Sometimes we smile and say we can still hold on, even though the reality is very different.
Emotional exhaustion is not as obvious as physical exhaustion. When your body is exhausted, it gives you pretty clear signals. When your mind is tired, you may ignore it and keep believing that everything is fine.
However, there are some subtle signs that emotional exhaustion has wreaked havoc in your life. Even if you associate these signs with something else, they point to a real burnout that you had better deal with as soon as possible.
Emotional exhaustion: five signs that you urgently need to take a break
1. You get annoyed at every insignificant detail
You wanted to put on a pair of trousers but have just realized they were in the laundry basket. You reached for your coffee cup and accidentally spilled a bag of flour or tiny grains of quinoa, which you now have to collect from all over the kitchen.
Usually, this kind of situation can cause, at best, mild annoyance that lasts a few seconds or minutes. However, if you find yourself getting excessively angry or even crying for the most insignificant reasons, you may be dealing with emotional exhaustion.
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2. You are hypersensitive
As a rule, even if certain things affect us emotionally, we have the strength to manage them and successfully get through and over them. If you feel like you have been affected lately by things that, in the past, did not affect you at all, you may have been storing up a lot of unmanaged tension. As a result, you are exhausted and the new emotions that arise are more intense and difficult to cope with.
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3. You lack motivation
Even though you would like to get involved in projects, exercise regularly and work towards your goals, you feel that you do not have the energy to take on anything. Even if you want to get out of bed, you feel that you cannot. Your body is rested, apparently, but something else is holding you back.
Most likely, that “something else” is emotional exhaustion. When it takes over your life, it is important to deal with it one day at a time, asking yourself what you need and being careful to always respect your inner rhythm.
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4. You either express your feelings uncontrollably or not at all
When you are emotionally exhausted, you may find yourself having strong feelings. Perhaps you have raised your voice and started to rattle off, at breakneck speed, all the troubles you struggle with. Perhaps you burst into tears at the office during a meeting, unable to control the flow of feelings.
Or maybe, on the contrary, you have not talked about your feelings for a long time, not even with your best friend, whom you used to tell everything that was going on in your life. Whatever the case, it is a sign that your emotions need more attention from you.
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5. You take everything personally
No matter what happens, you feel like it is all about you. The manager criticized the whole department, but you felt the dissatisfaction was directed at you. Your girlfriend is in a bad mood for some unrelated reason, but you feel that she is actually angry with you.
When you are emotionally exhausted, you are more sensitive to triggers, and as a result, you can feel attacked even when you are not. Try to take a deep breath and repeat to yourself that not everything that goes on around you is about you. The most important thing is to find the quietness you need to align with your emotions.