Work can be very demanding, and sometimes it is no secret that most people shy away from taking time off to recuperate and recharge themselves.

What we have to understand is that chronic stress has the possibility of leading into mental health experiences such as depression if not well taken care of.

This is why we have collated 5 signs for you to alert yourself when it’s time to finally take a break from work (even if it’s just for a few hours).

1. You are unable to focus

When your mind is constantly being utilised, until the point that it is beyond its normal functioning. What this does is that it can lead to an enormous amount of stress which can even include health risks. It also makes you lose sight of the objectives that you have set out for yourself.

2. You are tired all the time

When you have been working too long without a break, you start walking into your workplace in a breath of exhaustion every day. You start to feel tired for no reason at different points of the day and you can’t wait for the day to end.

3. You are easily irritable

This is the point where you feel annoyed by everything, even the smallest of concerns that usually would not tick you off in normal circumstances. You feel like you’re in a constant bad mood and nothing you do can help alleviate that feeling of irritability.

4. You start losing your ambition

You are so exhausted to the stage where you’re not even thinking about your long term goals anymore. At this stage, you basically live the day-to-day grind, where you just can’t wait for your work to be over and leave the office.

5. You are unable to sleep well

You begin staying up late at night because you are unable to sleep. These sleepless nights can lead to constant tossing and turning around in bed, using your mobile phones for hours on end, and just trouble falling asleep.

So these are just 5 signs that you will be able to notice when work gets a little too much. Remember to always care for your own mental health and practice self-care so that you will be able to re-charge yourself to hit your life goals more effectively!