Early Signs of Burnout
Today, we will be deep diving into early signs of burnout in an effort to help you name the signs and call them what they are:
alarm bells that things need to change.
I was only able to recognize about four to five months AFTER beginning to have symptoms that burnout was what I was experiencing. I was struggling in my day-to-day life but had yet to recognize those early signs of burnout with enough time to understand how to turn it around before I reached total shutdown.
From my own lived experience, here are the signs that I was able to pinpoint and name:
Trouble sleeping: My sleep issues presented themselves as insomnia, the inability to stay asleep, and racing thoughts all night. I could not have consistent and reliable sleep patterns, leading to many other problems in my day-to-day life. I tried so hard to stay awake during the day, but the sleepless nights would absolutely take their toll on me.
Rumination of my to-do list: When I recognized this as a consistent red flag in my burnout recovery journey, I realized I had pitted myself against myself. I was never going to do enough to satisfy the running list in my mind, so it would NEVER be enough to make myself feel better. I noticed that I would dread resting because I felt the guilt pile on for taking time to myself. It was a constant stream of negative thoughts and feelings, drilling me further down the spiral.
Exaggerated inability to focus: One of the highlight symptoms of ADHD is the inability to focus on things that you have limited interest in, but in the case of burnout, I was experiencing this on a grander scale. Every day I would find my mind wandering to a foggy and empty wasteland, even if I was thinking about something I would normally love, like music or spending time with my family.
Quick to anger and irritability: My family was on the receiving end of so much anger and irritability and were some of the first people to help me understand that I was not acting like myself. Anything could set me off, and the overstimulation from my kids would put me in a very dark place.
Making careless mistakes: I lost the ability to care about my actions and decisions. I would make scheduling and editing mistakes and avoid regular business tasks like managing my finances. I ended up completely giving up and turning away clients because I couldn't handle any more on my plate.
Hobbies have lost their spark: The things that would bring me joy, like playing the piano and immersing myself in music, triggered my sadness and depression. I didn’t even want to touch the piano for weeks; it became a source of distress.
Dread socializing with friends and family members: I was no stranger to alone time, but this was on another level. I would stay home, isolated in my room in my bed, and feel utterly helpless. I would avoid conversations with my family, close friends, and even my children for fear of snapping at them.
This brings me to my questions:
Which signs, if any, are you recognizing in your life? Have you experienced neurodivergent burnout before? What is contributing to burnout in your day-to-day life?
I want you to remember that my burnout experience is why the Accountable Otters Club exists and why I designed the AOC formula with burnout prevention at the heart. Our membership is the definition of community care; safe, interpersonal interactions and accountability with like-minded humans on journeys to achieve their goals.
Visit the Community page to learn more about our membership programs.
