8 Telltale Signs You're Doing Too Much

Prevent burnout from by recognizing these telltale signs.

This is a hectic time of year for most people. The holidays are looming, it's the final quarter of the year, and with daylight savings this weekend we're losing the sunshine to get stuff done. But are you doing too much? 

Here are 8 telltale signs that you might be on overload:

1. Healthy eating is on the back burner.

If you find yourself hitting up the fast food drive-thrus more than a few times a week or cold cereal seems a perfectly acceptable dinner three nights in a row, you might have too much going on. Often one of the first things to go when we're too busy is our healthy eating habits.

2. Exercise ain't happening.

Along with healthy eating being put on the back burner, so is your exercise routine. You find yourself snoozing through your a.m. alarm and missing your run or driving right past the gym on your way home to eat your Cap'n Crunch in front of the TV. When you start to sacrifice your exercise routine for more sleep or downtime you know your schedule is too packed.

3. Running late or missing appointments becomes a regular occurrence.

When you find yourself missing appointments or running late for meetings and functions, it's a sign you need to slow it down. This means you're not allowing yourself any buffer time in your day to get where you need to be so it's time to scale back.

4. Forgetting the fun.

Often times when you've got too much going on, you start to lose your flexibility. Where once you could roll with the punches and adapt to changes in your day, you're now marching through your agenda like it's a battlefield and there's no room for spontaneity or fun. Time to get back in touch with your free spirit and lighten up.

5. The mailman notices you're looking worn out. 

I don't know many of us who have a chummy relationship with our mail carrier. So if someone who doesn't know you very well points out that you look a little run down, it's best to listen. When you have strangers and acquaintances picking up on the fact that you're not looking like yourself, it's best to put the brakes on.

6. You haven't baked, knitted, or golfed in weeks.

Fill in the blank regarding your hobby or personal interest. If you haven't engaged in a creative outlet or indulged in a self-care act in a while, chances are you're burning the candle at both ends. The saying goes you need to unplug to recharge and if you're not doing this, your tank is soon to hit empty.

7. You're lashing out at friends and family.

Many times when we're on the go constantly, we can become increasingly irritable and short tempered. If you've noticed more family conflict, you're yelling a lot or being snippy with people you care about, you need to reign it in and reassess your priorities. Is it worth the fighting?

8. Physical ailments keep cropping up.

Headaches, sinus infections, acne flare ups, and stomach problems can mean more than just an off day. If you're frequently getting sick or having more aches and pains, the culprit could be that you're pushing yourself too much. As your body starts to break down from stress and long days you can find yourself up against larger health issues, which is a huge red flag you're taking on too much.

When you push yourself too hard, something has to give. What that something is can be different for each person, but none of it is good. If you notice any of these telltale signs happening to you, please be sure to put the brakes on. Listen to your body. Listen to your mind. Listen to your family. Listen to your colleagues. Heck, listen to the mailman if you have to! 

How do you know when you're doing too much?