Feeling tired from work is normal. But have you ever felt that planning your finances is even more exhausting? 

Just after payday, the money somehow disappears without knowing where it went. It feels like your energy has been drained at the office, yet your mind is still chased by bills, loans, and uncertain future plans. If you have ever felt this way, you might be experiencing financial burnout.

What Is Financial Burnout?
How do you feel every time you open your mobile banking app happy, anxious, or scared? Feeling afraid each time you open the app, avoiding bill notifications, or deliberately ignoring expense records for fear of disappointment are early signs.

Financial burnout often comes quietly through daily small habits. From the outside, it may seem okay, but inside your mind is full of burdens and anxiety. This phenomenon is known as emotional and mental exhaustion caused by never-ending financial problems.

5 Signs You Are Experiencing Financial Burnout
Data shows that 1 in 4 workers admits to experiencing financial stress that hinders their work. This means that burnout is not just about money but also affects physical and mental health. Let’s recognize the signs.

1. Constant Anxiety About Money
   You often feel uneasy every time you have to spend money, even for daily needs. The salary has just been paid, but it always feels insufficient to cover all routine expenses. Unexpected bills disturb your peace of mind and sometimes affect your sleep.Over time, this anxiety makes the body and mind feel tired even though activities continue. If left unchecked, this stress can reduce productivity and daily quality of life.

2. Avoiding Checking Bank Accounts
   Looking at your savings balance can be a tense moment you want to avoid. You often feel afraid that the number shows a “failed” or drastically declining financial condition. As a result, you rarely check your account and neglect expense records.Over time, this pattern can make you feel hopeless or more closed off to people around you. In fact, clear financial information actually helps reduce stress and makes you calmer.

3. Feeling Efforts at Work Are Futile
   Even though you diligently save and economize, your savings feel stagnant and your hard work seems wasted. Every month your balance or assets seem not to move, even though you have tried your best. The feeling of stagnation makes you more stressed and triggers comparing yourself with others’ achievements.
4. Emotional Spending
   “Financial burnout but impulsive shopping?” Sometimes impulsive shopping becomes an escape from momentary financial stress and anxiety. The quick joy soon vanishes, replaced by guilt or regret, adding pressure. This usually occurs when you feel down or pressured, creating a vicious cycle of stress and impulsive buying.
5. Tired of Talking About Money
   “Oh, please don’t talk about finances right now.” Have you heard this sentence? Financial topics often make people sensitive, emotionally reactive, or they avoid them because they are exhausting and draining. Feeling tired whenever discussing money or being asked about personal finances makes your heart uneasy, which can trigger conflicts or excessive shame. In fact, talking about money healthily can be an important step toward financial stability.Read also: Afraid to check your account? Maybe you’re experiencing money avoidance, here’s how to overcome it! – Treasury

How to Overcome It?

1. Recognize and Face Your Financial Fears
   The first step is to stop avoiding and take a deep breath. Try writing down everything about money that makes you anxious, from debts to savings. Then, divide them into two: “Things I Can Control” and “Things I Cannot Control.”As Stoicism teaches, we can only control our thoughts and actions, not external circumstances. Focusing on what you can manage will help transform anxious energy into concrete action.
2. Start with One Small Step
   Don’t try to solve everything at once as that only increases stress. Choose the easiest or most important item from your control list. Break it down into small steps, for example, “check bill statement” or “contact bank customer service.” Completing one small task will boost your motivation for the next steps.
3. Apply a Financial Information Diet
   Negative economic news can indeed trigger anxiety, so limit your exposure. Unfollow accounts that make you feel insecure. Schedule “financial time” for 30-60 minutes each weekend to review your finances. Outside this time, allow yourself to stop thinking about money constantly.
4. Build a Peace Fund, Not Just an Emergency Fund
   Start even with a small amount, say around IDR 20,000 per day, call it a “Peace Fund,” not a big emergency fund. The goal is to give a sense of security and inner calm, not just a number in the account. Over time, this fund will help reduce anxiety about “what if…”
5. First Aid When Panic Strikes
   When anxiety peaks, try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique to calm yourself. Focus and name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 sounds you hear, 2 smells you sense, and 1 taste you notice.By naming or saying these things, you bring your brain to the present moment and distract it from worries. This simple exercise helps calm the nervous system and gives a moment to breathe.

Financial burnout can feel heavy, but you are not alone. By recognizing this pattern and taking small consistent steps, your relationship with money can become healthier and more positive. Don’t let fear or feeling unworthy control your financial decisions.

One small step you can try is to start setting aside funds in the form of digital gold. With an affordable nominal amount, you can already increase your sense of security and build healthier financial habits.

This is an easy way to start building your “Peace Fund” while learning to manage finances more consciously. Let’s take control of your money and build a better financial future together with Treasury!