44 SIGNS YOU'RE EXPERIENCING LIFESTYLE BURNOUT
Last week, I described to you a concept I invented called “lifestyle burnout.” It’s similar to the burnout we hear about when it comes to work…except it’s much broader….which makes it more debilitating. We’re overwhelmed and stressed and burnt out, not just on work but on our entire, relentless lives.
Today, I’m bringing you 44 signs you are experiencing lifestyle burnout so you’ll know if this applies to you and you oughta keep paying attention to my articles coming up. I also put together a PDF to show you 9 key differences between stress and burnout. Once you can identify the signs, you can start developing a program of strategies to combat burnout and the anxiety that accompanies it.
Let’s get to it.
44 Signs of Lifestyle Burnout
- You feel emotionally exhausted, drained, and depleted.
- At the end of the day, you feel used up.
- You have difficulty dealing with emotional problems calmly.
- It’s hard to create a relaxed atmosphere at home.
- You feel like you’re at the end of your rope.
- Every day feels like a hard day.
- The majority of your day is spent on tasks that are either overwhelming or incredibly monotonous.
- It seems like nothing you do is making a difference.
- You feel unappreciated.
- You find yourself having negative attitudes about the people you love.
- Being around your family is a strain.
- You get frustrated with your ordinary responsibilities.
- You’re criticizing and nit-picking your loved ones.
- You don’t enjoy your life.
- You dread getting up in the morning.
- You’re pessimistic and convinced that ordinary things aren’t going to work out well.
- You isolate yourself from others.
- You feel disconnected from your family.
- You’ve lost your sense of purpose. You used to have one, but now you can’t remember what it was.
- You’re critical of how you’re doing as a parent/spouse/friend.
- You feel like you’re putting way too much work into life for very little benefit. You wonder if everyone else is working as hard as you are on life.
- You doubt yourself.
- You feel like a failure.
- You withdraw from your responsibilities.
- You don’t get ordinary things done as well as you used to.
- You feel unmotivated.
- You’re unsatisfied with life.
- You feel like you’re getting nowhere and accomplishing nothing.
- You question whether you’re a positive influence on your children.
- You’re exhausted but can’t sleep.
- You already feel tired when you wake up in the morning.
- You find yourself eating, drinking, smoking, etc. to feel better.
- You’ve stopped taking care of yourself.
- Your marriage is stressed.
- You can’t focus or concentrate.
- You’re forgetful.
- You’re disorganized.
- You procrastinate, and it takes longer to get ordinary things done.
- Your workload feels excessive.
- You have symptoms of anxiety (check out my article 20 Signs You Might Be Having a Panic Attack to check).
- You’re getting sick a lot (check out my article 9 Signs of Stress in Women for more physical indicators of stress).
- You have frequent headaches and stomachaches.
- You feel depressed.
- You’re angry, irritable, and impatient.
Individually, most of those indicators are not really a huge deal. I mean, who doesn’t feel irritable and impatient from time to time. But if you’re noticing a lot of those symptoms, and they’re happening a lot of the time, you might be experiencing lifestyle burnout.
You might be curious how lifestyle burnout is different than stress. I put together a chart in a PDF to help you see the difference. In a nutshell, burnout is what happens after you’re stressed….and then you’re more stressed….and then you’re even more stressed than that…. Like that’s where burnout comes in. Download the PDF to see more differences between stress and burnout.
So if you identify with all this burnout stuff, stick with me. Next week, I’m back with 3 things I do to avoid lifestyle burnout. Don’t miss it.
Dr. Finch
P.S. If you skimmed to the end, here’s the gist: I outlined 44 signs of lifestyle burnout and put together a PDF that shows the difference between stress and burnout. Once you can identify the signs of burnout, you can start to prevent or overcome it. Next week, I’m back with 3 things I do to avoid lifestyle burnout. Don’t miss it.
P.P.S. Remember, this is education, not treatment. Always consult with a psychologist or therapist about your mental health to determine what information and interventions are best for you. See the disclaimer for more details.