We live in a “go-go-go” world where it’s easy to push ourselves too hard, and not make time for self-care. And while ambition is a good thing (a great thing, actually!), when ambition becomes obsession, or even just too intense in the greater balance of our lives, it can actually take on a destructive quality. 

Make sure you’re taking care of yourself on the path to greatness, and be aware of these basic facts and five signs of burnout. 

What is Burnout?

In the simplest definition, burnout is a state of chronic stress that leads to exhaustion, illness, detachment and poor mental state. Burnout is typically something that happens over time – almost a snowball effect. It is something you can start to feel the effects of early on, which is why it’s important to learn to identify the signs so you can remedy your stress-caused issues before it becomes a full-fledged physical, mental and psychological break.

What Causes Burnout?

There are a number of reasons that burnout may occur, but it typically is a result of our work or our professional lives. Burnout does not usually occur as a result of personal life developments or issues – they just do not affect us in the same way.

In most cases, burnout begins to occur when we live our lives drastically out of harmony with our greatest priorities and values. When we either knowingly or unknowingly neglect our biggest priorities for the demands of work and professional life, and when this development becomes a full fledged pattern or even a spiral, then burnout can start to develop, both mentally and physically.

What Are the Signs of Burnout?

While “burnout” can manifest in many different ways in different people, there are a few telltale signs. Here are five of the most common signs that you are getting burnt out.

1. You keep getting sick

When we’re not taking care of ourselves, our bodies tend to show it more quickly and more outwardly than our minds. If you find that you keep “feeling under the weather” or catching a cold frequently, then this is maybe a sign that you are burnt out, and definitely a sign that something needs to change. When you’re burned out, your body is depleted, and your immune system becomes weakened, making you more vulnerable to “infections, colds, flu, and other immune-related medical problems,” according to Psychology Today.

One of the telltale signs of burnout is chronic fatigue – you feel like you can never get enough sleep and are tired most days. This could be because you are getting sick, or may lead to getting sick, as lack of sleep doesn’t give the body the time it needs to repair each night and strengthen our immune system. Either way, fatigue and illness both may be signs that something bigger is at play in your mental and physical health.

2. You’re constantly lacking motivation

When you’re burned out, it’s common to lose motivation to tackle tasks, both personal and professional. Even the things that used to inspire you may become ineffective. Rather than feeling excited to take on the day, you may feel a sense of dream or anxiety.

Furthermore, you may feel unmotivated by successes the way you used to, if you are experiencing burnout. You may feel apathetic about achieving goals and victories.

3. You’re unhappy

While being unhappy can be a sign of many different issues and life developments, it can definitely be a sign of burnout as well. Especially if being unhappy marks a great departure from your usual demeanor and outlook. If you find that things that you used to enjoy no longer make you happy, or you have a hard time getting excited about activities, relationships and work that you used to like, take a step back to examine if burnout may be the reason why.

Unhappiness can manifest as a shift towards pessimism (versus optimism). If you find that you perpetually have a “glass-half empty” mentality, burnout may be to blame.

4. You find yourself procrastinating often

Especially in the workplace or with high-profile tasks, procrastination can be a sign that burnout is lurking close by. While a little bit of procrastination is normal, even expected, on any given day, if you find that it’s becoming a chronic issue for you, and you just can’t seem to motivate yourself to start, continue, or complete tasks, then burnout may be to blame.

5. You’re struggling with anxiety

As mentioned above, anxiety can definitely be a sign of burnout. If you’re not able to recognize anxiety, look within yourself to note if you are experiencing stress, tension, worry, and edginess. These can be early indicators of anxiety.

As you move closer to full-scale burnout (which we want to avoid!), anxiety may become so serious that it interferes in your ability to work at all, and cause problems in your personal life as well. Anxiety can be one of the most dangerous symptoms of burnout if left unaddressed and untreated.

How to Remedy Burnout

Now that you know some of the major facts about burnout, as well as five signs that burnout may be happening to you or a loved one, the bigger question becomes: what can you do to stop or remedy burnout?

Again, the solution here is going to vary person-to-person, and scenario-to-scenario, but there are a few common solutions that are proven to be most effective across the board. Here are some of the best ways to remedy burnout.

Spend time with family and friends

In the case that burnout is brought on by neglecting higher priorities and values on a consistent basis, one of the best ways to remedy this is by making an effort to spend time in those high value areas. For many of us, that becomes spending quality time with family or friends.

Our relationships can be some of the most healing aspects of our lives. In fact, a study from Harvard, which tracked 724 participants from varying walks of life over the course of 75 years , delivered significant findings on relationships as the “key” to long-term happiness and fulfillment.

In a direct statement, Robert Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development summarized: “The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”

There’s a reason why our relationships serve as primary sources of motivation in our lives. Relationships nourish and sustain us in our very core. They feed our soul and our deeper needs as human beings. From the very beginning, our relationships have a significant impact on who we become, and the relationships we prioritize continue to nurture and shape us over the course of our lives.

Connect with what really fulfills you

In our lives, there are certain actions that we take and projects that we spend our time on that are especially meaningful to us. To overcome burnout and take care of your mental health, be sure you are dedicating time to these things: the things that make you feel alive and purposeful. If you want help discovering what your own personal purpose is, check out my free “Reason for Being” Assessment here.

It’s all too easy to get caught up in our lives and lose focus of the things that matter most, and the things, or rather, the people, who make us really, truly happy. If you think you may be suffering from burnout, take steps against it to prioritize your relationships over work, or anything else that may be taking up the majority of your time. Your mental and physical health will thank you for it.