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Just like "synergy," "drill-down," and any of the other phrases you hear all the time at your office, "burnout" is a common term that gets thrown around at meetings, on email and during office happy hours. But burnout means different things to different people, and the symptoms are not so clear cut.
One thing that is common: We're all likely to experience it at one time or another. A study conducted last spring by Refinery29 of 1,000 millennial women found that 74% of women are stressed out by work. But the stress may not manifest in ways you might think. We spoke with women who self-identify as victims of burnout to hear their biggest, most unlikely symptom.
If you also think you might be getting burned out, taking proactive steps — such as making sure you use your vacation days — is an essential start. So is having an honest conversation with your manager (if you believe she can help you prioritise your to-do list), researching for alternative jobs or career paths, or making a conscious decision to leave work at work and pour your passion into your personal life. But whatever next steps you take, the first sign is figuring out if you're burned out.
Click through to read some bizarre symptoms of burnout. Obviously, burnout varies for everyone — if you're seriously feeling stressed out, it may be a good idea to talk through your concerns with a physician, therapist, or other mental-health professional — but these are good red flags to watch for to nip burnout in the bud.
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