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5 Tell-tale signs of burnout

Are you working too long and too hard? Could you achieve more by doing less? Professional athletes are susceptible to overtraining -- thinking that they must run another mile, do more stairs or do one more set. But there is a narrow band that the athlete must train within in order to operate at peak performance. If they fall below this line, then they are not physically prepared enough. If they rise above it, then they risk physical exhaustion and injury. Are you any different from an athlete who needs to perform at your peak?

Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz first introduced us to the term "corporate athlete" in their book, "The Power of Full Engagement." They argue that the corporate demands placed on us to work more, do more and to operate at a constant level of peak performance requires us to think and train like athletes. That means managing our energy more effectively and not succumbing to overtraining (which causes us to do more and more and yet get less and less).

How do you know if you are "overtraining" and need to take a break? Here are five common symptoms of doing too much and not operating at peak performance:


2. Exhaustion. If you find yourself downing ever-increasing amounts of coffee and energy shots just to stay conscious, chances are you're working too hard and need a break. Exhaustion occurs when the body doesn't have sufficient ability to rest and recuperate. Caffeine is just a Band-Aid -- it's covering up the fact that something is wrong. You shouldn't need 500 mg of caffeine to make it through the day. This is a tell-tale sign that you are performing beyond your limits.


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4. Irritability. If you are on edge and overreacting to every little issue, it's a sign that you have nothing left in the tank -- every bit of energy that you had for humor, compassion and creativity is gone, and all that remains is blame, contempt and frustration. If this describes you, it's time to do yourself (and your colleagues!) a favor and refill the tank.

5. Physical illness. Athletes are prone to injury when they overtrain, but while it's unlikely you will tear a muscle during your next presentation, you may experience physical maladies if you've been working too hard and too long. Common physical problems include headaches, digestion problems, back or neck pain, and even getting colds or the flu. These are all signs that your body is breaking down from the demands and stress that you are putting on it. Time to take a break.

The need to always be "on" and to work more and more hours can lead to overtraining and burnout. While you'll still see results -- it's hard not to when you're working 12 hours a day -- what you do accomplish will require ever-increasing amounts of energy and focus to continue to achieve. Instead, find your optimum performance zone where you feel rested, engaged and challenged so you can achieve more by doing less.



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