Member-only story
The Signs of Burnout Are More Subtle Than You Think
Here are 5 signals you might be missing
Burnout takes time to develop: it creeps up on you quietly. Its hallmarks are hopelessness, cynicism, and an inability to focus.
It’s also associated with physical symptoms like heart palpitations, blood pressure problems, muscle tension, and random aches and pains.
But it manifests in more insidious ways too. You may be at risk of burnout if…
1. You’re irritated by the little things.
When you lose the ability to enjoy your job, you also run out of patience for it.
Coworkers you used to like suddenly seem pushy, boring, or obnoxious. Your routine feels unbearably stale, but new projects are even more exhausting.
If you have a client-facing job, it takes inhuman effort to talk to them politely and attentively.
Plus, the irritation may spill over to your personal life. You get either snappy or robotically distant, even when you’re with people you love.
You can’t handle minor inconveniences like a broken appliance. You also can’t enjoy your hobbies the way you usually do because you keep getting distracted or annoyed by some detail.
