The absence of any motivation can be very frightening for someone, especially if they’re usually motivated.
Burnout is defined as a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.
This could happen with your line of work, school, hobbies, activities, and practically anything. Read on for three clear signs that you’re burning out.
1. It feels like you’re pulling teeth to find the motivation to do what you’ve gotta do.
A tell-tale sign you’re getting burnt out is when the thing you’ve always enjoyed doing begins to feel like a chore.
One activity that comes to mind is writing. I started writing in 2019 and have only experienced two weeks when I didn’t want to look or think about writing.
To open up my screen to a blank page and come up with a headline, subtitle, cover photo, and a solid takeaway didn’t excite me the way it used to. To save me from this burnout, I took a one-week break and forced myself to return. I’ve been going ever since then.
You don’t have to stick with it forever until the end of time, but you do need to take a break.
2. You no longer make it a priority.
Everyone is busy with something. However, we all prioritize things differently. If you notice yourself cutting back from prioritizing your “thing,” this is a clear sign that you’re burnt out.
We only make time for the things we truly want to do. It’s very cut and dry. One day away from your thing turns into two, three, four, and then next thing you know it’s been six months.
Some flames die after a while. Only the true flames prevail. If you’re not making your thing a priority, it could be time to reassess your situation or find something else that brings you happiness.
You don’t have to prioritize your thing seven days a week, but you can’t completely disregard it if you want to stick with it in the long term.
3. You get stressed out every time you think about it.
Something that brings you joy and happiness should never give you stress unless you’re burnt out and need a change.
What’s the thing you might be burnt out from? Think about it. Does thinking about it make you happy or give you stress and anxiety?
Depending on your answer, you probably need to take a break or get back to pursuing it. Only you can answer this question. Only you can get back on track or move on.
You don’t have to give up because you feel stressed, but you must acknowledge your feelings and do what’s best for your mental health.
Final Thought
Burnout sucks. It can completely suck the life out of you if you’re in it or approaching it. No one wants to give up, but in certain cases, we have to.
The better approach is to give yourself space and time away from that “thing” so that you can miss it, acknowledge your feelings, and go from there.
The three signs I mentioned above should help you create a plan of action, but ultimately, the outcome is up to you.