Are You Exhausted and Worn Out? Here are Five Things You Can Start Doing Today

It happened to me multiple times. Here is what I have learned when I had researched the topic of mental exhaustion and the feeling of being worn out, and this is what you should do to pull yourself out of it.

What does it Mean to Be worn out?

Being worn out is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place.
Burnout reduces productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.
The negative effects of burnout spill over into every area of life—including your home, work, and social life. Burnout can also cause long-term changes to your body that make you vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu. Because of its many consequences, it’s important to deal with burnout right away.
 

How to know if you have reached the point of burnout and are worn out?

Here are some of the most common signs of being worn out:¹

• Do you feel alienated from your day to day activities at home and at work?

Individuals who are worn out may view their jobs as increasingly stressful and frustrating. They may grow cynical about their working conditions and the people they work with. They may also emotionally distance themselves and begin to feel numb about their work.

• Are you noticing physical symptoms that are out of the ordinary?

Chronic stress may lead to physical symptoms, like headaches and stomachaches or intestinal issues.

• Do you feel worn out and drained?

Burnout causes people to feel drained, unable to cope, and worn out. They often lack the energy to get their work done.

• Do you feel that you are having a harder time getting things done?

Burnout mainly affects everyday tasks at work—or in the home when someone’s main job involves caring for family members. Individuals with burnout feel negative about tasks. They have difficulty concentrating and often lack creativity.

• Do you self-medicate?

Are you drinking more? Smoking more? Using more sleeping pills? Eating more or less than usual?
If you are at a point of burnout and you have just realized it, half of your work toward feeling better is already done! This is because many times we are so drained that we do not even stop to realize where we are and how we got there. You can get yourself out of burnout mode and you can start immediately today. Being in burnout mode just means you need to make some clear and immediate changes.

Here are Five Things that You Can Do Differently Today:

1. Take 15 every two hours.

Take 15 minutes for designated rest. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you stop the rat race and keep yourself occupied but doing something that will give your mind a break from anxiety and multi-tasking. You can take a walk, you can listen to a podcast, you can read, you can shower, you can talk to someone you love. No matter what you do, give your mind a break for fifteen minutes every three hours. Not only that you will end up being more focused and productive, but you will also regain your sense of calm and control.

2. Get organized

Much of the stress we experience on a daily basis doesn’t necessarily come from having too much work; it comes from being too disorganized to handle the work effectively. The problem is jumping from task to task without taking the time to stop, plan and get organized. Stop everything that you are doing and write a short to do list for today and another short one for tomorrow. Leave yourself lines for checkmarks for completed tasks. Now put it in front of you and check things off as you go.

3. Lean on Your Support System and Socialize

You may be thinking that you are too worn out to even talk to others, needless to say- to listen. But this exactly is what will get you out of your own head. Who can you talk to that you like enough to enjoy the conversation? Who can you share with how overwhelmed you are? And if you don’t feel close enough to anyone- who can you just enjoy reaching out to? Get yourself un-isolated. Being in the company of others can help alleviate that feeling of being emotionally drained, but only if you are in the company of people that you love and that support and accept you.

4. Practice Positive Thinking

If you are telling yourself negative things like: