What are some warning signs that it might be time to take a break from work mode?
If you are here reading this, I know for a fact that you must be one ambitious and passionate Boss Babe. As women we finally have a chance to get educated, to work, to build successful careers or start businesses – bout time. Understandably, we are eager to make the most of it! There is so much to do, so much achieve, yet so little time to DO IT ALL!
I feel you! Especially since our other responsibilities such as caring for children and running the household have not decreased in the workload – men you gotta catch up…
The pressure is on!
It can seem like taking a break amongst all this chaos will result in everything tumbling down! However, if you run on this max. mode for too long you run the risk of burning out. As someone who has suffered from burnout, believe me that the recovery is long and it is far more efficient to take some time off now, before you burnout.
It is vital that you take care of you first because this is the only way you can take care of everything else that is important to you. It is not selfish. It does not mean you are failing. It does not mean you can’t handle it! It is vital for your health and wellness! It is an essential part of the strategy when you are an ambitious woman.
So don’t let anyone else let you believe otherwise!
I wanted to take you through some of the signs that you might be reaching your tipping point, so you know when it’s time to take that well deserved break.
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15 warning signs it’s time to take a break from work mode.
1. You feel completely drained or tired.
There is a deadline looming or a whole to do list for you to work through and yet you simply cannot get yourself to start working on the tasks at hand. No matter how pressing it is and whatever the consequences of not finishing it on time, you simply cannot find it within you to work on it.
Your energy has dipped so low, you are tired all the time, and everything takes longer than usual.
This is an important sign to recognise because if you feel this way it means burnout is looming. The only way out at this point is to take some time off to slow down.
2. You feel more annoyed than excited to work on tasks.
When we have worked ourselves too hard for far too long, even the tasks that we used to enjoy can seem like a chore. They become another annoying thing on our to do list.
If you find yourself frustrated about a particular task, try and remember that it might not mean that you lost your passion for what you are doing, or it is no longer your dream. It couple simply mean you are experiencing overwhelmed with the sheer amount of taks and projects across all you lives domains.
There is a simple solution to this – taking a moment out of the work mode you are in.
You might surprise yourself how a 4-day break can do for you. It always seems counterproductive at the time but trust me when you come back with a clear head, rested and relaxed, you’ll be back full of motivation and passion once again. Not taking a break is the only counterproductive thing here.
3. You are feeling anxious and overwhelmed.
Feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, especially regarding your work, are one of the surest ways to know you might be in need of a break.
Remember that anxiety is there for a reason – it is a protective mechanism. It is there to alert you of possible dangers.
Evolutionarily, it has helped us to survive possible predators and avoid situations where our lives may be at risk. Even now this still holds true.
However, because of the busy and packed lives we lead with pressures to succeed, to do well in your job, to not get fired, to earn enough to survive, all of this can tap into that internal need to feel safe and survive, even if no predator is after you.
The problem nowadays is that this anxiety rarely gets switched off because the fears you have today will not likely disappear by tomorrow or even next month.
You will continue to do everything to make sure you are staying afloat and because of that this anxiety is maintained long term.
When you start to get into this cycle – know it is time to take a step back, reset, reflect and re-evaluate the situation. Remind yourself that you are safe. But in order to change this perspective, it is important to momentarily jump off the hamster wheel you are on.
4. Your health is suffering.
If you are starting to notice that your physical or mental health is suffering the best thing you can do to proceed yourself is to take a moment out.
You are only human and as a human you are not designed to be ON all the time.
Working yourself non-stop can have detrimental effects on your health. You may find you stop having time to cook a healthy meal and you start increasingly relying on fast-food take-outs. You may stop prioritising exercise at expense of getting through your to do lists. You find the hobbies you used to enjoy no longer bring you joy.
Not taking moments to rest and switching off from work mode comes at the expense of your mental health. You may feel teary, more irritable, angry and easily annoyed. This can spill over to all areas of your life, affecting your relationships and your work creating a vicious cycle.
If that sounds familiar it could signal you need to take a moment for yourself.
5. You are unable to focus.
Do you find yourself getting easily distracted?
If you find that you have trouble starting working on a taks or you find you can only work on something for a short moment before stopping, or you have trouble getting through taks in the set period or meeting deadline or everything just takes you much longer – it might be a time to take a break.
Procrastination, often confused with laziness, is not a symptom of a lack of motivation or will but rather it is an indicator that you have overwhelmed yourself. No motivational speech or quote is going to fix this.
The only thing that can, is taking some time out to reset.
6. You are easily irritable.
Did everyone suddenly get really annoying or is it just you?
It’s you!
When we push ourselves too much for too long with our fight or flight response on overdrive the result is that we become crankier, adopt a generally negative view of life and this can make us more irritable. We have less time for the things, relationships and hobbies that make us happy and make us feel good and more time on the chores of life.
When we are not at our best, everything takes longer, everything becomes difficult. The smallest things get blown out of proportion.
If you find yourself relating to this, it could be a sign you have worked yourself too much and it is important to take a break.
7. You start losing your ambition.
Do you remember that girl? The one that was full of drive to achieve everything she ever wanted. The one that would stop at nothing, the one that over came all the challenges with a brave face. The one that was willing to do everything until she got her dream life…
If you feel that this drive and ambition is gone, a simple way to fix this sometimes only requires taking some time off.
Anything which is worth having takes time and consistent work. We live in a culture where THE HUSTLE is glorified but no one mentions the dark side.
Sometimes pushing yourself too hard can lead you to forget the very reason why you started in the first place.
So, definitely hustle, but don’t forget to look after yourself. When this ambition of yours starts to dip – take a moment and recentre.
You’ll be better for it!
8. You are unable to sleep well.
Do have trouble switching off and falling asleep. Or maybe you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night? Your mind starts ruminating straight away about the task you need to do or all the tasks you have not done, so that it is impossible for you to fall back asleep. Do you find you lay in bed wide awake for hours? And even when you sleep through the night, you still wake up in the morning groggy and tired?
If any of this resonates with you then you may be suffering from insomnia and generally getting poor quality of sleep.
Feeling overwhelmed by life and the many tasks at hand can make it very difficult to switch off. No to mention that when we feel overwhelmed and unable to work productively during the day and as a result the mounting work means we stay up longer, working up to our bedtime.
We spend the last hour in front of a screen, rather than doing our nightly routine to help prepare us for sleep.
This is an important sign that you are overworking, and the problem is that this lack of sleep creates a vicious cycle.
Taking a break from the stresses can be the best way to break this cycle.
9. You’re filled with dread every morning.
I don’t think there is anything worse than waking up in the morning and not being excited by the day ahead. Yes, everyone experiences this from time to time because no matter what you are doing and working towards, there will be challenging days and taks to complete.
But if you find that you wake up with a knot in your stomach everyday and this has been going on for a long time, then it could be a signal that you need to take a step back from the everyday reality and experience a bit of a change of pace.
10. Your motivation is gone.
If you used to be a go-getter and suddenly find yourself not having the motivation to work especially work concerning you long term goals and dreams, then the culprit once again could be the fact that you are overworked.
Sometimes, the dreams and goals you once had shift, sometimes you lose passion for what you have been doing, sometimes your priorities change. In those cases, yes, you might be less motivated.
But if in your heart you feel that the path you are one, whether career wise or in building your own business is the right one for you; if you feel that the work will take you to where you want to be and to a life that you want, then the lack of motivation is because you are overwhelmed and tired.
Taking a break is the only wany to fix this. It will help you recharge your batteries and come back with that sense of motivation to keep working towards your goal.
11. Your creativity has dried up.
A clear sign that it’s time for a break is when you find that your creativity has dried up.
You might have once been full of bright ideas that helped you succeed and move forward with ease but nowadays these awesome ideas are had to come by. You feel uninspired and like the best you had to offer has peaked.
When you feel tired from constantly being in work mode It is not uncommon to find that creativity has gone out the window. Creativity requires a free and clear mind but if you are tired and constantly overwhelmed or anxious by the demands of work life then you have no mental space left to invest in new ideas.
Slowing down for a moment and switching off your mind can work wonders to help you get back into that creative spirit. Doing things differently or doing different things can be the spark of inspiration you need.
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12. You’re restless.
Do you find like no matter what you are doing you cannot relax or sit still?
It’s like you have had few too many cups of coffee and you cannot shake of this jittery feeling inside you.
This restlessness is often a sign of overworking. It is almost like rather than running towards finishing a task, you are not being chased to complete it so the jitters and urgency of it makes you restless. Your body has become so used to this GO GO GO MODE that it has forgotten what it is like to exist without it.
Recognising this in yourself is important and show yourself the love and kindness by switching it off with a well-deserved time off.
13. You feel low energy.
If you find that you are too tired to even do the simplest things and you find you energy is off, it could be your body telling you that it is time for a longer reset.
When you start to get overwhelmed with work even short moments of rest such as weekend might not be enough to help you fully switch off from work mode. And even so, at least part of the weekend is spent on running errands such as food chopping, washing, cleaning, meal prepping. You mind is still flooded with tasks that you have to complete before the weekend is over so you can focus on work.
Taking care of yourself by investing in a longer break where you are not feeling rushed for time but can fully enjoy the day is the surest way to charge your batteries again.
14. You’re getting cynical or negative.
It is difficult to have a positive mindset when you are completely buried in work, with a never ending to do list and not a minute to just enjoy the moment.
Anyone and everyone would be cynical in this situation. After all, you do not have time for any or energy for the things that normally bring you joy.
One of the most debilitating aspects of this is that when we are deep into this work mode, we often do not see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is your que that it might be time for a break and even a get away from the reality of everyday life
Create that light by scheduling some time off.
15. You’re withdrawn.
If you have ever felt like you are walking around like a zombie, withdrawn but still pushing forward then this is a strong indication that it might be time to take a break from work mode.
Your relationships might be suffering as you find less time to spend with people you love and even the time you do spend is not of the same quality. You may find it difficult to fully be there for people and be present in the moment.
You might be feeling low in yourself and as a result you find out are increasingly detached and avoid contact.
Take a moment for yourself. If you want to be more present and you want to be there for those who matter to you, the only way you can do it is to.
On a Final Note.
To summaries
Signs it’s time to take a break from work mode:
- You feel completely drained or tired.
- You feel more annoyed than excited to work on tasks.
- You are feeling anxious and overwhelmed.
- Your health is suffering.
- You are unable to focus.
- You are easily irritable.
- You start losing your ambition.
- You are unable to sleep well.
- You’re filled with dread every morning.
- Your motivation is gone.
- Your creativity has dried up.
- You’re restless.
- You feel zapped of energy.
- You’re getting cynical or negative.
- You’re withdrawn.