Five burnout warning signs

Managers devote less time to recovery, and they sleep fewer hours than they say they do. This is the picture that emerges from &frankly’s own surveys. A lack of sleep and recovery together with high levels of stress is a dangerous combination. How do you find a healthy balance between work and private life? And what are the signs that you need to focus on your health more?

Here are five warning signs to look out for:

1. You often have headaches (which could indicate that you are tense)
2. You are often tired (your brain is signalling that it wants to rest)
3. You lack patience and are easily irritable
4. You can’t remember when you last laughed (a heavy workload can upset your perception of time)
5. You’ve stopped spending time with friends (high levels of stress mean that you don’t make time for meaningful conversations with those close to you)

Are you experiencing any of the above signs? Then you should evaluate your workload and try to re-focus: can you delegate tasks, handover complex projects or share responsibilities? Can you make more time for recovery? As symptoms worsen, you may be heading for a burnout. Acting early can help you avoid serious health implications.