When Stress, Pressure, and Burnout Pile Up

#pressurepushingdownonmepushingdownonyou

Working Under Pressure

There is no doubt that working isn't always fun, especially when you are feeling a lot of pressure.

Pressure can come from a lot of different places. Sometimes it's your job. Sometimes it's school, family, money, your health, or even your environment. Sometimes it's all of them at once.

For some people, there may be one thing causing most of their stress. For others, it can feel like everything is happening at the same time.

And sometimes, pressure doesn't stay pressure for very long. It builds.

Stress Factors

Many things, including work, school, family, health, and the surrounding environment, can cause stress.

I. Work-Related Stress:

• Workload: Excessive tasks, deadlines, and unrealistic expectations

• Job insecurity: Fear of layoffs, performance reviews, or career stagnation

• Work-life imbalance: Difficulty separating work from personal life, which can lead to burnout

• Lack of control: Feeling powerless over decisions affecting your work

• Difficult colleagues or boss: Conflict, micromanagement, or lack of support

• Long hours/commute: Extended working days and lengthy travel times

• Lack of recognition or appreciation: Feeling undervalued or unappreciated for your contributions

• Technological challenges: Difficulty adapting to new software or technology

• Boredom/lack of challenge: Feeling unfulfilled or understimulated at work

II. Relationship Stress:

• Conflict with a partner or family

• Arguments, disagreements, and communication breakdowns

• Lack of intimacy, trust, or support

• Family responsibilities, such as caring for children or aging parents

• Social isolation or loneliness

• Feeling disconnected from friends and family

• Difficulty expressing needs and feelings

III. Financial Stress:

• Debt, credit cards, loans, and other financial obligations

• Low income

• Difficulty meeting basic needs

• Unexpected expenses

• Medical bills, car repairs, or home maintenance

• Financial uncertainty

• Fear of job loss or an economic downturn

IV. Health-Related Stress:

• Chronic illness

• Managing a long-term health condition

• Mental health issues

• Physical health problems

• Pain, fatigue, and other physical ailments

• Lack of sleep

• Poor diet

• Lack of exercise

V. Life Changes & Events:

• Major life transitions

• Marriage, divorce, moving, or changing jobs

• Death of a loved one

• Trauma

• Social pressures

• Meeting societal expectations

• Uncertainty about the future

• Anxiety about upcoming events or life goals

VI. Environmental Stressors:

• Noise pollution

• Crowding

• Feeling overwhelmed by too many people or too little space

• Pollution

• Exposure to air or water pollutants

• Climate change

There are a lot of things that can cause stress, and sometimes these things don't happen separately.

They can pile on top of one another.

Personally, Dealing With Stress

Some people only feel stressed out by one thing, while others, like me, are stressed out by everything.

I have a bad habit of getting lost in thought, and I think about everything all at once. It's like a domino effect in my head. Each stress factor becomes intertwined in my mind like a spider web I can't untangle.

Ever get this overwhelming feeling of just being angry all the time? Are you mad at the world for the life you are currently leading?

I do.

And it's not for lack of trying not to feel that way or working all the time to fix the situation like the adult

I am.

In my musings and many arguments in my head, I found that there is one common factor in my thinking:

Myself.

Whatever the reason is or was for my stress levels rising, I always try to check myself. I let myself feel my emotions and think through each one.

For example, I'm feeling angry. Well, why am I feeling angry?

Family. My job. Cost of living versus wages. Whatever happens to be bothering me at the time.

There are many different reasons why each of us experiences a range of emotions. We are all different, and how we get to those feelings can be for different reasons.

But what is the same is how we react to things.

For me, I let myself feel it and think about the different reasons why I feel that way. But then I "look in the mirror," so to speak.

I look at my behavior, think about the different ways I would react, whether they are good or bad, and then I think about the possible consequences of my actions.

Would it benefit me to react the way I want to?

Do I lose or gain anything?

Are the losses bigger than the gains, and vice versa?

Is it worth it to lose myself over something I potentially have no control over?

Sometimes, when my emotions are really strong and hard for me to control, I throw myself into something else.

I'll put my headphones in and go for a walk. I'll watch a TV show. I'll cook a delicious meal. Whatever seems to fit my mood at the time helps.

And sometimes, it's simply getting myself to stop thinking about the problem.

I have to calm down, let my brain breathe for a little while, and then come back to it.

When Stress Turns Into Burnout

Getting myself calmed down is just the first step in dealing with my stress.

Once I'm able to think properly again, without getting worked up, I try to work through what is actually stressing me out.

If it's money, I try to work more and spend less. This is hard because I sometimes like to reward myself or buy whatever I want.

After all, it's my money. I earned it. I'll do what I want with it.

This is a bad mentality to have, and it's something I'm still working on.

If my weight or health is at the front of my mind, I'll focus on changing what I eat, when I eat, and being more active. Being more active is a bonus because not only does it help me stay healthier, but it's also a good form of stress relief.

But sometimes stress doesn't just go away.

Sometimes it keeps building until you reach the point where you're just...done.

Burnout is one of the hardest things to deal with.

I find it frustrating because it takes the things I love away from me. When I'm burnt out, my brain shuts down, and trying to focus on simple tasks like dishes or writing becomes extremely difficult.

We are all different, so it's not 100% accurate to say that burnout is caused by one or two things.

Anything can cause someone to feel burnt out.

For me, it's usually a combination of things that lead to me feeling very stressed and overwhelmed, and then the burnout follows.

I usually don't realize I've reached burnout mode until a good friend of mine tells me.

Over the last five years, some of the top reasons for burnout that I have noticed are college, work, home life, environment, and dreams.

Having dreams and goals is a good way to keep you going, but then when you can't work on those goals, the frustration sets in.

School could be taking longer than you want it to, and that's okay. Don't rush it. Don't let yourself feel rushed or like you're on a time crunch, because you are not.

If it takes longer to get through college but it ends up being easier on you, then do it that way.

I remember one semester I was taking eight classes while also volunteering with the local community band and the college chorus group.

It was a bit much. So I did eventually drop a class that wasn't essential.

Your job may not be working for you anymore. Maybe you moved, your finances changed, the schedule doesn't fit anymore, or your job is simply making you miserable.

It's okay.

The cool thing about the world we live in is that you can go out and get another job. You are not tied to the job you currently have.

Your home life or the environment you're living in can also keep you on edge. Maybe the people you're living with aren't the best to live with. Maybe something is broken. Maybe the paint colors bother you.

Sometimes the things that seem small to someone else can become one more thing piled onto everything else you're already dealing with.

And eventually, that pile gets heavy.

How I Deal With It

Let it out, and then let it go.

Don't let that frustration stay. It will only aid in holding you back from everything else.

For me, dealing with burnout requires me to step back and regroup.

I have to acknowledge what I'm feeling instead of pretending I'm fine when I'm clearly not. Sometimes I need rest. Sometimes I need to get away from whatever is frustrating me. Sometimes I need to work through the actual problem.

And sometimes I just need to do something that makes me happy.

Reading.

Watching something I enjoy.

Going outside.

Cooking.

Taking a walk with my headphones in.

Even breaking something overwhelming into smaller pieces can help. I don't have to fix everything at once.

One of the biggest things I've had to learn is that I don't always have control over everything happening around me.

I can control how I respond.

I can take a step back.

I can give myself time to calm down.

I can figure out what actually needs to be fixed and what I simply need to let go.

And most importantly, I can start again.

Getting Back Up

No matter how burnt out I get, I never forget my dreams and my goals.

I may have to take a step back from them.

I may have to slow down.

I may have to completely regroup before I can get back to them.

But they're still there.

Sometimes life feels like it's pushing down on you from every direction. Work, money, family, health, responsibilities, expectations, and everything else can pile up until you don't know which thing you're supposed to deal with first.

I've been there.

Honestly, I still end up there sometimes.

But I've learned that taking a step back doesn't mean I've given up.

Sometimes it just means I need to breathe.

And then I'll get back up and keep going.

Final Thoughts

Stress is a part of life, and I don't think there's a magical way to get rid of it completely. There will always be something that comes up, something that needs to be dealt with, or something that doesn't go the way we planned.

What I've learned is that sometimes I need to stop trying to fix everything at once.

I have to give myself permission to step back, breathe, feel what I'm feeling, and figure out what actually needs my attention.

I still get stressed. I still get overwhelmed. And yes, I still burn out sometimes.

But that doesn't mean I've failed.

Sometimes taking a break is exactly what I need to be able to keep moving forward.

Life isn't always going to be easy, and I don't think it's supposed to be. But I can choose how I respond to the difficult moments. I can learn from them, make changes where I can, and let go of the things I can't control.

And when I need to?

I'll take a step back, regroup, and try again.

Because stepping back isn't giving up. Sometimes it's how we get back up.