The pace of life today is crazy. Many people juggle multiple responsibilities, including work, home life, caregiving and relationships.

Humans aren’t programmed to go through life without rest, solitude or downtime. With everything going on, it’s easy to get blindsided by stress and burnout. So experts explain it’s important to beware of symptoms and acknowledge when your responsibilities start to become too much to handle.

“The symptoms of stress can include head and muscle aches, upset stomach, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, lack of focus, over- or undereating, angry outbursts and social withdrawal,” says Dr. Tiffany Casper, a Mayo Clinic Health System family physician.

Casper shares three tips for keeping burnout at bay:

Ask yourself, ‘What’s important now?’If you’re driving, pay attention to the road. If you’re having dinner with a friend, be engaged and present. Don’t play around with your phone. It’s not only distracting; it’s disrespectful.

Quantify the commitmentBefore you agree to sit on a committee or host a dinner party, recognize that it means giving up time that can’t be replaced. Anticipate that the time commitment probably will be longer than your initial estimate. Factor that into decisions about what’s worth your time. Be willing to say “no.”

Make yourself unavailableIt’s OK and important to set aside time for yourself. Schedule it on your calendar, and don’t let other responsibilities encroach on that time. This may mean saying “no” to some requests.”In addition to these tips, Casper says sleep, meals and exercise also are important.