Signs of Burnout

This informal CPD article, ‘Signs of Burnout’, was provided by Wellness-Me, a CPD course provider who use Mindfulness, Meditation and Reiki techniques to promote wellness and wellbeing.

Burnout is a state of emotional, bodily, and mental weariness that can occur as a result of continuous stress. Work overload, personal concerns, and a lack of work-life balance can all contribute to it. In this article, we will understand what is burnout, the causes and its stages.

Understanding Burnout

Burnout is becoming an increasingly widespread condition in today's fast-paced environment. It is a state of emotional, physical, and mental weariness produced by extended stress, which can have major effects for one's health and performance at work. Individuals who are burnt out may become cynical or disconnected from their profession, lose motivation, and have diminished productivity. It is critical to take pauses, set boundaries, seek support from colleagues or professionals, and practise self-care in order to effectively manage burnout.

Employers must also promote work-life balance, provide mental health tools, and manage workplace stressors to prevent employee burnout. Understanding the causes of burnout and adopting proactive efforts to control it is critical for general well-being and attaining success in both personal and professional endeavours.

Definition and Explanation

Burnout is a popular phrase for a state of persistent stress that has a negative impact on one's physical, emotional, and mental health. It can happen to everyone and is not restricted to any particular job or way of life. Burnout is typically induced by continuous periods of stress that go unresolved, resulting in a diminished ability to perform efficiently.

Feeling emotionally tired, losing interest in job or hobbies, and suffering mental fatigue are all frequent symptoms of burnout. Managing burnout is reducing stress levels by practising self-care, setting boundaries, and getting help from friends and family. Those having severe symptoms may also need to seek professional assistance.

Causes of Burnout

Long work hours, a heavy workload, and excessive expectations are all major causes of burnout. Employees who believe they have little control over their work environment or who are dissatisfied with their jobs may experience emotions of weariness and disengagement. Personal characteristics such as perfectionism and self-doubt can also contribute to burnout. It is critical to understand the reasons of burnout in order to avoid it in the first place. Employers may assist establish an atmosphere that fosters employee well-being and productivity by addressing workplace stressors and fostering work-life balance.

Stages of Burnout

When it comes to burnout, the consequences can be disastrous if not addressed. Recognising and managing burnout requires an understanding of the main stages.

1. The honeymoon phase occurs when individuals are motivated and passionate about their employment. Burnout appears to begin innocuously enough - with excitement for your work. While many may see ambition as a desirable attribute that helps them advance in their careers, too much inner drive might suffocate you. It develops into a need to show your worth to yourself and others. You take on extra duties because you don't feel "good enough," and you constantly feel like you should be doing more, faster and feel the need to prove yourself.

2. You become increasingly aware that you can't do everything during regular business hours when you say "yes" to more jobs and chores. The outcome is that work starts to interfere with your personal life. To keep up with your to-do list, you can work 10 to 12-hour days or respond to emails on the weekends. You still find your work to be rewarding, and receiving appreciation for your hard work actually makes you feel good. At the same time, your work starts to feel addictive, and you find it difficult to unwind or unplug in the evening.

3. As your work takes over your life, you could naturally put the needs of others above your own. Your work-life balance starts to tip just a bit now. You start to feel guilty for not spending time with loved ones, your sleeping patterns may change and become erratic, you may start to skip meals to catch up with work, stop exercising.

4. You start to see how far you've gotten away from what matters most to you. However, you simply update your moral compass so that it is completely focused on work, refusing to face that truth head-on. Hobbies, family, and friends are put on hold. Self-care is brushed off as unnecessary. Your output and successes are the source of your entire sense of self-worth.

5. You start to argue with people because your principles have altered. You might think your coworkers are sluggish or your clients are unreasonable. Your level of intolerance, empathy, and cynicism rise. Instead of noticing how you've changed, you place the blame for your stress on time constraints and work pressure.

6. You distance yourself from relationships at this phase. You most likely don't recall the last conversation you had that wasn't about work. You experience a limited or non-existent social life. You isolate yourself and could use vices as an outlet.

7. Your family and friends are now worried about your burnout. They see how agitated and impatient you have grown. You might make decisions that affect other people, such as skipping a meeting or forgetting important family events.

8. You no longer can identify or relate to your old self. Feeling depersonalised entails feeling cut off from your physical self, as if someone else were now observing your existence. Every day is a practise in performing the same actions. The enthusiasm you previously felt for your work has been replaced by negativity or indifference.

9. You don't value yourself anymore. You begin to feel unimportant and as though your efforts have been in vain. You no longer have the motivation to work hard, and you think about leaving your job or moving. To further numb yourself, you could use unhealthy coping strategies like binge eating or drinking alcohol.

10. Life used to be vibrant, fun and filled with possibilities, but at this stage of the burnout, it is gloomy and depressing. You're mentally and emotionally spent. You are perplexed and lost. Work seems to have no significance or purpose at all.

11. You reach a breaking point when you experience full burnout syndrome. You can experience a physical collapse or a mental breakdown. Medical care is required at this time. Many professionals discover that in order to rehabilitate, they need to take a lengthy leave of absence from work.

It is possible to effectively manage burnout by recognising the signs early on and adopting proactive steps such as taking breaks or seeking support from family, friends, colleagues or professionals. Furthermore, by practising mindfulness in your daily life, you may be present in the moment and realise when you are becoming anxious. At that time, you can opt to stop what you're doing, take a break to relieve stress, and then resume. This finding your work-life balance.

We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Wellness-Me, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.