How to Identify Job Burnout Symptoms

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Jonathan Eqar

It’s extremely important in this hectic, always-on-the-go world that busy people recognize job burnout symptoms long before it becomes hard to deal with.

Understanding that job burnout is a combined state of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion that is usually the product of a great deal of long-term experienced work demands is important for maintaining overall health.

Are You At Risk?

• Your work ethic is so strong it leaves you with little other activity in your personal life
• You aim to please everyone at work all the time
• Job activity tends to be monotonous
• You have no control over what you do at work
• If you are a "helper" professional who tends to empathize greatly with others you assist in fields such as counseling, teaching, healthcare or law enforcement your emotions can run to the brink of burnout

Symptoms That Indicate Danger of Burnout

• Have you recently exhibited increased cynicism, sarcasm and criticism in the work place?
• Do you find yourself having little, if any, joy from work activity?
• Do you procrastinate getting to or starting work?
• Has your tolerance and patience dealing with fellow workers, associates and clients decreased recently?
• Has all job satisfaction disappeared for you?
• Can you no longer laugh at the things you do?
• Do many of your co-workers and friends keep asking if you are OK?
• Do you now feel your future job prospects are dim or desperate?
• Are you gaining weight? Overeating? Drinking more alcohol than before?
• Are you finding it difficult to sleep?
• Have you developed unexplained body and headaches?

Answering "yes" to any, many or all of these questions can be an indication that you are suffering from job burnout.

Job burnout could also disguise medical problems such as depression. If you find yourself suffering debilitating health problems, although everything is going smoothly on the job, consult a physician immediately.

Burnout Can Creep Up On You

You may find yourself on the job after some time becoming disillusioned about what in the beginning may have excited you and drove you to look forward to each day arriving at work.

Sometimes changes on the job have an adverse affect upon people who have become all too familiar with a specific way of doing things and find it difficult to adapt to new ways.

Dealing with job burnout can be a difficult task that may require help from others such as a shop foreman, supervisor or family physician.

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