Burnout is a risk at any job. If you love what you do, you’ll work til your metaphorical wheels fall off; if you don’t love what you do, well, you don’t even have to be working that hard to feel fed up. Whatever the cause, getting burned out at work can wreck your health and your career. It behooves us, then, to figure out when we’re getting burned out as early as possible.
Lisa M. Gerry at Learnvest talks about how she went from “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to seriously burnt-out” in a relatively short period of time. The experience was far from pleasant, but it did leave her with a good idea of how to recognize the warning signs, including:
1. Slipping Job Performance
This has to be the most ironic warning sign. Here you are, plugging away at work, burning the candle at both ends, only to create a situation in which you are unable to plug away at work and burn the candle at both ends.
2. Thinking About Work All the Time
Most of us spare a thought to our jobs when we’re not on the clock, especially in this era of smartphones and always-available email. But if you find that you can’t stop thinking about work, you might have a problem.
3. Health Problems
Have you gained weight, or developed back problems, depression, or insomnia? Seemingly unrelated health issues can be caused by chronic stress. If something in your health has changed for seemingly no reason, burnout might be the culprit.
Tell Us What You Think
We want to hear from you! How do you know when you’re getting burned out? Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter, using the hashtag #MakeItHappen.
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