Signs You Are Overworked

If you have just been hired, that is great; however, you should not merely be content to stick around. Although it is important to work hard and do your best, you must not overdo it. You will learn how to tell you are being overworked.

First sign: You dread going to the office. If you are not motivated to go there even though you get along with your fellow employees and the boss, you must being overdoing it. If this is the case, you should either ask for a lighter load or look for ways to do your tasks more efficiently. As they say, "Work smart, not hard."

Second sign: You dread getting started. If you have a lot to do, you should take it little by little. How about doing the most important tasks first?

If all of the tasks carry an equal amount of importance, you should begin by doing the ones that are the easiest and quickest to do. Another option you have is to ask someone who is not too busy to help you. If you are self-employed and you can afford it, you should consider hiring an assistant.

Third sign: You become physically tired before your shift ends. It is vital to periodically take breaks, especially if your job is manually intensive. You must also take steps to prevent soreness and injury.

Whenever I do a temp assignment that involves intense labor, I try to do it intelligently. If I need to lift a heavy object, I bend my knees while doing so. If an object is too heavy for me to safely lift on my own, I ask a fellow temp for help. If there are a lot of objects to carry, I avoid carrying too many at once.

Fourth sign: You are mentally spent. Your first option to overcome this is to walk away from your station for a few minutes to try to clear your head. Your second is to try to make your work fun.

Fifth sign: You become upset too easily. If you reach a point where you lose your cool on the job, it is either time to take a vacation or move on to another profession.

Sixth sign: You do not have enough time for leisure or your family and friends. You should set aside at least half an hour a day to be with your family and set aside at least an hour or two each week to do something fun such as playing tennis.

Seventh sign: You think of work as being your number one priority. It is essential to balance time for pleasure and your relationships with your work.

Heed these signs to avoid working too much!