Signs of burnout: How to recognize and evaluate what to keep doing and what to let go of.

From personal experience, I know that burnout is real. It is not to be dismissed.

Here are some signs:

1. Lack of enthusiasm and vitality
2. Difficulty getting up in the morning and falling asleep at night.
3. Speaking in a monotone.
4. Feeling bored and listless.
5. Feeling alienated from your family, co-workers, and friends
6. Feeling hungry but lack an appetite.
7. Becoming depressed (the line between burnout and depression is very thin).

If you notice some of these symptoms, here’s a suggested strategy to start a recovery path:

1. Be honest with yourself. Most people cross the line into burnout at some point in their life.
2. Have a heart-to-heart conversation with people who depend on you. Ask them what absolutely needs to stay on your plate and what you can let go of.
3. Get clear and ask for the support you need.
4. Take an Energy Inventory. Assess what activities, in the last week, gave you energy and which depleted you. Ask yourself if your tiredness is “bad” tired or “good” tired. Remember: Burnout is not about hard work; it’s about heartache.
5. Delegate everything possible that you hate doing to someone who would love doing it.
6. Accept that guilt is inevitable for conscientious, accountable people. Just don’t put guilt in the driver’s seat. Walk through with grace.