Burnout Checklist: Signs and What to Do
When you think of someone that is burned out you probably think of someone that is overworked and running around with too many demands. That might feel like it could never be you. The reality is that burnout is not as simple as being worked to the bone. Are you often overlooking your own needs for work? Or do you feel trapped in a monotonous work cycle? This could be what burnout looks like for you. Knowing what burnout is and the signs can help you better take action against it.
Burnout is most affiliated with working a stressful job especially when work life balance is out of whack. This type of stress could be coming from being overworked, underpaid, underappreciated or not challenged enough. Burnout can slowly build up over time until a breaking point is reached that feels like you have had enough. You can pay attention to the warning signs to determine if you are experiencing the signs of burnout and do something about it. Once you have completely reached burnout the best option is to take a break, but there are other things you can do to help overcome it. The checklist here can help you better identify if you are burned out and what to do when you are burned out.
Signs of Burnout
How Do I Know if I’m Burned Out
There are several signs of burn out to pay attention to. This is by no means an extensive list, but it outlines key areas to look for when you notice something is off.
Exhaustion/Fatigue. You might feel tired and worn out all the time. Or you might feel low energy and sluggish. As a result, you might find that it takes longer to complete simple tasks.
Lack of Self-care. You might develop a pattern of overlooking your own needs to prioritize work responsibilities. You might also be experiencing a lack of boundaries between work and home life.
Low Mood. You might feel depressed or hopeless about your work situation. It might be hard for you to get yourself out of bed to work each day. You may also feel apathetic or like there is no point in trying.
Anxiety or Dread. You might find it hard to look forward to going into work each day. Or you might feel unease about work related tasks or duties.
Irritability. You might feel annoyed at the amount put on your plate or you might feel frustrated by not being appreciated for all your hard work. On the other hand, you might feel trapped in cycle just going through the motions. In that case your annoyance might come from not being challenged enough.
Overwhelmed. You might feel like there is a little too much on your plate. You might also feel like it is too hard to juggle all the tasks of work and life at the same time.
What To Do If I’m Burnt Out
Here is a list of ideas that you can do if you notice you are experiencing symptoms of burnout.
Sleep enough hours each day
Self-care
Clarify boundaries for self
Clarify work-life boundaries
Express your needs
Take breaks during the day
Take a vacation
Mindfulness
Exercise
Find a new hobby
Make an action plan for change
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are various signs of burn out to help you identify if you are burnt out. After reviewing the checklist of signs you might feel you are in the category of being burnt out. In that case there are several things that you can do to combat burnout.
If you found this information useful consider starting therapy here at AllWell Therapy.
