What are the Top Signs You Need a Break From Your Job

What are the Top Signs You Need a Break From Your Job Some days you dont know if you’re coming or going. You forget what your co-worker just said and whats due when. The throbbing headaches are beginning to feel like a drill. It seems like being a hard worker these days is all about working yourself into an early grave. So, how can you tell when enough is enough? Here are 18 signs you need a break from work.   1. Youre about to set your computer on fire, literally. In fact, youre picturing it, right now: You may or may not have snuck a blow torch into work. Dont start computer fires. Take a break. 2. Youve turned into the Tin Man from “The Wizard of Oz.” You can barely move and are in pain. The same position and repetitive motions strained your muscles so much that they feel calcified at this point.Soon, you wont be able to move at all, and theres no oil can to save you. The good news: A Swedish massage is a good substitute to loosen you up. You may also consider a standing desk or walking breaks to get your body moving. If your body and brain don’t get enough exercise, youre no good to anyone. 3. Youre getting repetitive headaches, or another health issue keeps occurring. Your body is literally telling you to stop. Stress influences disease in the body and can promote inflammation and the progression of health issues. See your doctor, but remember that your overall health matters, too. Make time for personal time to keep yourself well. 4. Your resting heart rate is rising. Normally, your heart rate will be pretty consistent within a range of a few beats per minute. Check your rate every morning before you get out of bed. (I use my Fitbit, but there are plenty of other ways.) If you notice your heart rate rising, it’s because you’re stressed and your system is trying to get more oxygen to your brain and body. Take a break and get a little more rest to give your body what it needs. 5. Youve become a zombie. Well, youre not eating brains, but your head isnt in the game. At this point, your responses to co-workers, family and friends are grunts and awkwardly pointing at things. Youre going through the motions, but life just doesnt have much appeal. Its the same old thing, day in and day out. Its time to change your routine. 6. Friends? What friends? Its OK if your social life sometimes consists of watching episodes of “Friends” instead of actually hanging out with your friends. But if you have no social life, thats a completely different issue. Humans need to socialize outside of their work environment; socialization is just as important to optimal health as diet and exercise. Do you really want your tombstone to read: “Bob: He worked. He worked a lot?” No, you dont. Now, go grab a drink with your friends. 7. When you finally find time for your hobbies, you get nothing done. Perhaps you like to bake, paint or write poetry, but when you get to it nothing at all happens. There is no passion. There is no motivation or interest.So, what’s going on? Your body, your mind and your heart are tired. Get overwhelmed in one area of your life, and it will leak over into the rest of your life if you dont handle the situation. 8. Youre eating dinner at the office, consistently. Recall staring at your computer and quickly glancing up at the clock to notice that dinner time was two hours ago? So, you order Chinese food to be delivered to the office. No big deal, right? Think again. Working more than 40 hours a week, with unhealthy eating habits, has been shown to adversely affect your health. If you have to work late, at least leave the office to sit down and eat a meal. You should have at least 30 stress-free minutes to yourself. And if this is a regular pattern for you, your work-life balance needs to be reconsidered. 9. You hit snooze more than once. If the first thing you do in the morning is fall back asleep again, somethings got to give. If you dread going into work, are rushed and end up late, you need a change. Take a break to consider your options. 10. You’re tossing and turning every night. If you have horrible sleeping patterns, even after trying to adjust to a new work schedule, something else is going on here. Youre overworked, and your body has had enough. 11. You â€" or your co-workers â€" are noticing attitude changes. Have you been grumpy for months? If your co-workers are walking on eggshells around you, take a break. The same goes if youve been slowly withdrawing from social interaction at work. Likewise, if you’re experiencing a sudden change in attitude for no specific reason, it’s likely the stress and fatigue have triggered physiological responses that alter the chemicals in your brain that regulate emotions. 12. You talk about work outside of work. A lot. Everyone has a right to a good rant. If you subject your family and friends to a daily, long-winded rant, just stop. Stop for them, yes, but especially stop for yourself. Look at whats not working for you, and make the change. 13. You sigh, or change the subject, when someone asks you, “Hows work?” You hate talking about your job because you hate your job. Its boring. It’s frustrating. Its a sign that you need a break. 14. You no longer feel proud of your work. You deserve to be recognized. You deserve to feel proud of your position. Have you been doing this for so long that its all the same to you? Its break time. 15. Your work area is trashed. Or suspiciously clean. Take note if your work area has altered from your usual way of doing things. Both messy and clean work spaces have merits, scientifically speaking. Our work areas often symbolize the spaces in our minds and how we sort information. But if you don’t have time to tidy up, or if you’ve gone from messy to OCD, it’s a sign you need to step away from the desk. 16. Your brains foggy, with a small chance of “screw this.” Not only have you lost your motivation, youve lost your thoughts. Its hard to think, period. Co-workers words go in one ear and out the other. You dont know if youre coming or going. You just know that youre about done with all of this. Feeling like this is a serious sign that you need a break. 17. You forget to eat lunch. If you’re so busy that you don’t notice your stomach rumbling, or you keep working despite the hunger, your brain isn’t getting the fuel it needs to keep going. Neither is your body. Force yourself to get up and take a lunch break. Even fifteen minutes can give you the boost you need to get through the afternoon. 18. Your weight is fluctuating. Stress takes a major toll on your body, we all know that. But we often fail to notice the signs. If your weight is fluctuating more than one percent day-to-day, or if you’ve lost or gained weight a considerable amount of weight without trying, it’s a sign you need to pay more attention to your intake. Whether you’re stressed and not eating or drinking enough, or you’re over-eating due to stress, it’s time to get it in-check before it takes a significant toll on your body. Please dont work yourself into an early grave. Notice when you need to take a break, especially from everything, and do it. Have you noticed any of these signs in yourself or a co-worker? What are your suggestions for taking a much needed break? Leave a note in the comments! #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Join over 625 readers! Get expert career advice sent straight to your inbox!