We know everything about time management, we write down our plans and make lists constantly, and we feel sorry that there aren’t any extra hours in the day. We meet impossible deadlines, we know things about fields we aren’t supposed to know, and honestly say on our resumes that we are good at multitasking. Our parents call us hardworking, our friends are amazed by how we manage to do everything, and we think we could do even more. Only psychologists notice that we are on the edge of an emotional burnout.
Today We decided to talk about the most important things about this emotional state and warn those who don’t let themselves have a little break
What is emotional burnout?
Emotional burnout is sometimes called the illness of the best student, even though this state has nothing to do with IQ level or success at school. This is the state some people end up in when they want to try to be successful in all fields: work, personal life, and rest.
People who constantly live under this stress don’t rest enough. Many of us feel it every day: being stuck in a traffic jam on your way to work, hearing a drilling sound in the middle of an important conversation, losing the internet connection while sending an important e-mail, or publishing something on Instagram. There can be thousands of triggers.
When someone is under too much stress, they gradually run out of energy which can ultimately lead to a serious depression or a lack of energy to do anything. So, if you have been noticing these changes in yourself, give yourself a chance to take a timeout.
You have become cynical and zoned out.
Many of us pretend to be cynical thinking that it’s a sign of being intelligent, trying to hurt someone, or just mimicking our favorite TV or movie characters. However, there are symptoms of unhealthy cynism which are a sign of emotional burnout:
- Pessimism. Especially if you are sure that nothing good is coming but you don’t want to do anything to find a solution to your problem.
- Unwillingness to be responsible. In this state, you don’t care about the e-mails you get, you set your phone to “silent mode” to avoid calls from people who need something from you, and even want everyone who is calling you to forget that you exist.
- Disgust at communication. In this state, you don’t just want to not meet your friend for lunch, but you’ll even be annoyed by the fact that he or she invited you somewhere. People who used to be communicative, close themselves down when they are in this state.
- The absence of satisfaction. You have the right to not want to go to work or dread the thought that you will have to watch Spider-Man again with your kids, but if you’ve stopped enjoying everything you have in your life that you enjoyed before, you should know — you are burnt out.
You are morally exhausted.
Even if you don’t want to admit that you’re exhausted, there are several definite psychological symptoms which should worry you:
- Insomnia. You make plans all night, think about possible and impossible problems, look for solutions, and by the time you need to get up, you are so exhausted that you’re unable to do everything that you stayed up all night planning.
- Forgetfulness. Now, everything, even the most important things that were impossible for you to forget before, has to be written down on post-its, and put into reminders and planners.
- Chronic tiredness. Before, you could easily jog in the morning, take a cold shower, cook a healthy breakfast, and write a few funny tweets, and lately, you don’t have enough energy to even get ready for work? You are porbably on the edge..
- Anger. In this state, you are annoyed by anything.
You also feel physically exhausted.
Emotional burnout is one of those psychological problems that can influence your body. If you notice any of the following problems, you should see a doctor to find out if the reason is emotional burnout. So, you should worry if:
- You are sick more often
- You feel anxious and your heart rate is high
- You’ve lost your appetite.
You don’t feel any satisfaction from your actions and you feel useless.
This is another group of symptoms which accompany emotional burnout. In this state, you may feel:
- Apathy. You will feel that it’s pointless to do anything because none of your actions matter and nothing you can do will change anything.
- Tension. Trying to do your best all the time, you risk having a nervous breakdown at any moment.
- The absence of the result. This should be measured in numbers, not in subjective feelings. You should be worried if your efficiency drops, even though you spend as much time and put as much effort as you did before.
What to do?
If you notice these signs of emotional burnout, the first thing you need to do is admit that your power is limited, that you don’t have 6 hands to be able to do everything, and that yes, you are an ordinary person who can get tired and not someone who makes everyone else happy all the time. And then:
Set a manageable day/night schedule. Make a system of how you eat and if you’re used to not eating when you’re busy, set reminders on your phone. Drink water.
Try to have more cardio exercise in your life.
If you’re feeling anxious, try doing breathing exercises. (For example, the “4—7—8” exercise. Breathe out through your mouth. Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose while you count to 4. Hold your breath until you count to 7, and breathe out through your mouth while you count to 8).
Sign up for a massage. It’s proven that massage can reduce the body’s levels of cortisol — the stress hormone.
Talk to someone you trust about your mental state like a specialist or a good friend.
And remember that nobody is immune to emotional burnout. So, don’t blame yourself if you suddenly run out of power. Try helping yourself as early as possible and don’t make yourself work too hard any longer.
