Emotional tiredness or emotional fatigue can hit all of us at anytime and for multitude of different reasons. 21st century life is tough, busy and draining for the masses. It can feel like your emotional pain, hurt or trauma is weighing you down physically. Perhaps you’ve been through a breakup, a bereavement or lost our job; it usually happens after you have come through a difficult situation as an aftermath of resilience whilst going through the thing that caused it. It is not a sign of weakness, but actually a strength to acknowledge that you have the problem and then working out ways to tackle it head on.
Work-life, home life and social life all come with their own drama and head ache, yet we juggle them like a circus act, braving it through like everything is fine. Until, that time comes when the body betrays you. You suddenly have no desire what so ever to emerge from the bed covers and conquer the world as you do every day. Oh no, today is different. You are beyond tired, feeling extremely low and cannot seem to shake the feeling of defeat or a lack of motivation.
These are eight signs to help you recognise when you are entering into this zone, and what to do mentally, emotionally, nutritionally and physically.
Complete physical exhaustion: feeling like you cannot be bothered or have literally no energy to do menial things, let alone go to work.
Frustration: becoming quick tempered and angry about small or big things which results in negative self talk, negative thoughts and negative talk.
De-motivation: Instead of your usual spark to create a goal and complete it, you feel complete lack of motivation to get started, let alone finish it.
concentration: you may be less able to focus on simple things like reading or watching TV or lengthy periods without feeling agitated or annoyed.
Job performance: you may find your job performance slipping and a lack of productivity. Prehaps, you stop going the extra mile and settle for mediocrity which brings down your morale and your feel-good feelings of achievement.
Relationship problems: suddenly, you become a magnet for troubles at home and work. You experience unusual arguments with friends, colleagues or loved ones which seem random and based on trivial nonsense, but continue it due to overt sensitivity.
Letting yourself go: a general sense of ‘i don’t care’ with regards to your appearance, hygiene or the state of your home. A lack of pride when you present yourself, speak or dress.
Low libido: Sex drive for most busy people can be an excellent stress buster. But, when feeling fatigued, you struggle to make emotional connections with your spouse and may even deliberately avoid sex!
So, what to do about the above? How do you get yourself out of the slump and the downwards funk.
- Switch off; allow yourself to switch off all technological devises – cell phone, ipad, laptop and computers. By switching off these electrically powered.
- Take a mini vacation; book a cheap but relaxing spa weekender away with your partner or by yourself. Leave all technology at home, and fully immerse in ‘switching off’ your mind.
- Write a new ‘to-do-list’ or draw a new vision board – sometimes we get down we we feel we are not achieving our goals or have gone off track.
- Start exercising – exercise is widely known to boost feel good hormones and helps you stay stimulated, motivated and working towards a goal that brings gratifying results – a better body!
- Minimise junk food; it is so easy to sit a home with a tub of ice-cream and watch TV when you feel down. Do the opposite. Treat yourself to fresh food, go to a good restaurant or buy yourself a juicer and begin fueling your body and mind with fruits and vegetables.
- Pray or meditate – speak to your creator, ask for healing and for clarity. Chant or repeat silently positive affirmations to release your mind from the thoughts that drain you.
- Volunteer – this may seem like a crazy idea, especially when your trouble may be a financial one. But it is a great thing for the soul, to be able to donate your time, expertise or skills to someone, a company or a cause that is greater than your troubles.
Written by Pride Beauty and Business Writer, Dr Clare Eluka.