Living through the pandemic has most certainly highlighted the complexity of work-life balance. Burnout, in fact, is a severe issue in the modern workplace. It’s estimated that 20% of people will experience burnout at some point in their lives, and that number will only increase as our jobs become more demanding and stressful.

Burnout happens when there is physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress in the workplace. It is characterized by hopelessness, cynicism, a lack of energy, decreased productivity and increased absenteeism.

The common signs of burnout include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased personal accomplishment. Emotional exhaustion refers to feeling drained and unable to cope with the job’s demands. Depersonalization refers to feeling detached from the job and a lack of engagement with colleagues and clients. A decrease in personal accomplishment refers to a lack of satisfaction and a sense of failure in the job.

 If you think your symptoms are those of burnout, here are four signs that should send up red flags:

1. You feel exhausted for no reason.

You’re tired and have no energy or motivation to do anything. You may even have trouble getting out of bed in the morning. This is a sign that your body is telling you it’s time to take a break from work–but if this happens often, it could also be a sign of burnout!

2. You find It hard to make decisions.

You have trouble making decisions, or you are indecisive. You may feel overwhelmed by all of the options available to you and end up procrastinating on taking action because of this. You might even avoid making a decision altogether because of this feeling of being stuck in a rut and unable to move forward with your life!

3. You don’t care about anything anymore.

You are experiencing a lack of interest in all activities, including the ones that gave you pleasure. This lack of interest could be related to your job, health, relationships, or even your appearance. If you’re no longer interested in things that used to excite and inspire you, it may be time for a change of scenery or some self-care.

4. Burnout can be hard on your health and happiness.

Long-term effects of burnout are stress, depression and other health problems are just some of the long-term effects of burnout. It may also affect your relationships with others and productivity at work.

What you can do to prevent burnout: If you’re experiencing any signs, you must address them before things get worse! An excellent first step is ensuring you have enough time for self-care in your daily routine–this could mean taking breaks throughout the day or through activities like exercise (or even just doing something fun). Finding a supportive environment, for instance, through spending time connecting with friends or family members who make you happy, is a beneficial step in the right direction.