7 symptoms that you are working too much

Whether you work at school, college, university or online, tiredness is inevitable. On the one hand, loving your job and doing your best can lead to absolute exhaustion. But on the other hand, the thing that you don’t like what you are doing may serve a serious reason in making you tired. So what are the main signs that you are working too much and are burning out?

— You are checking your corporate email and messengers on your days off.

This is a true sign that you are working too much. Because of smartphones, it has become very difficult to thoroughly disconnect us from work. And if you use your phone to check your email and new messages from your students or colleagues even at your breaks or when you are having a vacation, it means you should apparently press the button ‘Stop’. Mind that you do not live for work.

— While at dinner or meeting your friends, you are sending additional tasks to your students (but in fact, there is no necessity of it).

At last, you are meeting your friends, but instead of enjoying the dinner and your friends’ presence, you stick to your phone and send new tasks to your students. “Oh, Maria had some difficulty in modal verbs, let me send her additional exercises”, or “Bob was bad at remembering irregular verbs, I will send a new task for him.” If these are the sentences that are ‘spinning’ in your mind, then it is high time to give it up and enjoy the meeting with your friend.

— You are feeling fatigued all the time.

This is the very next symptom. You are not sleeping enough and have daytime fatigue, you can’t concentrate on what you are doing.  Remember that poor sleep may lead to several diseases as well. So cut down on some tasks and sleep well.

— Your interests always go around the work.

Wherever you go, whatever you do, the only topic of discussion for you is teaching, updated lesson materials, ELT experts and English seminars. You can’t but speak about your students, their achievements and why not, their failures. Can you imagine how boring this conversation may be for your friend or partner who doesn’t have anything to do with teaching? Get out of your comfort zone. Read the latest world news, follow the fashion, find the new films that were released this year, etc.

— You can’t help teaching and accepting new students.

New students are coming and coming, and you don’t want to say ‘no’ to them. You are working harder and harder and you think that there is no need to stop, since you are managing to do your work. But manage doesn’t yet mean you are on the right way. Maybe you could even manage to teach 24 hours long, but it doesn’t mean it is the right thing to do. Don’t forget about your health. Otherwise, you will have to spend more money on recovering it than you have earned.

— You are prioritising your working tasks putting them above all.

Say you are invited to a party, but you turn it down, just because you want to work overtime. You don’t meet your family members, relatives, and friends, excusing that you have to check your students’ homework? Haven’t you noticed that you are not spending enough time with them? Is it really what you wanted to do? If it is not, change your priorities and think about communication with your besties.

— You don’t see the appropriate result of your work.

It seems to you that you have worked really hard, but the result is not that satisfactory? You work even more than you used to, but everything is in vain? You are obviously too tired, and this tiredness brings no significant result. You should better take a break and start with new energy. That would definitely work and be more fruitful.

This was the list of the main signs that show you are too focused on your work. If you already have any of these symptoms, you should better find the solution as soon as possible.

Stay healthy, cheerful and motivated!