Mental Health

How to tell if you’re officially burned out

Job burnout isnā€™t just an expression ā€” itā€™s now a bona fide mšŸ… edical dź¦‡isorder.

In May, the World š“ƒ²Health Organization classified job burnout as ā€œa syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.ā€

So how can you tell if the symptoms you are experiencing are normal, life-related worries, or if you are spirašŸ·ling into a pit of stress?

Here are five red flags to look for:

1. Lack of motivation

ā€œYou may start feeling anxious about yourź¦° work, ā€œeven for parts of your job you used to enjoy,ā€ says Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a clinical psychologist in Midtown.

Thź¦•is typically reveals itselfą¼’ as annoyance or feelings of frustration.

2. Being easily annoyed

An irascible mindset may emerge.

Look for ā€œirritabilitą²žy with co-workers, negativity šŸ…·about bosses or your company that you canā€™t fully explain or that doesnā€™t really make sense when you think about it,ā€ says Carmichael. ā€œLike, ā€˜Iā€™m so mad theyā€™re painting the break room green ā€” what a dumb color.ā€™ā€Šā€

3. A significant personality change

ā€œOne early sign of burnout is a marked personality change, such as a usually talkative employee becź¦ŗoming quiet and reserved,ā€ says Carl Bloomfield, managing director at insurance broker the Graham Company in Midtown. ā€œOr an amicable empź¦°loyee suddenly starts vocalizing his or her complaints.ā€

4. A sense of disengagement

You may start feeling apathetic toward both your job and your coš’ƒ-workers.

ā€œWe may struggle to feel connected to workplace challenges because we simply donā€™t have enough energy or enthusiasm to move throušŸ’žgh them,ā€ says Amina AlTai, a holistic leadership and mindset coach in Williamsburg. ā€œOur brains and bodies become so exhausted that it impacts our ability to problem solve, be creative and sometimes even šŸ”Æget through the work week.ā€

5. Physical symptoms

Your body may speak volumes.

ā€œChronic fatigue, insomnia and unexplāœØained health complaints like headaches are allšŸ˜¼ symptoms,ā€ says Dr. Fred Pescatore, an M.D. in Midtown. ā€œTheyā€™re important to address with your doctor.ā€

Headaches and eye tiredness from long hours staring at a comšŸ’ƒputer can be early signs, toošŸ¦„.

ā€œWhile these may seem like common health complaints, if youā€™re experiencing these symptoms consistently over time and they are interfering with your daily life, then your doctor can help distinguish between an underlying health issue or if itā€™s something directly related to burnout,ā€ Pescatore sašŸ¦‹ys.

How to deal with burnout

Once these signs appear, itā€™s impošŸƒrtant to take action before chronic burnout leads to serious health complications and continued challenges.

ā€œDonā€™t ignore the symptoms,ā€ said Pescatore, who recommends seeking support through friends and loved ones, or therapy to discuss your career goals. ā€œIt may be time tošŸ™ˆ reassess how youā€™re managing your stress and your role at work. Diet also plays a huge role. Poor diet can make these syā™Žmptoms worse and increase the risk of further health complications.ā€

Identify factors at work contributing to extreme stress levels and approach your boss about eaź¦ŗsing your workload or addressing the underlying problem.

Bloomfield suggests managersš’Ŗ proactively address the situation before it escalates, and to show that their door is always open.

ā€œA good first step is to have a conversation [with the employee] in a way that is free of judgment. Instead of probing šŸ¬the individual with questions, objectively identify the behaviors you have been seeing that are worrisome.ā€

In addition to talking through the root of the problem, Carmichael suggests taking a class in something new to give your brain a break from the grind. Orź§ƒ simply take a much-needed vacation. ā€œI see many clients who get so burned out they arenā€™t thinking clearly and they miss obvious solutions like using a huge backlog of vacation time.ā€

She also recommends setting limits.

ā€œConsider putting firm boā™undaries around your working schedule,ā€ she says. ā€œThis may help you to focus more while youā€™re at the office.ā€‰.ā€‰. If youā€™re truly at a dead-end job [with people who] wonā€™t work for you to help resolve whatā€™s blocking you, itā€™s best to find a new job.ā€