Work-wise I am busy busy busy, I attended 3 events last week and even had a business trip including overnight stay to Manchester - a year ago there is NO-WAY I would have even considered doing this...so with all this happening recently I didn't remember to take care of what was going on internally and instead block booked the next 2 months-worth of weekends up in the click of a finger.
The busy week happened and I got to the Bank Holiday weekend and then bump...I got a cold, my IBS started up and off went my thoughts in a downward spiral kick-starting anxious feelings and hello Panic Attack.
Yesterday I was suffering from low-level anxiety, just some nausea and feeling under the weather, I tried to just rest in bed or on the sofa and listen to some relaxing music. I really rate the SleepStream App for the iPhone, it's so cheap ($0.99 current special offer price) and the quantity and quality of sounds and visualisations you get are brilliant. My favourite is the Guided Relaxation with the sound of crashing waves underneath it and the Binaural Beat for deep sleep. The guys that make this are adding stuff to it all the time, and there was an advert saying there are new programs coming really soon so I look forward to these. I bought this app last year at the height of my anxiety and even when I am not feeling stressed I go back to it and buy add-ons like the Tinnitus Masker (still getting a little bother from that).
Another recommendation, again this isn't a paid for advert it's just something I have purchased myself and found helpful has come from my favourite Anxiety Slayers; Shann and Ananga. I follow them both on Facebook and was happy to read that they were releasing some guided meditations to download on Amazon and iTunes, I must have been one of the first to download it as I was chomping at the bit. I've listened a few times now and each time I hear something new and get added benefits. It's just up on iTunes now and is called Transitions to Calm - Guided Relaxations for Stress and Anxiety Relief.
I'm off now for a hot bath and to do some meditation and hopefully get some rest. Below are what I think are my top signs that I am burning out.
IBS starts to play up
I lose my appetite
Mind becomes over-active and I start to worry about insignificant things
Little things seem to upset/worry me
I get frustrated easily
I berate myself if something goes wrong
Paranoid people are saying bad things about me/I am letting people down
Difficulty concentrating
Not wanting to be in social situations
Let me know what your burnout signs are...I am still learning and actually getting friends to give me the warning is helpful too. When I hit the bump they always say, I thought you were looking stressed/anxious etc last time I saw you.