When life gets busy, it can be hard to remember to take a moment for yourself and relax. But just like how your body can feel rundown while fighting off an infection, so can your mind when it doesn’t get a break.
“Burnout can occur from many different sources and changes in life circumstances,” says Steven Nagasaka, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist at Hookupu Counseling Services. “Whether you have a heavy workload, a new family situation, or an increased school load, that can all lead to burnout.”
Nagasaka and his wife, Deanna Mirzai-Nagasaka, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, share some signs that you may need to take a mental health break:
- Changes in mood. Irritability, feeling numb or stuck, or a lack of motivation are all symptoms of burnout. If you’re focusing on negative thoughts or feel mentally and physically exhausted, you may also be burnt out.
- Changes in self-care. Have you stopped prioritizing sleep, healthy eating, regular exercise, and spending time outdoors or with loved ones? Reduced immunity or frequent illness accompanied by physical symptoms could also be a concern.
- Difficulty with concentration and focus. You may find your mind wandering, or you’re more forgetful. Both could be indicators that burnout is impending (if not already underway).
Burnout doesn’t just happen; it builds up over time, and it can take weeks or months to recover. So, when you first notice any concerning symptoms, try to take a break and refrain from pushing yourself to keep going.
What can you do to recover?
If you’re burnt out, you’re likely mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. It may even feel like it’ll take too much out of you to create change. But it’s important to acknowledge how prolonged and excessive stress is affecting you.
If burnout is left untreated, it leads to a higher risk of depression and anxiety; it can also affect your career and relationships.
Having a strong support circle, prioritizing self-care, and focusing on things you enjoy can help. Nagasaka and Mirzai-Nagasaka suggest:
- Talking to a therapist or someone you trust about high pressure work expectations and how to manage stress.
- Making non-negotiable schedule commitments to self-care like meditation, hobbies, creative outlets, or exercise.
- Planning a vacation, beach outing, picnic, or other activities that give you a break from the daily grind.
How can you prevent burnout?
You can take steps to ensure you don’t ever approach the fine line between stress and burnout by setting realistic expectations about what’s sustainable in your life.
“Is working 60 hours a week something that can be an ongoing part of a balanced life? Probably not, and it’s something we already know but may have a hard time admitting to ourselves until we ‘break,’” says Mirzai-Nagasaka.
Burnout prevention can also involve your approach to work. Break up tasks into manageable chunks, so you don’t get overwhelmed with deadlines. And when you leave your work for a break or the day, leave work behind.
“Create a clear delineation between your work requirements and personal life,” says Mirzai-Nagasaka. “Be more present in your personal life. And engage in self-care and effective stress management, which is both important for work/life balance that keeps us in a healthy mind-body state.”
And when you notice you just aren’t feeling like yourself, don’t be afraid to take a mental health day from work or school. Sometimes, that’s just what you need to refresh, recharge, and refocus, so that you can be your best self.
Get support
If you’re covered, HMSA’s Online Care® is a helpful resource for emotional support and stress and anxiety management (in addition to physical ailments such as a cold, the flu, pink eye, or sinus infections). You can access this telehealth option 24/7, 365 days a year from the comfort of home or anywhere that’s convenient. Online Care providers are Hawaii-licensed and HMSA-credentialed. You can even access Hookupu Counseling Services for online therapy. Please note that you must be in Hawaii to use Online Care.
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