Are You Running on Fumes?
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka|March 2017 1st Anniversary Issue

Here’s how to figure out if you’re reaching the end of your tether.

Shihaam Hassanali
Are You Running on Fumes?

It’s very easy to get caught up with work, family, friends and all the other obligations you shoulder. a demanding job is sure to drain you; then, you have to provide healthy meals for your husband and kids, stay on top of your ailing parents’ doctor’s appointments, help your sister plan her wedding, and always be available for your BFF who has, yet again, had her heart broken. Sure, you can probably keep going full steam ahead for months without incident, but the pressure will eventually take its toll. and, if you don’t slow down and hit the pause button, you may be left feeling exhausted and drained, because burnout hits you when you least expect it.

So, is it ever possible to steer clear of burning out? the answer is yes, you can…by paying attention to what your body is trying to tell you.

When your approach to life is to give equal priority to every aspect of it, or person in it, you’re eventually stretched too thin and barely have time for yourself. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise when extreme fatigue sets in and you suffer a breakdown. You might be in conversation with your sister when the next thing you know, you’re flat on the floor wondering what happened. The doctor declares you’re suffering from extreme physical and mental exhaustion, and insists you take a couple of months off from ‘adulting’.

Psychology explains burnout as “a state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism and detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness.” The symptoms of a burnout accumulate slowly, over time. at first, you’ll hardly notice them and will often put it down to just being a little stressed or tired, and assume the symptoms will eventually pass. But they don’t. They just continue to quietly pile up, manifesting over a period of as long as one to two years.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM COSMOPOLITAN SRI LANKAView all
Letting go of fear
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

Letting go of fear

Oozing confidence, Shalindri Malawana learned a long time ago how to take on anything life thrust at her.

time-read
3 mins  |
April-June 2020
Conservation and care
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

Conservation and care

Savera Weerasinghe’s career, from a non-profit to the manufacturing industry to sustainability, has always had a single common theme: start small, think big.

time-read
3 mins  |
April-June 2020
A woman with a cause
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

A woman with a cause

Shiandra Gooneratne is in a bat t le against an age-old enemy and plans to make a difference

time-read
3 mins  |
April-June 2020
Telling stories making space
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

Telling stories making space

Nabeela Yaseen created a platform for women and girls to feel safe, seen, and supported. She never expected just how many of them would need it.

time-read
3 mins  |
April-June 2020
Saving the environment
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

Saving the environment

Anoka Abeyrathne, a conservationist and social entrepreneur, is only just getting started

time-read
4 mins  |
April-June 2020
Doing her own thing
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

Doing her own thing

Shifani Reffai has done a lot of different things. But she’s done them all her way.

time-read
3 mins  |
April-June 2020
Dance etched  in her veins
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

Dance etched in her veins

Thajithangani “Thaji” Dias lives and breathes dance

time-read
3 mins  |
April-June 2020
Changing mindsets
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

Changing mindsets

Randhula De Silva, CEO of Hatch and Director of GIZ, is a disrupter at her core. And she’s just get ting started.

time-read
4 mins  |
April-June 2020
A guide to making it big in your career
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

A guide to making it big in your career

It 's in the details

time-read
4 mins  |
April-June 2020
How To Watch A Movie Alone And Have The Best Time Ever
Cosmopolitan Sri Lanka

How To Watch A Movie Alone And Have The Best Time Ever

Movie marathon, anyone? No? Cool, I‘ll go solo!

time-read
3 mins  |
January 2020