Hard work is a core American value that continues to drive its workforce. In fact, Americans are pretty terrible at taking time in compared to the work culture of many other countries. Siesta anyone? But is America’s no-holds-barred work culture as productive as it hopes to be?
Meh. Not really.
Many Americans suffer from workplace anger or workplace stress due to poor work-life balance. Not only does lead to emotional and mental health concerns such as life burnout, but an improper work-life balance can also lead to physical ailments such as headache, high blood pressure, and even heart palpitations.
But did you know that many signs of job burnout are pretty asymptomatic? They’re often easily ignored and dismissed as a general feeling of being unwell in some obscure way, or worse, not even acknowledged or recognized until they become near fatal.
In fact, you could be suffering from signs of job burnout right this minute be completely unaware of it. Pretty scare, huh? Fortunately however, greater mental health awareness has made many signs of job burnout public knowledge. However in some cases, signs of job burnout can be difficult to recognize. Here are three surprising signs of job burnout:
Skin breakouts
Did you know that stress can wreak havoc on your skin? Just like so many other areas of the body, emotional and mental stress can cause inflammation of your skin. This often looks like dull, dry, itchy, or broken out skin. And because stress causes a number of hormonal responses, acne is a common symptom of being overstressed. Those who suffer from skin disorders such as eczema, psoriasis, or general dermatitis are likely to experience an uptick breakouts during times of stress.
Low immunity
Are you sick and tired of literally being sick and tired all the time? If the answer is yes, then you might be experiencing a telltale sign of job burnout. Stress has a devastating effect on the body’s immune system, making it increasingly difficult to fight off illness. Frequent colds or illness is one of the most common yet ignored signs of job burnout. Similarly, you may feel fatigued or generally rundown.
Difficulty concentrating
If you find it difficult to concentrate on simple tasks or have trouble remembering recent events, than you may experiencing classic signs of job burnout. Stress can leave you feeling a bit “foggy” and you may start to find it increasingly difficult to concentrate for short or long periods of time. In addition, stress can affect your short-term memory, making it difficult to remember events and important items such as keys, wallets, or cell phones.
Although there are many signs of job burnout, there are just as many if not more ways of treating it. For more information about the signs of job burnout and mental health, contact your company’s human resources department or speak to a healthcare professional to learn more.
