Telltale Signs You Need a Break From Work

Stress among adults is often linked to work. The problem is they don’t know when they are already stressed.

Juliet Schor, writer of the best selling book The Overworked American, tells that people are literally working themselves to death. They get 90 minutes less sleep than they should, resulting to chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and depression.

Overworking can cause serious problems but modern employees have become workaholics. Dean Schabner of ABC news reports that people work longer days, get less vacation time, and feel pressured with competition resulting to so much stress.

So how can you tell if you are too stressed from work? Here are some signs you need to observe:

You can’t focus

This isn’t like the usual lazy afternoon at work. This time you are so distracted you can’t finish a job without pausing for several times. If this continues, you might be reprimanded for not delivering your responsibilities well. Before that happens, take a break and regain your energy.

Your days off come in a blur

Your feel anxious every Sunday because Monday is coming and you know that you need to work. The whole week is so difficult for you but when Saturday comes, it only goes in a blur. If this is how you feel every week, then you need a break from your job. Worrying too much about the looming work day when you are supposed to be enjoying your free time is not mentally healthy.

You eat dinner in the office

Usually, you are out of the office during dinner time, but because you have so many jobs to finish, you end up dining on your work station. This makes you miss eating with your family, meeting with friends, or relaxing at home. Overworking can sip the life out of you.

You drink coffee more often

You’re sleepy, you can’t focus, so naturally you drink coffee to revive your A game at work. The caffeine helps combat stress at first but when you rely on it whenever you feel stressed, it can ruin your performance. Christopher N. Ochner, PhD, of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai says, “caffeine in particular can make you jittery, nervous, and worrisome, which can occupy some of your thinking capacity.”

You think of work even when at home

You are already at home but you still can’t get your mind out of the reports you need to finish, or projects you need to execute. You even check your emails for updates. This shows how your work cripples your personal life.

Your social life is not like when you were starting

A study posted in National Center for Biotechnology Information said that “social support is essential for maintaining physical and psychological health.” It means talking to family and friends help you cope with stress. But if your work is killing your social life, how can you relieve stress? You might end up in a mental ward if you can’t talk with people about your problems at work.

Your payday is the only thing that makes you happy

Do you find taking phone calls, answering emails, and other trivial things irritating? Are the things you loved about your work feel like a distant memory? Then take a break! Don’t say that your huge salary is enough to make you happy because it only gives ephemeral joy.

You always get mad

In 2001, the Families and Work Institute found that 39% of employees with high overwork levels get furious towards their employers. While 34% show resent to co-workers who they think do not work as hard as they do. If you don’t get your well deserved break, you’ll end up becoming the most hated person in the office because you keep on nagging people and ranting about work. Note that anger aggravates stress.

Your health is deteriorating

You can’t sleep well, you don’t eat enough, and you catch cold all the time. Stress has taken a huge toll on your health and your body is screaming for you to take a rest. Take these signals, and just rest. Get a day off to recuperate and eat lots of healthy food.

Your job quality is slowly slipping

As months go on your dislike to your work will turn into disdain, and it will hold back your growth. Your skills will go stagnant. And every day you see yourself making a lot of mistakes, struggling to finish a job that used to be easy.

If you are feeling these signs, do not hesitate to take a week off. But if your work is ruining your life and affecting your health, maybe a career break of 3 months to 1 year before finding a less stressful job is a wiser choice. Remember your health is more important than your career.

About the Author:

Lace Wanders is a career adviser and writer for Resumesplanet, an educational and career oriented company that help students fulfill their dream jobs. She dreams to become an author in the future.