When it comes to taking on all of the different things that you have to balance in life it can be an overwhelming load to balance on your shoulders.  Sometimes so many things start to add up that we can start wonder how we are possibly going to be able to do everything that we need to do.  Our minds start to become like a cluttered drawer with no organization or order.  Before you know it, we can have so much crammed in there that we start to lose sight of how we will even get it all done.

However, catching ourselves before we get to this point is important.  Make sure that you recognize the signs that you are starting to become overstressed to avoid burning yourself out.  If you let yourself get to empty, then it is even more difficult to make a recovery.  Here are the biggest warning signs that you are starting to become overstressed.

Frequent Mood Swings

One of the biggest telltale signs that you are starting to become overwhelmed and stressed is that you have frequent mood swings.  One moment you are feeling fine and the next minute something that wouldn’t normally be a trigger sends you into an angry dip.  You are easily irritated and can feel frustrated by circumstances that would normally just slide right by you.

The best way to recognize whether you are being just moody or if you are having genuine frustration with a situation is monitoring how you feel about it at a later time.  If you feel extremely irritated by something in the moment, take a break emotionally before you react, and revisit how you feel later that day.  If you are able, to be honest with yourself and recognize whether what you were feeling several hours before was genuinely irritating or simply a symptom of stress, then you can deal with your feelings with a much clearer head.

Difficulty Sleeping

Stress can affect sleep because your mind is on overdrive.  You can stay up all night thinking about all of your pressing to-do’s and wonder how on earth you are going to complete them.

When your mind doesn’t shut off then your body follows.  It is important to get a good night’s sleep so that you can do your best work.

Loss Of Interest In Activities You Once Enjoyed

When your mind is fixated on everything that you have on your plate then you start to become incapable of taking a break to enjoy things that give you pleasure.  Your mind is stuck on overdrive mode without being able to shut down.

If you find yourself making excuses to go out with friends or find yourself not wanting to do things that once were your favorite thing to do, then you may be overstressed.