People who face the hassle of workplace stress juggling to balance family life, or any form of stressful activity that could snatch their whole day without rest, place themselves at high risk of experiencing burnout.
Burnout can be accompanied by various symptoms dangerous to mental and physical health as well. If left undiagnosed and attended to, burnout can make it super hard for an individual to function well in their daily life.
What exactly Is Burnout?
Burnout is a spontaneous reaction caused by prolonged or chronic job stress and is distinguished by three main dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism (that is, less identification with your job), and feelings of reduced professional ability.
The stress that contributes to burnout might come from your job, but stress from your overall lifestyle can also add to this stress. Personality traits and thought patterns, such as perfectionism and negativity, can contribute as well can be contributing factors. [1]
So many people spend most of their waking hours working. If you realize you hate your job, dread going to work, or you do not gain any satisfaction from what you are doing, it can take a serious toll on your life and productivity.
Signs and Symptoms of Burnout
Burnout is not usually a diagnosable psychological disorder, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously.
However, here are some of the most common signs of burnout you can look out for [2]
1. Emotional exhaustion: If you observe you are always drained emotionally, tired of contributing to important conversations, or withdrawing from your surroundings, It could be a sign of emotional exhaustion.
Burnout causes people to feel drained, unable to cope, and tired. They often lack the energy to complete any task given to them or activity they engage in.
2. Physical symptoms: You could experience chronic stress that might lead to physical symptoms, like headaches and stomachaches or intestinal issues.
3. Poor performance: Burnout majorly affects our everyday tasks be it at work or the home. When someone’s sole job involves caring for family members or looking after the kids, burnout is likely to occur.
Individuals with burnout might feel negative about tasks or activities. They find it difficult in concentrating and often lack creativity.
Do you know that Burnout shares some similar symptoms of mental health conditions, such as depression? [3] Individuals with depression experience negative feelings and thoughts about all aspects of life in general.
Depression symptoms can also look like a loss of interest in things or people, feelings of hopelessness, cognitive and physical symptoms as well as thoughts of suicide or feelings of disappearing.
Prevention and Treatment
The term ‘burnout’ does not suggest it may be a permanent condition, it is usually reversible. An individual who is feeling burned out might need to make some changes to their environment.
You can approach the human resource department about problems in the workplace, or school or see a therapist, or even talk to a higher authority about the issues could be helpful if they are invested in creating a healthier environment for you to engage fully in.
In a few cases, a change in position or landing a new job altogether may be necessary to put an end to burnout for those who experience burnout at their place of work
Also, one can develop clear strategies that help you manage your stress. For instance, self-care strategies, like eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise, and engaging in healthy sleep habits can help reduce some of the effects of a high-stress job.
For relationship burnout, a vacation may offer you and your partner some temporary relief too. Regularly scheduled breaks from work or home chores, along with daily renewal exercises, weekend dates or campouts, and taking evening walks, can be key to helping you combat burnout.
Take Out
If you observe you are experiencing burnout and you are having difficulty finding your way out, or you suspect that you might also have a mental health condition such as depression [3], it is best advised to seek professional help and please speak to someone.
