The Psychology of Work Fatigue

What does a long day at the office look like? From racing to meet a tight deadline to simply sitting as a desk for hours on end, one “long day” could eventually turn into many. And if we aren’t careful, we could be wearing ourselves thin as work fatigue begins to set in.

Fatigue in itself is understood and a description of tiredness beyond normal physicality; it is a state of both mental and physical exhaustion. Even despite proper nutrition, activity, and even sleep, fatigue still serves as some sort of neurological signal, but what is it really trying to tell us? Scientists look back to our evolutionary history and theorize that acute feelings of fatigue acted as a necessary reminder for survival and encouraged us to act on maintaining our needs, like finding food and shelter. In the modern context, fatigue may come along when we’ve been staring at a computer screen too long and need a quick break as a basic urge to just do something else for a change. Unfortunately, many of us are socialized to ignore this impulse — what results is difficulty concentrating, feelings of depression, anxiety, short temperedness, and unending tiredness that lasts for days and even weeks.

For those suffering with work fatigue, even menial and predictable tasks can become a challenge. Don’t let fatigue and stress rule your life. Take a look at this infographic for more on the psychology of work fatigue, how to recognize the signs, and when it’s time to step up against it.