Don't Burn Out, Babe: 8 Signs You're Seriously Overdoing It

Photo: Smith House Photography

Today, the modern woman juggles a busy household, a demanding job, an endless to-do list, and, if time permits, a social life (gasp!). We as women… let me rephrase…we as superwomen, often get so busy that we miss signs that our body sends us to tell us it might be time to slow down. 

Below are eight signs that you may be overdoing it. If you continue going at the pace you’re going, there may be serious complications down the road. It’s best to detect these signs as early as possible so you can prioritize and evaluate what needs to be done now, and what can wait until later. Without your health, the endless to-do lists and deadlines may not only be completed inadequately, they may never get done.

It’s vital for us superwomen to take care of ourselves so that we can be the superheroes that we are. Don’t miss the signs of burnout so you can keep your flame alive!

1. “I’m feeling on edge and keyed up.”

We all get stressed, overwhelmed, and anxious as a result of daily demands.

Although these feelings are often a normal reaction, it is important to keep a very close eye on these emotions as they can shift from normal to disordered. Anxiety is often hard to put into words, but those who experience anxiety describe it as feeling “on edge” or “keyed up.”

In addition to endless worries, those with an anxiety disorder may experience muscle tension, disrupted sleep, recurrent headaches and symptoms of panic (short of breath, chest tightness, sweaty and tingling in fingers and toes). It’s important to identify if there is a change in the way you are reacting to stress and to seek help before it impairs your ability to function. 

2. “I’d prefer to be alone tonight”

When we get busy at work, our social lives can sometimes take a hit. That’s ok temporarily, but it’s important to distinguish if it’s because you just can’t fit in a cocktail with the girls this week, or that you’d genuinely rather be alone. Isolation and withdrawing from previous pleasurable activities and relationships can be a symptom of depression.

3. “Sorry, what did you say, again?”

Have you ever been so overwhelmed that when you’re sitting in a meeting you can’t seem to focus on what is being discussed? Is that because your mind is taking you back to the amazing concert you attended over the past weekend, or is it because regardless of how hard you try, you just can’t seem to concentrate? If it’s the later (and a change from your baseline) then it’s time to reflect on your current level of stress and your current mood; a change in concentration can be affected with both anxiety and depression. 

4. “I can’t come into work today….”

An increase in absenteeism from work can be a sign that you’re feeling overwhelmed. People call in sick for both the physical, cognitive, and emotional manifestation of anxiety or depression. Work avoidance can also be a sign of depression. 

As important as it is to make the time to care for your mental health, and increase in frequency of work absenteeism is a sign that you may not coping as well.  It may be time to ask for help and reprioritize.   

5. “….I can’t remember”

When our responsibilities become overwhelming it is normal to have difficulty remembering what your boss wanted done, or what you were asked to bring to your friend’s dinner party. If you start noticing that you’re having more difficulty remembering previously formed memories, you may be experiencing a symptom of depression.

6. “If only I had more sleep”

Whether or not you’re up late perfecting every last detail from the previous day of work, or you’re tossing and turning in bed worrying about everything you need to get done during the following day, it’s vital to get on average 6-8 hours of sleep per night (each individual is different when it comes to the amount of sleep you need, but you will know best).

Consider tracking your sleep on your smart phone or go old school by recording it with pen and paper. When we are overworked, overwhelmed or stressed, our sleep is often one of the first clues that it’s time to slow down. It’s also important to track if you start waking up early (really early, like 4-5 am….and without an alarm clock) as early morning wakening can be a symptom of depression.

7. “No, thank you, I’m not hungry”

When we are stressed, overwhelmed, or just plain busy, we may not just forget to eat, but we can start to lose our appetite. In order for us to be healthy and efficient we need to eat nourishing food throughout the day.

Pack snacks and meals the night before (or the week before) to ensure you get the vitamins and fuel your body needs. If you start noticing a change in your appetite (your desire to eat), it may be a clue that you’re overworked and that your mood could be affected. 

8. “I can’t stop crying”

When we get overwhelmed, our body can react to such stress by taking it out on our mood. Some people may not describe their mood as sad per se, but instead they may find themselves tearful without a strong stimulus. It can be normal to be tearful following a stressful day at work, after a disagreement with a co-worker, or upon discovering you didn’t get the promotion you sought all year. If you find yourself more tearful than normal and you’re experiencing some of the signs above, it’s important you let someone know and seek professional help.  

This post was published on February 25, 2019, and has since been updated.

About the Author: Blare June is a lifestyle blogger from Halifax, Nova Scotia. What makes Blare June's blog unique is that in addition to fashion she writes about mental illness, empowerment, and overall wellness. When Blare June isn't blogging, she is working as a physician specializing in psychiatry in Halifax. You can find Blare June online at www.blarejune.com or on Instagram: @blarejune. 

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Why You Need to Stop Putting Yourself Down ASAP

For certified holistic nutritionist, wellness expert and health coach Kelly LeVeque, the hustle began four years ago.

During that time she worked two jobs, "weekends and nights," she says, "and today, I have a book deal with Harper Collins (pub date: April 2017), celebrity clientele (pinch me) and solely run my private practice Be Well by Kelly." 

We caught up with the LA-based lady to chat health (of course), happiness (yes!) and why we should all stop putting ourselves down (forever!!).

Tell us a little about your background? Why did you get into the health space? I have always loved health! After graduating from USC, I took the corporate path though health and wellness working for Fortune 500 companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Stryker and Hologic, and Agendia specializing in cancer and personalized medicine, offering tumor gene mapping and molecular sub-typing to oncologists. My career in medical science meant I had to keep up with cutting-edge research on how diseases develop and how they can be treated. I loved the deep thinking required, especially the statistical analysis—deciphering data for statistical significance, distinguishing between causation vs. correlation, and understanding why study design mattered so much. My career enabled me to go deeper in my passion; I would mine nutrition based pubmed research and build my own opinions around current research. I became the one my friends leaned on (for weight loss, autoimmune diseases, allergies, bad blood tests etc.) so when I let them know I would be going back to school to follow my passion not my paycheck they weren’t surprised. 

Balance. It’s the word of the year, but it’s also super hard to achieve. And it doesn’t happen all at once. What is a healthy way to work toward balance?

I try to instill balance in my clients by giving them light structure (Be Well Fab Four) around what they should eat and breaking down their rigid food rules and cleansing habits. Binging and cleansing cycles swing you back and forth like an out of control pendulum ball. Happiness and health are attained when you find that small swing. Balance isn’t when you stop moving and live a rigid, on-plan, perfect life; when you are focused on a perfect food day you aren’t present, and most likely you are anxious, irritable and thinking about food all day. Instead focus on turning off hunger hormones and thoughts about food and know it be okay to swing a little from time to time. Balance is found with intentional movement to eat clean, sweat and even enjoy a glass of wine with friends. Accept who you are, love who you are and build a lifestyle focused on health, not some abstract idea of “perfection.” So if you have a glass of wine with friends one evening, jump into an app on your phone and schedule a workout or plan to have a fruit free low glycemic smoothie the next morning to bring yourself back into alignment, or both. 

"Happiness and health are attained when you find that small swing."

Tweet this. 

How do you set realistic goals? 

Stop trying to do it all at once and enjoy the journey! Transforming our mindset, our nutrition and our bodies is a journey. It takes practice to be present; to see that big leaps start with small steps and to not get discouraged if we have setbacks. Learn to enjoy it by breaking your “big goals” down into attainable action steps that can reinforce how strong, brilliant and beautiful you are. Just look at the week ahead of you: Plan a workout with a friend and create a healthy meal plan to nourish your body. Step by step, you’ll build a healthy lifestyle, and moments of clarity and opportunities for fun will follow. By focusing on eating real and nutrient-dense food, and striving to build a healthy, active lifestyle, you’ll take the important first steps to being well and it will naturally become a lifestyle. True progress happens when we enjoy making it happen and when we get out of our own way. When you try to change more than one thing at a time chances are you will be overwhelmed and give up. Maybe for just 2 weeks you commit to have a Be Well Smoothie for breakfast, you will be surprised how that positively affects the rest of your life. 

People have a fear of fat. What else are we afraid of that we shouldn’t be? (existential life question…)

Stop fearing change; change your career, get out of a bad relationship, determine if your nutrition habits or “lifestyle” is no longer serving you and change, nothing needs to be forever. Don’t just cling to a mistake because you have invested time and energy making it, convinced your friends or family it was right or invested time. You only have one life to live; live it without regrets by having the guts to adjust your ships sail as needed. Stop waiting for your inner voice to scream, the change will be harder to make, instead trust your voice and make a calculated change sooner rather than later. 

"Change your career, get out of a bad relationship; nothing needs to be forever."

Tweet this.

You’ve said that punishing yourself for failing is unhealthy. We all do it. What are some other habits we can kick to the curb that will benefit our well being both personally and professionally? 

Stop putting yourself down! As women, we need to stop allowing one another to openly bash themselves; “I am,” I can’t,” or “ I am sorry” solidifies those opinions of ourselves and undermines our ability to rise above it. The next time your friend says, “I am fat” simply respond with “that’s great, you have one more” if they do it again, make them stand up in front of everyone and name three things they love about their body. We need to help one another break this horrible habit immediately. 

How do you see health as related to our careers? 

Your nutrition, activity and stress levels directly affect the health and wellness of your career; working actively to remove the stress from your life can also be a good way to get going on the things you want to achieve. Stress reduction is not a one size fits all formula, but there are a few techniques I recommend to help my clients start their day. Meditate via an app, or start your day with a walk or workout. These exercises can provide clarity, comfort and help you prioritize your day. Even doing 15 minutes of exercise or mediation in the morning can move the negative unaligned thoughts from your mind.

What’s a great recipe that will get us energized and feeling productive in the am? 

I always start my day with one of the low sugar, meal replacement smoothie recipes I created for my clients! My Be Well Smoothie formula helps develop a blood-sugar balancing meal in any flavor with enough protein, fat and fiber to keep you full for four to six hours, feed your microbiome, turn off hunger hormones and nourish your body with amino acids, fatty acids and phytonutrients. It limits fruit to 1/4 -1/2 cup, depending on your body composition goals, and some are totally fruit free. A killer go-to is my Spa Smoothie, loaded with greens, cucumber, avocado and lemon. (find my recipe below!).

THE “BE WELL” SPA SMOOTHIE

1/4 avocado
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 small Persian cucumber
1 handful of spinach
1 lemon, freshly juiced
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (love Perfect Fit)
2 cups unsweetened nut milk

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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