by Ruaidhri Horan, Marketing Manager, Abrivia Recruitment
Work burnout is generally perceived as exhaustion and apathy which leads to low productivity in the workplace. Below are 5 tell tale signs that you are experiencing burn out. If you identify with any of the below, perhaps it is time to move on to a new challenge in a different, healthier environment.
A state of constant tiredness
Are you constantly tired? Even after a long nights sleep you may still feel exhausted and have no energy to launch into the many tasks ahead of you. You may also have less appetite, be experiencing broken sleep and becoming noticeably forgetful.
Apathy
You simply “don’t really care” anymore. You constantly arrive late for work as you struggle to get out of bed. Presenteeism is a common sign of apathetic employees. They are there in body but not in spirit as their mind is elsewhere and consequently productivity is generally low as they are easily distracted by non-work-related matters. Apathetic employees are not as engaged with their co-workers and generally just “go through the motions” every day.
Cynicism and pessimism
Do you find yourself having less and less good to say about where you work? Do you feel that you can only rely on yourself and your colleagues cannot be trusted? Then you are in a bad place. In extreme cases you may isolate yourself from your colleagues and try and minimise the interactions you have with your co-workers. This is very bad for your own mental health as you have lost your “joie de vivre” in the workplace. The best option is to move on and seek new opportunities elsewhere, as often, a “fresh start” is often the best solution.
Anger
Are you constantly angry and noted for your angry outbursts in the workplace? If so, you should carefully consider why you are so irritable and why you have such a short fuse. You may feel justified in your anger as you were passed over for a promotion, you didn’t receive a pay rise for some years and you are constantly being undermined by your colleagues. However frequent angry outbursts do not help your case and may be a sign of emotional burnout.
Increasing sick days
As you are constantly exhausted your immune system is also taking a bashing. Consequently, you are becoming more susceptible to colds and flus.
Alternatively, you may simply “not care anymore” and an increasing number of sick days is testament to this.
If you are experiencing emotional burnout, depending on its scale you should consult with a psychologist and remove yourself from the situation by seeking out opportunities in a healthier work environment.
