10 Signs You're Facing Job Burnout

I once saw a serious case of burnout in college pretty up-close. In fact, it was so up-close, I was the one who was experiencing it. Due to the toxic school environment I was in and the absurdly high standards I was expected to uphold, I snapped.

I got up, told my professor I had enough, and never returned. Most of the time, when burnout happens, it doesn't happen at school. Rather, it happens when your work life or career really aren't making you happy anymore.

When a person burns out on the job, they very rarely end up being happy—or even that productive. A person who is facing job burnout is so worn out from work, they often will end up doing what I did with their career.

A person who is in the process of burning out can still stop the full burn from happening if they take time for themselves and remind themselves of why they chose that career. It also can be curbed by switching jobs.

Speaking as a school burnout, I can tell you that it's excruciatingly painful to actually burn out to the point of walking away. Worried that you're facing job burnout in your career? Here are the warning signs that it's time to take a step back or change things up a little.

Your productivity has been dropping.

One of the most common signs you're facing job burnout manifests itself in your productivity. People who feel engaged at work are people who make things happen. They love their work, so they work hard and fast.

When you're starting to lose your grip on productivity, it's a sign that you no longer care about your job... or that you need to start practicing ways to increase productivity at work before it winds up costing you a job that you need.

Every day, you dread going to work.

Job burnout is something that is characterized by extremely low morale when you're in the workplace. The "extreme" part is where it turns into a warning sign. It's not a normal kind of annoyance when you have to go into work if you're about to go into full burnout.

It's not uncommon to hear that people about to burn out because of their job are crying themselves to sleep because they have to go to work the next day. If this sounds like you, you need to quit your job.

It feels like you literally have everyone against you.

When you're about to burn out, you will often feel like a cornered animal. You will feel attacked from all sides, isolated, and in the middle of an unending uphill battle. It may even be hard to keep yourself from lashing out and giving people a piece of your mind when you're like this.

The thing is, this may or may not be true. It could be a sign your boss wants you to quit. It could be a sign you need to do further experimentation and try out any of the things that can revive toxic work culture. Or, it could be a sign you're on the verge of burning out and need to quit.

Any joy you had in your job is gone.

Take time to ask yourself when the last time you really, truly enjoyed work was. Was it a week ago? A month ago? A year ago? Or, was it so long ago, it's become a distant memory and you can't actually remember why you wanted to do this for a living?

If you can't remember the last time you were happy with your work, or if it's been so long that it's totally joyless, you are either facing burnout or are already there.

You've faked or even gotten yourself sick just so you can have an excuse not to show up.

When throwing up copious amounts of virus is more attractive than going to work, chances are that you are very close to going into complete burnout mode.

At this point, your best bet is to take time away from your job to figure out whether or not you are capable of keeping this up—or if it's just too much work-related stress piling up.

Your work woes have started to affect your personal life.

There's something to be said about having a career that's so toxic, you can't keep the negativity confined to the office. If you find the 8 to 9 hours you spend at work slowly seeping toxicity into your family life, love life, or social life, you have to realize you're burning out.

When this happens, work is usually the source of your depression. Sadly, at this point, you're facing a form of job burnout that might only be repairable by handing in your resignation.

Your friends and family have started to get concerned about your behavior.

Work burnout rarely ever just adheres to work and a grouchy mood. In most cases, people will start finding new ways to let their anger, sadness, and burnout-y vibes loose. This rarely, if ever, is done in a healthy way.

Some people end up turning to food for comfort. Others become rage-aholics. Still more may turn to high risk drugs, thrill-seeking, or pure escapism in order to get their emotional outlets on.

When others notice a dramatic change in your behavior and try to confront you about it, you're facing job burnout that is quickly causing you to spiral out of control. Please, take pause and think about what you're doing. You may need professional help at this point.

You're totally exhausted and you cannot seem to feel well-rested no matter how much you sleep.

I've felt this when I was burning out from my school life. I felt like glue was running through my veins, and the lethargy just wouldn't stop. Even when I went to the doctor, the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with me physically.

The chronic stress that comes with job burnout is what causes this fatigue. Though there are many tips for dealing with stress from your workplace, being absolutely exhausted is not a good sign.

You can't think straight.

When you're dealing with a lot of work-related stress and a lot of serious problems, one of the most common symptoms you'll have is brain fog. You might have a hard time remembering small details, get confused by simple concepts, or even struggle with focusing.

If you find focusing harder and harder to do, then you might have too much work stress and may be headed towards a breakdown.

You stopped caring for yourself.

The most visible sign you're facing job burnout deals with how well you care for yourself. A person who is burning out will literally run themselves ragged, and will stop caring for themselves properly.

If you are worried about losing yourself in your work, take a look at how you look. Have you been washing yourself? Have you stopped going to the gym? Are you eating poorly?

A lack of self-care is a big indicator that you may be working yourself to the bone. Take a breather and take care of yourself, alright?