Constant stress has long become a part of our life , and a frantic rhythm and a large number of activities may even be pleasant. It seems like you can continue to work and train endlessly, especially when it turns out well and the results are satisfying. Nevertheless, both the body and the psyche need to rest and recover – and if deprived of this opportunity for too long, the consequences can be dire. We figure out what to look for and how to suspect you are overworked.  

one

You don’t get enough sleep all the time.

The importance of quality sleep is difficult to exaggerate, but many of us simply do not have enough time for it – it is especially offensive if precious two or three hours are spent standing in traffic jams. We talked about how to establish sleep: for this you may need dark curtains or blankets separate from your partner .   

True, if you go to bed early and sleep for a long time, but still want more, this can also indicate overwork. When a person performs many tasks at high speed, depleting the resource of decision-making , the psyche simply “burns out” – it is not surprising that after twelve hours of wakefulness it becomes difficult to think, and to recover, you need to go to bed sooner.  

2

Social life is a thing of the past 

It is clear that sometimes priorities shift for a while – for example, you need to hand over a large project, due to which you have to stay late at work, or you have to postpone all entertainment in order to regularly visit a sick relative in the hospital.

But if, in your usual, routine schedule, you can’t find time for coffee or dinner with a friend for a couple of months, it’s time to change something. This is especially true for freelancers – it is difficult to abandon a project that you can work on on Saturday and Sunday; but overwork can lead to a decline in both the quality and the speed of work, so regular rest should be made a rule and not broken. 

3

Weeks fly by instantly

How many times have you set out to do something non-urgent “next week,” and then suddenly it turns out that it’s Saturday again? If the regularity of the days has gone somewhere, and weeks and months fly by like minutes, it is worth slowing down – you are clearly overloaded. Free up the evening for a walk or TV series, go for a pedicure, plan the next week not for a minute, but with a margin. And, most importantly, try to say “no” to a new rush order, or reschedule what is unfinished today in the office for tomorrow. 

4

Something hurts all the time

Stress can trigger migraine attacks , and constant sitting at the computer can trigger back pain, neck pain, wrist pain and eye strain . Instead of throwing yourself on painkillers, it is better to try taking a walk during your lunch break, leaving your phone at the office.  

If a change of environment, physical activity, relaxation does not help, make an appointment with a doctor. Even if you exercise regularly and get massage, pay attention to the nature of the muscle pain. If it has become stronger or does not go away longer than before, it is highly likely that the body simply does not have time to recover, and then it is worth leaning on protein, adjusting a sleep pattern and taking a break from going to the gym.  

five

Any change in the knock out track 

When the day is scheduled every minute, even phone calls start annoying and frightening – after all, they break the plan, and things can begin to pile up like a snowball. If that’s the case, it’s time to prioritize things by ditching things that aren’t really important.

It is worth trying to delegate responsibilities, getting away from the toxic thought “if you want to do well, do it yourself” – in the end, it is quite possible to entrust the cleaning of the apartment to another person. Very often it is not a large number of really important tasks that leads to overwork, but the fact that we perceive them as important and want to perform here and now.  

6

Previously favorite things are annoying

If on the way to work your legs get heavy with every step, and the praise of the management or the gratitude of the customers has ceased to bring joy, it is not a fact that this is “not your” job and needs to be changed (although this is not excluded). But a vacation and a trip somewhere where there is not even an opportunity to check mail or work messengers can be a solution to the problem.

It is likely that you are just very tired and after a good rest, work will again cause joy and interest. As a result of overwork, interest can be lost not only in work, but also, for example, in sex – we said that physical and psychological exhaustion is one of the most frequent reasons for the “extinction” of sex in a couple.  

7

You always carry chargers with you

The phone runs out of power because you are constantly checking messengers, and it’s scary to be disconnected – suddenly something important happens. There is constant stress, and dependence on the gadget and constant updating of information – you are uncomfortable when you do not find out about the news at the same moment. In fact, if you give yourself a little respite, nothing will happen – remember how we lived before the era of mobile phones. A trip to the subway, for example, is an opportunity to read a fiction book that has nothing to do with work and business, and slightly relieve the psyche.   

eight

You eat on the run all the time

Again, in certain situations, a snack that does not take much time is justified – but the situation is not very good if you no longer remember when you ate at the table without looking at the computer or smartphone screen. A calm choice of foods, the opportunity to taste their flavors without haste and experience a gradual satiety, not only increase the chances of choosing healthier foods, but also allow you to take a break and disconnect from business. Namely, this is very important in congestion. 

nine

Exercise is harder

Running speed has ceased to improve, and rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath do not allow increasing weight in the rocking chair, which means that the body signals that it is not ready for more intense loads. Of course, this also happens for obvious reasons such as illness or a hangover, but if you generally feel the same as usual, then a decrease in stamina may indicate overwork. It is necessary to take a break from training, not forcing the body to work for wear and tear – otherwise it is not far from the injury, after which the break will already be forced.

10

Mood swings 

While frequent mood swings can lead to serious problems like depression or severe PMS , stress also remains one of the most common causes of emotional lability. Lack of sleep and excessive stress do not allow cognitive functions to recover – forgetfulness appears , concentration decreases. We always emphasize that you should not advise a person who has developed depression to “just take a vacation” – but the outward manifestations of overwork may indeed be similar to depressive ones, and in this case, the vacation will be beneficial.