Checklist: 10 Signs Of Being Overworked
Olga Lukinskaya
Constant stress has long been a part of our lives., and a crazy rhythm and a large number of cases may even like it. It seems that you can continue to work endlessly and train, especially when it turns out well and the result is satisfying. Nevertheless, both the body and the psyche need to rest and recover - and if you deprive them of such an opportunity for too long, the consequences can be dire. We understand what to pay attention to and how to suspect overwork.
1
You constantly do not get enough sleep
The importance of quality sleep is hard to exaggerate, but many of us simply don’t have enough time for it - especially sad if precious two or three hours are spent on standing in traffic jams. We told how to fix a dream: for this you may need dark curtains or blankets that are separate from your partner.
True, if you go to bed early and sleep for a long time, but you still want more, this can also indicate fatigue. When a person performs many tasks at high speed, depleting the resource of decision-making, the psyche simply "burns out" - it is not surprising that after twelve hours of wakefulness it becomes difficult to think, and for recovery it is required rather to go to bed.
2
Social life is over
It is clear that sometimes the priorities are shifted to time - for example, you need to pass a large project, because of which you have to stay at work, or you have to postpone all the entertainment in order to regularly visit a sick relative in the hospital.
But if in your usual routine schedule you have not been able to find time for coffee or dinner with a friend for a couple of months, it's time to change something. This is especially true for freelancers - it is difficult to abandon the project, on which you can work on Saturday and Sunday; but overwork can lead to the fact that both quality and speed of work will fall, therefore, regular rest should be made the rule and not violate it.
3
Weeks fly instantly
How many times were you going to do something non-urgent "next week", and then suddenly it turned out that Saturday was again? If the measured days have gone somewhere, and the weeks and months pass by, as if the minutes are worth slowing down - you are clearly overloaded. Free up the evening for a walk or a series, go for a pedicure, plan the next week not to the minute, but with a margin. And, most importantly, try saying “no” to a new urgent order or transfer the unfinished office today to tomorrow.
4
You have a pain all the time.
Stress can provoke migraine attacks, and constant sitting at the computer - pain in the back, neck, wrists and eye strain. Instead of throwing painkillers, it is better to try to walk in the lunch break, leaving the phone in the office.
If a change of scenery, physical activity, relaxation does not help - make an appointment with a doctor. Even if you exercise regularly and go for a massage, pay attention to the nature of muscle pain. If it has become stronger or does not take longer than before, the body is likely to simply not have time to recover, and then it is necessary to take on squirrels, adjust sleep patterns and take a break from going to the gym.
5
Any change is unsettling
When the day is scheduled every minute, even phone calls start to annoy and frighten - because they violate the plan, and things can start to accumulate like a snowball. In this case, it is time to prioritize, abandoning cases that are not really important.
It is worth trying to delegate responsibilities, having gone from a toxic thought “you want to do well - do it yourself” - after all, it is quite possible to entrust the cleaning of an apartment to another person. Very often, not a large number of truly important tasks leads to overwork, but the fact that we perceive them as important and want to accomplish here and now.
6
Previously favorite things annoying
If, on the way to work, the legs become heavy with every step, and the praise of the management or the gratitude of the clients ceased to bring joy - it is not a fact that this is not your work and needs to be changed (although this is possible). But vacation and a trip to a place where it’s not even possible to check email or work messengers can be a solution.
It is likely that you are just very tired and after a good rest, work again will cause joy and interest. As a result of overwork, interest may not only be lost in work, but also, for example, in sex - we have been told that physical and psychological exhaustion is one of the frequent causes of the “extinction” of sex in a couple.
7
You always carry chargers with you.
The phone is discharged because you are constantly checking messengers, and it’s scary to end up without a connection - suddenly something important will happen. There is a constant stress, and dependence on the gadget and the constant updating of information - you are uncomfortable when you don’t know about the news that minute. In fact, if you give yourself a little break, nothing will happen - remember how we lived before the era of mobile phones. A trip to the subway, for example, is an opportunity to read an art book that has no relation to work and business, and slightly unload the psyche.
8
You are always on the run
Again, in certain situations, a snack that does not take much time is justified - but the situation is not very good if you do not remember when you were eating at the table without looking at the screen of a computer or smartphone. Calm food choices, the ability to rush to their tastes without haste and feel a gradual saturation not only increase the chances of choosing healthier foods, but also allow you to take a break and get out of business. Namely, this is very important in case of overload.
9
Exercise is harder
Running speed has stopped improving, and rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath do not allow to increase the weight in the rocking chair - it means that the body signals that it is not ready for more intense loads. Of course, this also happens for obvious reasons like illness or a hangover, but if you generally feel as usual, then a decrease in stamina may indicate overwork. You need to take a break in training, not forcing the body to work for wear - otherwise close to injury, after which the break will already be forced.
10
Mood Swings
Although frequent mood swings can cause serious problems like depression or severe PMS, stress also remains one of the common causes of emotional lability. Lack of sleep and excessive load do not allow to recover and cognitive functions - forgetfulness appears, concentration decreases. We always emphasize that we should not advise “just taking a vacation” to a person who has developed depression - but the external manifestations of overwork can really be similar to depressive ones, and in this case, the vacation will benefit.
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