 Are you looking forward to conquering your next goal or achievement? Is the rest of your calendar just a to-do list day after day? Is it rare for you to take a moment to look around? Did you ever stop to listen to your inner voice? Perhaps it's been wanting to say something to you as well. It is often the case that we're getting on with our lives without recognizing that we need to take a step back. 1. Difficulty Concentrating No no! Did you forget to do that thing you meant to do? It's normal to forget things once in a while. It's also normal for your minds to imagine and wander elsewhere. However, if this happens a lot more than usual, then it could be a sign of a deeper problem. According to specialist Dr. Hemel, when you have too much on your plate, your mind tends to go into overdrive. When this happens, you won't be able to focus and have difficulty solving problems as you may find it harder to look at the bigger picture. This might pose problems in the long run, making it harder for you to handle anything at all. 2. Impulsive Decisions Are you rushing through your tasks just to get them done? It's harder for you to think of the consequences of your actions when you have too much to handle. A 2011 study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that prolonged work hours with little to no breaks in between get you to make quick of the situation and more open to the easier option. When you don't take breaks, you tend to go for the most convenient decisions. So you make rash decisions without thinking of it's possible more serious complications. 3. Perpetual Exhaustion Why do you still feel drained and out of energy even after good long hours of sleep? You find your workout more difficult to finish? When you have a lot on the table, there's no doubt that you'll be physically exhausted. However, this could extend to mental exhaustion. When your mind is in constant hustle, it'll get to a point of exhaustion. And when this happens, your mind will never truly settle and the sleep you get will never suffice for the kind of rest that you need. 4. Eat and Sleep Patterns Our brains work in mysterious ways. It's designed to change in response to experience. According to a study by Ray Poole and Santos Longhurst, when you're under too much stress, your endocrine system overproduces hormones related to stress such as the adrenal hormones or cortisol. These hormones are essential in dealing with stress by putting the body in a fight-or-flight response. Prolonged presence of these hormones in your system can affect your sleep and eating habits. More specifically, they make it difficult for you to sleep and shift your eating habits. This is the reason why some binge eat or eat less when they're under too much stress. Developing these new habits could lead to further health problems. 5. Negative Emotions Have you noticed a certain pattern in your mood lately? Do your emotions seem to be all over the place as of late? Studies by Gordon and Mendez have shown that high levels of stress cause an increased display of negative emotions such as irritability and anger. A person who has too much to handle may display a change in mood over time. All that pressure and stress takes a toll on you, resulting in mental exhaustion and a highly active endocrine system. Causing your hormonal balance to go off-kilter, you become easily irritated and easily angered. You are constantly in a low mood. You also start to display cynical and negative thinking. 6. Voluntary Withdrawal Do you find yourself knee-deep in your to-do list? Is it difficult for you to find time to socialize? You can only take off so much of your to-do list in a day. In the long run, the burden of things starts to get to you. Then you start to voluntarily withdraw yourself from any socialization. When you overburden yourself with all that you have got to do, it can tip the balance of your work and social life. You might find it difficult to interact with people, or you simply don't have the energy to deal with them. Your relationships might even begin to suffer, which might lead you to isolate even more. 7. Detached Self Does it feel like you might be losing a sense of you? There's this feeling of missing your old self. When you have to handle a lot of things, you often forget about taking care of yourself. You constantly find yourself zoning out and wondering what's happening with you. You don't enjoy the things you usually enjoy, and sometimes you might feel detached from the environment and even from yourself. The fast-paced life limits your time, giving you little to no space to reflect on yourself. It's common practice to do your best. You hustle on because you're expected to move forward, but sometimes moving forward can be too much. If it's constantly at breakneck speed, it's important to recognize your need to take a step back. It's not quitting. It's not giving up. Rather, it's giving yourself the time to process, reflect, and heal. And maybe stepping back could be the way to move forward. If you found this video helpful, remember to share with anyone who may benefit from it. Looking forward to reading any thoughts or suggestions you might have as well in the comments down below.