Published on 12, July, 2020
This is the first year where I really feel I can recognise a few signs of burnout before being actually ‘in’ it. I know it’s not far off. At least I think so anyway.
For me, I feel like I become a little less articulate, seemingly simple tasks become pretty much impossible (an instance at work basically confirmed this today), inertia really sets in (I owe thanks to everyone who helped me learn more about this in a recent post), I tend to lose a bit of social fluency (I think I miss points of etiquette more often than usual) and I become very clumsy.
All of this is happening right now. It’s interesting to sort of sit back and observe it a little before it properly happens this time around.
Do you know your warning signs? Hopefully this isn’t a rude question. Genuinely curious.
Not a rude question at all. In fact I've been curious as to how others experience this as well.
For me I become hot, my skin feels prickly, I get a swimmy head, hands shaking, feel on edge, very anxious and then I lose all my social capability.
And then boom! In a full state of meltdown.
Being able to recognise this does give me a chance to at least prepare myself but it still takes it out of me when it happens.
I’m glad we share the same curiosity in this.
Heat is a real thing for me too. I get incredibly hot right before/during meltdown. And in moments of high anxiety too.
Even knowing these things really does add to the exhaustion.