Research shows that people suffering from emotional exhaustion experience higher levels of work-life conflict. They may find that they have less patience to engage with family and friends at the end of the day and become frustrated with them more easily — a problem that is exacerbated by the current Covid-19 crisis. That’s why it’s important to remember to pay attention to your emotional energy and note when reserves run low. Learn what factors tend to drain them and experiment with ways to reduce the strain. Fix what you can, and learn how to more effectively handle what you can’t. Think about what values and qualities drive you and practice being centered and present for short periods of time to create more experiences of joy and connection.
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Emotional exhaustion lies at the heart of burnout. As your emotional resources are used up in trying to cope with challenging situations — such as overwhelming demands, conflict, or lack of support at work or at home — your sense of well-being and capacity to care for yourself and others is diminished.
