The feeling of exhaustion is a well-known sign of burnout, but what about those subtle signs that you continue to brush off? Yup, we’re talking about the strange things manifesting both inside your body and outside. Today, we’re bringing you the 8 lesser-known signs of burnout that you need to watch out for.
8. Your Brain Is Literally Shrinking
Brain fog isn’t only happening in your head. In fact, chronic burnout can shrink your prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which are parts of your brain that bring memory and focus. This will eventually lead to cognitive decline, which may manifest through memory loss, reduced verbal skills, and your inability to multitask. The damage can even persist after you’ve recovered from burnout!
7. You’re Experiencing Unexplained Aches and Pains
That new joint pain you’re experiencing or that persistent backache may not be from your daily exercise. It can point to chronic stress that causes your muscles to remain in a state of tension, which leads to aches and pains. They’re particularly focused on the shoulders, neck, and back. There’s a connection between burnout and musculoskeletal disorders, which include chronic low back pain.
6. You’ve Lost Your Patience and Tact
Suddenly snapping at your colleagues and family over minor issues is a manifestation of burnout. How? It depletes your mental reserves, which leads to ego depletion. This makes you more irritable, impatient, and impulsive, which affects your frustration tolerance. It’s not actually a personality flaw, but rather a sign that the control circuits of your brain are already fried from chronic stress.
5. You’re Gaining Weight, Especially Around Your Waist
If you noticed that your weight on the scale is going up, especially on the waist, then do a burnout check. Chronic stress actually elevates the levels of your hormone cortisol, which is linked to a larger waist circumference and an increased likelihood of getting overweight. This isn’t a few extra pounds because it increases your risk of getting serious health issues like stroke, heart disease, and cancer.
4. Your Skin Is Suddenly a Mess
Take a look at your skin. If you’re battling acne, eczema, or a flare-up of psoriasis, then it can be a sign of burnout. Stress actually triggers an inflammatory response in the body that manifests on your skin. These skin conditions can be a reflection of the turmoil happening in your body that becomes visible outside.
3. You’re Constantly Losing Things and Forgetting Names
Forgetting your home keys means that you’ll be stuck locked out of your home unless you have a spare. Well, that “senior moment” might be a sign of burnout. You see, chronic stress actually impairs both short-term working memory and your long-term recall. So yes, you may likely forget things or a colleague’s name. You may even re-read the same sentence multiple times before it clicks in your brain.
2. You’ve Become Deeply Cynical and Detached
If you were once an engaged and idealistic professional who turned into a cynical and detached one, then it could be burnout speaking. It’s not actually a bad attitude, just a psychological defense mechanism against stress that overwhelms you. You may feel emotionally distant from your work, clients, and even your colleagues.
1. You Feel Ineffective and Accomplish Nothing
An often overlooked sign of burnout is the feeling of ineffectiveness. Despite working hard, you feel like you’re accomplishing nothing. You feel unproductive, and you have lost your motivation, so you feel hopeless. Well, that’s a sign that your professional identity is clouded with chronic and unmanaged stress.