Recruitment expert reveals the five signs you are headed for burn out

If you are finding yourself easily frustrated, short-tempered or pessimistic and withdrawing from social situations at work then you could be headed for burnout.

An Australian recruitment expert has revealed the five tell-tale signs you are becoming mentally exhausted and what you should do to combat the common problem.

Psychologist Sabina Read told the people at Seek, an Australian recruitment there are five signs it is time to take a mental health day.

Negative, pessimistic thinking and personalising other people’s negative feelings is one of the five important signs. 

Feeling frustrated or short-tempered is another.

Some people begin withdrawing socially.

Some burnout manifests physically with gut and gastro related illnesses or an increase in sleeping concerns.  

‘One day away from work can help to create perspective and re-set,’ says Read. ‘However, ongoing strategies are needed to ensure a more long-term and sustainable sense of well being.’

But sometimes asking for a day off to improve your state of mind or to fight against burnout is daunting. 

With one in four people lying about taking time off for their mental health.

‘There’s no need to offer specific details of mental health issues if they aren’t directly impacting your job, however it’s useful to share that you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling, and addressing this through taking a day (or more) off to attend to your wellbeing is important,’ Read says.  

Simple, direct communication is best when speaking with your boss. 

Research shows two-thirds of all Australians believe workplace factors have had a negative impact on their mental health.

More than half of respondents said they haven’t taken mental health days when they needed to.