Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress, often related to one’s work or personal life. It is characterized by a feeling of overwhelming fatigue, a sense of detachment or cynicism about one’s job or responsibilities, and a decline in professional or personal efficacy. Burnout can result from chronic exposure to high levels of stress and demands, leading individuals to feel depleted, overwhelmed, and unable to cope with the challenges they face. It not only affects a person’s work performance but can also have significant implications for their overall well-being and quality of life.
In my blog post Rising from the Ashes, we talked a little about burnout and suggested that I would have more information for my fellow writers and small business owners. Today we are focusing on the warning signs and why we ignore them.
The Hidden Warning Signs
You can show signs of burnout in many forms, in physical, emotional, and behavioral signs. Understanding these subtle indicators is essential for early recognition and intervention. Let’s start with the physical signs.
A. Physical Signs
Exhaustion and Fatigue:
Beyond the usual tiredness, burnout-induced exhaustion is persistent and unrelenting. It’s not just about feeling tired after a hectic day, but a chronic and overwhelming sense of fatigue that persists even after ample rest.
Persistent Headaches or Migraines:
Frequent and unexplained headaches or migraines can be physical manifestations of the stress, and tension associated with burnout. These can become chronic if the underlying causes are not addressed.
Sleep Disturbances:
Burnout often disrupts sleep patterns, leading to difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restorative sleep. Insomnia becomes a common companion, exacerbating the cycle of exhaustion.
B. Emotional Signs
Increased Irritability:
Burnout can heighten irritability, making individuals more susceptible to frustration over minor issues. Individuals experiencing burnout may have strong emotional responses to small inconveniences that would typically be shrugged off.
Emotional Detachment:
Burnout can create a sense of emotional numbness or detachment, where individuals feel disconnected from their emotions or the emotions of others. This emotional withdrawal is a protective mechanism but can strain personal and professional relationships.
Persistent Anxiety or Depression:
While burnout and mental health issues are distinct, they often coexist. Persistent feelings of anxiety or depression, even outside of work hours, can indicate burnout taking a toll on one’s overall well-being.
C. Behavioral Signs
Decreased Productivity:
Despite efforts, productivity may decline as burnout progresses. Tasks that were once manageable become overwhelming, and the ability to focus and accomplish goals diminishes.
Procrastination:
Burnout can lead to a tendency to procrastinate to cope with overwhelming tasks. This procrastination, however, contributes to a cycle of increased stress and reduced effectiveness.
Neglecting Self-Care:
Burnout often leads individuals to neglect self-care routines. This can include skipping meals, lack of exercise, and neglecting activities that bring joy and relaxation. The disregard for personal well-being further fuels the burnout cycle.
I was showing many signs of burn-out, so much so that I scheduled some appointments with my therapist to help me deal with what I called feeling overwhelmed. It’s no wonder that I felt this. I was setting up both my author business and writing group to work without me because of surgery. I was worried about how being on bed rest was going to affect my roommates, partner, and my own mental health. Jenn and I are transitioning from residential life to van life. If you want to learn more, check out Bark Adventures where we’re sharing our journey. It’s no wonder I was feeling overwhelmed before surgery. What I didn’t realize was that I was actually suffering from burnout. I had exhaustion and fatigue, headaches, some emotional detachment, and anxiety. The worst was a lack of productivity, which if you know anything about me, you know that I have a habit of associating my self-worth with my daily productivity. This lack led to depression, then fatigue, and a greater lack of productivity again until I was finding myself in a hole.
Check out this self-test for burnout by Mind Tools to see if you have been showing signs of burnout.
By recognizing these hidden signs, individuals can take proactive steps to address burnout before it reaches a crisis point. So why do we ignore these signs?
Why Do We Choose to Ignore Them?
Burnout is insidious, and one of its paradoxes lies in our tendency to overlook the warning signs. Understanding why we choose to ignore these indicators is crucial for breaking the cycle and fostering a culture of self-awareness. Here’s an elaboration on the reasons we often turn a blind eye to the signs of burnout:
A. Societal Expectations
The Culture of Overwork:
Society often glorifies busyness and overwork as a badge of honor, fostering a culture that equates success with constant productivity. This cultural norm may lead individuals to dismiss their fatigue and exhaustion, pushing themselves to meet unrealistic expectations.
Stigma Surrounding Mental Health:
Despite growing awareness, there still exists a stigma around mental health issues, including burnout. Fear of judgment and societal misconceptions may compel individuals to downplay their struggles or avoid seeking help.
B. Personal Denial
Fear of Consequences:
People who admit to burnout may experience a fear of professional and personal consequences. Individuals might worry about the impact on their career, relationships, or reputation, leading them to deny or downplay their symptoms.
Superhero Syndrome:
Some individuals harbor a belief that they are invincible or indispensable, a mindset often exacerbated by societal expectations. This “superhero syndrome” makes it challenging for them to acknowledge their vulnerability and need for self-care.
Belief in Invincibility:
There’s a common misconception that burnout happens to others, but not to oneself. This belief in invincibility can prevent individuals from recognizing the signs until they reach a critical point, thinking that they can endure stress indefinitely.
Understanding these societal and personal dynamics helps illuminate the reasons behind our collective tendency to ignore the signs of burnout. By addressing these factors, individuals can empower themselves to break free from the cycle of denial and take proactive steps toward well-being.
The social expectations that I suffer from and cause me to miss the signs of burnout are the culture of overwork and superhero syndrome. I spent some time working through these thought processes while I was on medical leave. It will continue to be a struggle to break these deep-seated social expectations and personal denial.
In closing, overwhelming exhaustion, detachment characterizes burnout, and declined efficacy that stems from prolonged and unmanaged stress. As we’ve explored, there are subtle but critical warning signs in our physical, emotional, and behavioral states that signal rising burnout. However, societal pressures and personal tendencies often compel us to overlook these signs until we reach a breaking point.
The key is greater self-awareness - tuning into our bodies, emotions, and behaviors to notice when we show symptoms of chronic stress. As discussed, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, emotional numbness, decreased productivity, and more can all be signals that we are burned out and need to regain balance. I share from my personal experience struggling with the societal pull towards constant productivity and a mistaken superhero self-image.
By recognizing our own warning signs early and understanding why we tend to dismiss them, we can interrupt the burnout cycle and prioritize holistic self-care. The next article in this series will provide actionable strategies to implement if you identify signs of burnout in yourself. This will cover sustainable lifestyle changes to reduce stress, methods to improve work-life balance, tools to enhance focus and drive, and when to seek professional support.
I encourage you to stay tuned next week when we explore practical techniques to cope with and overcome burnout. In the meantime, be gentle with yourselves, listen to your needs, and don’t hesitate to reach out if I can help you in any way! Together, we can rise from the ashes.
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