I have been feeling very exhausted lately. Sitting behind my desk, my shoulders are burning from pain, and if I close my eyes, I can fall asleep right there. 
I was driving today to fetch my daughter from school. Exhaling takes effort while driving, and it feels as though I am breathing above my body. Does that even make sense? My eyes became incredibly heavy, and all I wanted to do was close them. It’s too much effort to lift my arm, raise my hand, and sometimes even stand up. 

Exhaustion is another level of tiredness. I spent last weekend sleeping and sleeping and wondering at times when my sleep would be finished. 

How can I be tired all the time? When do many people depend on me? When there are other people who spend 8 to 10 hours on their feet working?

There is no time out for me.

I hope this blog post helps you cause I am surely going to try everything in it with the hope that it helps me.

Look at this list below; if 5 or more of these are true for you, you might be heading to a burn-out. 

• I carry too much responsibility and feel like I’m drowning in work.
• My boss has completely unrealistic expectations of me.
• I worry about work long after the work day has ended. At the end of the workday, I feel emotionally drained.
• l often wake up dreading the thought of going to work.
• l often feel sad – not much seems to interest me anymore. Everyone but me is having fun and enjoying
  relationships.
• Even after 8 hours of sleep, I feel tired and often wake up exhausted.
• All I think about is sleeping all the time. 
• I feel myself caring less for other people’s needs.
• My fuse is much shorter, causing me to snap easily.
• My sex drive is disappearing or is gone altogether.
• I am no longer interested in social activities and rarely go out.
• Life generally seems pointless to me.
• I couldn’t care less about my appearance and overall well-being.
• I get headaches or tightness in my neck, shoulders or back.
• I often binge drink or eat.
• I am often ill and always seem to catch anything going around. I usually stay up too late working, gaming or surfing the web. l frequently feel the urge to drink or indulge in other forms of escapism.
• My family complains about not seeing enough of me.

Many of the above are true for me, most of which are the headaches and tightness in my neck, shoulders, and back. I am a morning person, so I am always cheery and happy at 6 am. But lately, sjoe, I’ve been struggling to get out of bed. My exercise routine exhausts me even more. After tennis, I am just done.

Here is a list of things you can do to combat your current state. I am surely going to try some. 

1. Set boundaries so you’re not over-extending yourself.  
2. Prioritise good sleep habits, nutrition, and exercise.
3. Shift your perspective. What aspects of your situation can you change
4. Make time for self-care. If you don’t have time, schedule it.
5. Ask for help and be specific about what you need.
6. Maintain social contact with loved ones to help de-stress.
7. Have a glass of wine every so often.

Get some rest and be good to yourself. 

xo, Charlie