Sunday 4 March 2018

5 Signs Your Work Life is Overwhelming You

5 Signs Your Work Life is Overwhelming You





In this day and age, reaching a work-life balance poses a great challenge. On this slippery slope, it’s easy to lose your footing and succumb to pressure. We have all experienced it: long hours in the office, a pushy boss getting on your nerves, a bunch of chores waiting at home, and social life taking a backseat. Paycheck at the end of the month hardly justifies the whole ordeal you must go through. Well, stress cannot be avoided altogether, but you can mitigate its impact on your mental and psychical health. Recognize the red flags: Don’t wait for problems to accumulate and leave you on the verge of bursting out.


Waning optimism, increased irritation

When you are enthusiastic about work, you approach every workday with a smile on your face.  But, as you approach a burnout, optimism pales and bad days are no longer few and far in between. At first, you lose interest in goings-on around the office and feel like you need your own time. You start to notice a lack of appreciation for what you do, and small things irritate you. At this point, when one isolated bad day stretches for a whole month, you are close to burnout. To escape the feeling of being trapped, you can take frequent breaks, change your nutrition, and get more sunlight and fresh air.


Performance drops

Our work performance is deeply rooted in our motivation and job satisfaction. When these enter a freefall, we no longer feel capable of giving our best. In fact, we struggle to meet the bare minimum. Employees who feel overwhelmed tend to arrive late, dodge obligations, and come up with various excuses. They also go through daily tasks automatically, without thinking much. So, keep your eyes on these hindrances and behavior changes. Don’t fret if you receive a critique: evaluate whether you are still pulling your weight or not.


Tiredness and fatigue

Do you feel constant fatigue and chronic tiredness? This could not only be due to stress, but also a lack of physical activity. So, it’s high time to get more active: this can work wonders for managing stress, fatigue, and anxiety. You don’t even have to spend hours in the gym to real fitness benefits. If you are not really a loner, go for group fitness classes.  At the very least, embed bursts of activity into your daily routines. Ride a bike to work instead of coping with crowds in public transportation. Cover at least one segment of the route on foot. Take stairs instead of the elevator every time.


Work follows you everywhere

Ideally, we all leave our work-related obligations and worriers behind in the office. Yet, distressing thoughts often creep in when we least need them, when we are trying to sleep, relax, or have a pleasant afternoon. You dream and live your work and your mind never gets a break. This is a clear indication that you have been thrown off balance. This is a big problem because everyone needs some time to recharge their batteries and melt the stress away. But, if your work persists and continues to haunt you everywhere, you are at risk of ruining your health.


Health problems

Speaking of which, you always need to closely monitor your health and well-being. Namely, under constant siege from pressure and stress, our immune system is weakened and left vulnerable to a variety of problems. Here are some of the most common issues that need to be on your radar: frequent colds, high blood pressure insomnia, depression, weight gain, and mood swings. You cannot allow your health to slowly wither away. Consult your doctor when you notice these sings. Explore ways of improving your lifestyle and building healthier daily habits.


In control and balance


It’s of the utmost importance to recognize early warning signs that you are on your way to having a burnout. Do you do just enough to get by, dread another Monday, and hold resentment towards colleagues? Well, you are not far away from your life becoming unbearable. On a brighter note, there are many everyday steps you can take to regain control and composure.  Ignoring and pretending is not the way to go and certainly not sustainable in the long-term. When stress piles up, it can wreak havoc on your body and mind. So, act now and turn the tide before you hear the crash and burn knocking at your door. 

-

About the Author: Peter is a lifestyle writer located in Brisbane, Australia. After graduating from Australian Institute of Creative Design, he worked as a trend forecaster and as a freelance writer for few local newspapers in Brisbane. Beside writing, he loves shopping, cooking exotic meals and travelling around tropical destinations. He’s future plans are in creating his personal lifestyle blog about everyday life-saving tips.


No comments: