Signs You are Overwork and In Need of a Break: Overworked, In Need of a Break and Working Smarter

Are you feeling more and more exhausted, depressed and discouraged? Many people feel that way at home, at work or at school. Everyone experiences stress to some degree, but when there is excessive stress, a person can be on the road to burnout.

“Preventing Burnout: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Coping Strategies” distinguishes between stress and burnout.

Are you overworked and in need of a break? 

For example, a busy mother with three, small children loves her family dearly and is dedicated to their well being, but finds that taking care of everyone is a lot of work. She becomes exhausted, depressed and discouraged realizing there is no end to this in the immediate future.

A man, not quite old enough to retire, drives a truck from dusk until dawn seven days a week, hoping to be able to save enough money for his pending retirement. He is aware that he is placing his life at risk by working so many hours, but exhaustion, depression and discouragement have always been a part of his life’s work. He is determined to succeed or die trying.

A young medical student takes on extra curricular activities on top of his full time studies, working with boys with severe disabilities in order to obtain extra credits. His workload is extremely heavy and exhaustion sets in. He becomes increasingly depressed and is discouraged because his marks are gradually dropping.         

All of these people are experiencing exhaustion, depression and discouragement, but for different reasons.

Exhaustion, depression and discouragement are signs that you are overworked and in need of a break. Trying to ignore these signs does not usually work, as they will not go away. If anything, they will become more severe leading to potential mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health problems.

A human being has a tremendous capacity for work and when a person feels challenged, there are no limits to his or her endurance. Common sense suggests that the human capacity to endure stress and carry a workload does have limits, but most people go beyond those limits. Something has to happen before they will take a break.

Recognizing one’s capacity to endure stress is important. This means acknowledging in some way, the warning signs, before irreparable damage occurs. Damage may be reversible, but it is not always possible.

When overworked, seeking an appropriate solution becomes a preventative health measure.

For example, the young mother finds a day care for her children, several mornings a week. The truck driver talks to a financial planner, who shows him how he can manage his money more effectively, as he heads into retirement. The young medical student finds other medical students to assist him with his disabled boys’ project and gains additional motivational leadership credits.

Working smarter reduces stress and the likelihood of burnout.

Taking a break can mean making other arrangements when overworked as a parent, worker or a student. It does not necessarily mean taking time off or a holiday, although those can prove beneficial too. Stress is inevitable, but burnout is preventable.