If you have reached the point where you just want to run and hide in a faraway land all by yourself and can't stand anyone around you, it's time to take a step back.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on July 9, 2019. It has since been updated.
You could be busy around the house picking up toys, folding clothes, planning and preparing meals when you realize that you just can't go on like this anymore. You feel resentment for everyone and tired beyond measure. You probably don't have the energy to speak to your partner or play with your child, so you just sit in front of the TV at the end of the busy day hoping that nobody disturbs you.
If you have reached that point, you're probably at the end of your tether and have reached an exhaustion point that is close to being burnout. You take care of everyone but forget yourself, and that is a dangerous trend in the long term. If you don't want to experience fatigue like you can't lift your head from the couch, then learn to read the signs that you need "alone time" or "me time" well ahead.
Nothing sounds fun anymore. You could be bored and complaining internally about your day. Instead of looking forward to the things that used to make your life fun, like a scoop of ice cream at night or going for walks early in the morning, you just want the day to end. You feel that you need to recharge yourself. If you have reached that point, then it's time to accept that you need time off for yourself. So, find something you can do alone. Pick a creative project if you want, completing which might make you feel fulfilled, recommends Healthline.
You just feel utterly exhausted and fatigue has set into your bones. Apart from feeling that you have no energy for anything you could also feel unmotivated. When you can no longer feel enthusiastic about anything, you could be experiencing burnout. It might feel harder to get up in the morning.
You can multitask like going to the bank, picking up groceries, cooking, and more on a given day. However, sometimes a small missing item from your fridge could overwhelm you to the point of hyperventilating and having racing thoughts. In such situations, it is important to ask yourself if something is not going your way, is it the end of the world? It is also important to seek help and talk to someone at that moment to diffuse the situation. However, when you see the bigger picture, you will realize that this is a pattern and not a one-off incident, which means you need a break for yourself.
When you can't enjoy anything, you're probably irritable all the time, which means that anything and everything can trigger you. If you find yourself snapping at loved ones when the problem at hand is minor or doesn't even exist, it is time to check your exhaustion point. Take a few breaths because that will help you calm down. Spend an hour or two by yourself.
There are times when everyone seems born to annoy you out of your wits. "A roommate, boyfriend/girlfriend, or parent may walk around the house and their very gait makes you cringe," life coach Nina Rubin, MA, told Bustle. When you are annoyed to see other people existing in your space at all, doing simple and innocent things like eating breakfast or playing a game, it is definitely time to take a step back from your hectic lifestyle.
If you have had no time to yourself and are burdened with a lot on your plate, your body could be forcing you to take time for yourself. "When we are not getting the time we need, sometimes our body forces us to take it," says life coach and psychic Laura Powers. You could catch a cold or have stomach problems that might force you to stay home from work and isolate yourself from others for a day or two.
Everything feels overwhelming. Sometimes, there are just too many responsibilities and you can't take it anymore. If you find yourself zoning out and taking long bathroom breaks with your phone, or just want to lock yourself in your bedroom alone, it's time to schedule some time away from everything that feels like the end of the world.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/time-for-alone-time#1
https://www.bustle.com/articles/201000-11-weird-signs-you-need-more-alone-time
