Emotional exhaustion is a thing
It happens to the best of us. You think you’re holding it together pretty well, managing all your stuff, caring for all the people in your pod, and all of the sudden…
You snap.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re probably dealing with a little emotional exhaustion.
This kind of overload can really do a number on your mood and ability to cope with everyday things, even when you’re not physically depleted.
Here are some other signs:
Distraction
Distraction is a result of the brain telling you, “I don’t have enough in me to focus on this thing for more than a few seconds.” It’s constantly trying to reorient itself on the next thing.
Distractions are little breaks we allow ourselves to take from any type of discomfort. That quick scroll through Instagram or Twitter is like a pressure-release valve to the mundane pressures of your day.
What can you do?
Get rid of the non-essentials. Learn how to do more with less by saying no to things that cut into your available time.
Turn off your notifications while you’re in the middle of doing your tasks so you’re not continually falling behind and getting sucked into the scroll.
Going to coffee with a friend is fine, but maybe not three days a week. Cut back and get some time back so you can get more done and have more “you” time.
Prioritize. Live by your core values and do your best not to deviate. The things you prioritize will signal you whenever you are easing into distraction mode, as long as you are clear on them.
If you can’t nail down what matters in your life and make that front and center, you’ll easily be distracted.
For example, if being home by 6 pm so you can have dinner with your partner is something you value, being crystal clear on that will make you less likely to deviate from your tasks or be distracted.
Irritable and Moody
It’s not cool to bite someone’s head off for asking a simple question. But it’s not the question or even the person. It’s how you show up at that moment.
If you have an overloaded mind, with a giant task list for the day, you won’t feel open to a single ask from anyone.
What can you do?
Recognize what you’re feeling in the moment. If you have too many things on for the day, stop and ask yourself these questions:
What can I dump?
What can I defer to another day?
What can I delegate?
Once you allow yourself to take that jumbled mess of things and put them in their place, you’ll be more available for conversation and less likely to feel like you need to close off or emotionally block off from others.
Not sleeping well
Many times the lack of sleep is what starts the emotional exhaustion snowball. How can you successfully navigate your day when you’re not starting out rested and refreshed?
It can be a vicious cycle because much of the lack of sleep comes from not having clearly defined tasks in your day, which is often a result of being too tired to organize your time.
Most adults are sleep-deprived. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show that more than 35 percent of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep per night.
What to do?
Use a calendar, not a to-do list. If you have a calendar with your daily tasks outlined and scheduled for specific times, rather than a long general list, you’ll be more likely to stay on task and feel calmer.
Choose the ending time for your day, and commit to the time you’re “off”.
Before ending your day, organize the next morning as well, so you already have a game plan and those unfinished tasks won’t creep into your head when you’re trying to get some rest.
Make sleep a priority. Consider sleep as you would any other thing you need to schedule. Have a soothing bedtime routine, like a shower and light stretching.
Make your bedroom a haven for rest by keeping it clean and organized, using soft lighting, and calming scents to soothe you.
Careless about health and wellness
Physical health is a critical piece of the emotional health puzzle. When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to skip meals and exercise or eliminate things that are vital for your self-care.
Once you start to put your wellness further down the list, you’re doomed to become emotionally overloaded.
What can you do?
Make exercise a priority. Exercise balances the levels of stress hormones, like adrenaline, while positively impacting serotonin. Raising your levels of serotonin boosts your mood and overall sense of well-being.
Put it on your calendar every day and you’ll notice a difference.
Eat regularly scheduled meals. There’s no reason to skip feeding your body or rushing through a meal. Those extra 15 minutes aren’t going to make or break you, so slow down, take a break, and eat your meal.
The extras. Don’t be so quick to give up a monthly massage or trip to the salon because you’re too busy. Those things are highly beneficial to your sense of well-being, so don’t cut them out.
Indifference
The most apparent sign of being emotionally exhausted is becoming indifferent to things and the people around you.
You lose passion and interest in life events when you have too much going on and that will have a domino effect if you don’t catch yourself.
The fix?
In the midst of your physical or emotional shoulder-shrug, ask yourself why you don’t feel like engaging in the event at hand.
Are you behind on your tasks?
Are you tired?
Do you feel like you have no “me time anyway, so what difference does it make?”
If you answered yes, use the tips to plan your attack.
Use your calendar so you can eliminate stressful thoughts at night and get a better night's sleep.
Look at what you can do to get some of your precious time back, even if it means saying no.
Keep self-care on your list like it’s your job.
Emotional exhaustion can happen to anyone that is dealing with daily or long-term stress.
It can easily sneak up on you until one day, you’re not sure of who you’re looking at in the mirror or why you just snapped on your friend.
Rest assured, there are ways to help yourself and you can also consider using a therapist or life coach to start prioritizing what matters to you and create a game plan for a more balanced life.