight.
Brain fog
Brain fog is a blanket term that is used to describe a range of symptoms like poor concentration, feeling confused, thinking more slowly than usual, and fuzzy thoughts, as reported by the NHS.
“You have a hard time staying focused and lack clarity in thinking,” our expert continued. “Things that you used to feel confident in are now confusing. Things don’t make as much sense as they used to.”
Increased anxiety
Burnout has been linked to a number of other mental health conditions including depression and insomnia. If you are experiencing burnout you could also have an increased anxiety level, contributing to the feelings of feeling less-than.
Dr. Chung said: “Because of changes in motivation, achievement, and social interactions, you may begin to question yourself more or have more conflict in relationships because people don’t understand the changes they’re seeing in you, all of which can contribute to anxious feelings.”
