Is it possible to be emotionally drained

Recognizing symptoms early is essential to taking steps toward getting better. Emotional exhaustion is taxing on your emotion and mood. Initially, people may start to feel more cynical or pessimistic than usual. Eventually, they may lose their motivation to socialize, work, or even perform simple tasks.

Important note: anyone experiencing depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts due to emotional exhaustion or another reason should know that they are not alone and that help is available.

Maintaining a healthy sleep pattern can be extra challenging during periods of chronic stress. Struggling with emotional exhaustion makes it difficult to cope with relationship challenges, maintain social connections, and communicate effectively. Take care of your physical , mental, and emotional health by making healthy lifestyle choices, such as:. As we mentioned before, working long hours can lead to depression, emotional exhaustion, and burnout.

Strive to create a work-life balance by:. To prevent emotional exhaustion in the workplace, employers should offer preventative solutions such as stress-management tools, individual and team coaching, and wellness benefits such as vacation time and family leave. From big challenges to little changes, BetterUp offers personalized coaching designed to transform lives and careers. See how it works with a customized demo.

Unlock your best self with mental fitness routines with Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir. Follow us. June 1, - 18 min read. Share this article. Jump to section What is emotional exhaustion? What causes emotional exhaustion? Which careers are more at risk of emotional exhaustion?

What is emotional exhaustion? Can stress make you tired? Other potential triggers include: 1. Lack of social support Not having anyone to turn to during times of immense stress can lead to loneliness, hopelessness, and emotional exhaustion.

Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors Poorly regulated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can increase stress and cause a poor emotional response. Being a caregiver Caregiving can be a lonely uphill journey that demands patience, time, and self-sacrifice. Low job satisfaction Feeling unhappy at work due to a lack of meaningful projects or recognition can create chronic stress.

Relationship struggles Relationship difficulties such as a divorce or parting ways with a friend can reduce social support and increase stress. Grief after losing a loved one Losing a loved one can make you feel a variety of emotions, such as sadness, anger, or loneliness. Working too many hours Working too many hours can lead to chronic stress, depression, and an increase in the hormone cortisol. Sign up to receive the latest insights, content, and exclusive resources from BetterUp.

Subscribe Now. Thank you for your interest in BetterUp. As your emotional resources are used up in trying to cope with challenging situations — such as overwhelming demands, conflict, or lack of support at work or at home — your sense of well-being and capacity to care for yourself and others is diminished. In fact, research shows that people suffering from emotional exhaustion experience higher levels of work-life conflict.

They may find that they have less patience to engage with family and friends at the end of the day and become frustrated with them more easily — a problem that is exacerbated by the current Covid crisis, not only for those toiling away on the front lines but also working from home, while balancing personal responsibilities with no outside help.

This can lead us to feelings of guilt and loss. Take my coaching client, Evelyn. While she feels lucky to be financially stable for the time being, work remains an emotional struggle. The unsettling prospect of having to leave a job she once loved to protect her happiness is heightened by her status as the primary earner in her family and the contracting job market. The weight of these circumstances has left Evelyn emotionally exhausted. Prior to the lockdown, Jack took care of the children while Evelyn was at the office.

At the same time, her mind churns with anxiety about her job. She feels unable to shake her growing sense of dread and feels like a less joyful person than she used to be. On her worst days, she barely recognizes herself. Pushing back against emotional exhaustion requires a combination of three approaches: reducing the drain on your emotional resources, learning to conserve them, and regularly replenishing them.

Imagine that you have an internal fuel tank and a gauge on your dashboard that lets you know how full it is. Some conditions cause your fuel to burn up quickly, just as extreme weather, rough terrain, carrying a heavy load, or accelerating and braking rapidly would use gas at a greater rate than normal on-the-road scenarios.

The first step in reducing emotional resource consumption is recognizing the circumstances e. Turning back to the case of Evelyn, there is not much she can do to change or avoid the shifting cultural dynamics at work in the wake of the acquisition or the additional stressors created by the pandemic and recession.

But she has realized that engaging in doomsday conversations with a particularly negative colleague heightens her anxiety, so Evelyn is no longer indulging in these exchanges. Get an ample amount of sleep, which is healthy for both body and mind.

Exploring your inner self can also be one of the best ways to feel more relaxed and calmer. With Pranayama, yoga, and meditation, you can achieve mindfulness and also have a healthier body. How you feel is up to you. You just have to recognise your triggers and learn to manage them. Remember, happiness and peace are a state of mind and can be achieved through consistent and honest efforts. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional for any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

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