5 Signs of Burnout & How To Stay Motivated

Photo Credit: Sara V

In a recent article for Inc Magazine, Jessica Stillman writes about 5 Surprising Signs of Burnout. In the article, Jessica points out that there are several tell-tale signs of burnout that you may not expect.
Stillman begins by explaining the difference between exhaustion and burnout. Exhaustion is something that can be easily fixed by a good night's sleep, but burnout is more significant & complex.
In the article, burnout is described as "lack of motivation, empty creative reserves, or the slow but steady accumulation of little stressors." Unlike exhaustion, burnout takes weeks or months to take effect and can be a harder to recover from. 5 signs of burnout are as follows:

1 - Inability to Concentrate: Due to constant stress, the human brain cannot focus as well, leading to decreased productivity
2 - Guilt: Due to the decreased productivity, one will become guilty, resulting in more time working in attempt to reconcile one's shortcomings
3 - Frequent Mood Changes: Burnout is closely associated to emotional exhaustion. This can lead to depersonalization, alienation, and depression
4 - Social Isolation: Becoming depressed can lead to separation from others, which leads to more depression. Burnout can be a viscous cycle to break
5 - Overeating: The Mayo Clinic suggests that food, drug, or alcohol abuse are indicators that someone may be struggling with burnout.

That's enough about Burnout. What we really need to focus on are ways to avoid burnout. Stillman's article suggests that time with one's family & loved ones is a great way to combat the effects of burnout. This advice falls directly in line with the guiding principles set forth by Mary Kay herself when starting her company: God first, Family second, Career third.

Other simple tips to avoid burnout are to seek motivation in your work, strive to always be improving, & look toward the people that inspire you, this may be a family member, loved one, Sales Director, or a NSD.

People often blame monotony for burnout, but this can be easily fixed. As Albert Einstein stated: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Monotony is often within our control; you can reorganize your routine to a solution that works best for you. It makes no sense to keep doing things a certain way if you are not getting the results you are aiming for.   Exercise is another great way to combat burnout and foster healthy habits.  Sometimes an act as simple as taking a walk can help you refocus on your priorities.