The number of people suffering with their mental health as a result of workplace burnout is increasing year on year. When you’re passionate about what you do for work, and so you often ignore the fact that you’re working super-long hours, taking on huge workloads, and putting massive pressure on yourself to excel – all of which have a negative impact on your mental health.
Whether you’re a teacher, doctor, lawyer, of work for a social media agency – you’re never exempt from being affected by mental health. All jobs can be stressful and feel overwhelming at times.
So, what are the warning signs?
Anxiety & Depression
Feeling tense, worried, and on edge all the time are all signs you’re heading for burnout – and the anxiety may become so serious that it interferes in your ability to work productively.
You may also start to feel overwhelmingly sad and hopeless – which can form into feeling deeply depressed.
Irritability.
You may start to feel irritable and short tempered – even if this is completely unlike you. You may have angry outbursts and arguments at home and in the workplace.
Insomnia.
Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep – largely because you’re thinking about work. As time goes on insomnia may turn into a persistent, nightly ordeal.
Chronic fatigue.
You may feel a huge lack energy and feel tired most days – even if you are sleeping. You might feel physically and emotionally exhausted, drained, and depleted.
Physical symptoms.
Physical symptoms may present themselves in chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, stomach pain, dizziness and fainting, or migraines.
Sound familiar?
If you’re feeling even one or two of these symptoms, you may want to consider getting some help.
Mental health issues are not like getting the flu; it doesn’t go away after a few weeks unless you make some changes in your life. Being happy and healthy at work is more important that many people account for. You spend around third of your life in the workplace on average – so if it’s somewhere that is making you miserable, you should make changes.
A new career or fresh start may seem daunting, but it is not worth feeling miserable, stressed and unhappy at work and suffering in silence.
The best thing you can do it start by making a few little changes now will keep you in the race with a lot of gas to get you across the finish line.