Coined in the 1970s by the American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger, the term “burnout” has become part of our everyday vocabulary as many struggle to maintain a work-life balance in the ever-changing professional world. Burnout is more than just feeling stressed — it can leave you too frazzled and drained to cope with everyday demands. Here’s how to spot the signs of burnout and how to combat it and regain control of your life.
Signs of Burnout at Work
The World Health Organization officially classified burnout as a medical diagnosis in 2019, including it in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases as an occupational phenomenon. According to the WHO, “Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” and is characterized by the following symptoms:
Feelings of Energy Depletion or Exhaustion
Brandon Santan, a licensed therapist specializing in stress and burnout, says, “People who are burned out can experience headaches, muscle tension and other physical symptoms common for stress-related challenges.” They will also feel “drained, tired, fatigued and unmotivated.”
Increased Mental Distance From Your Job
When you’re burned out, staying engaged with what you’re doing will often feel like an insurmountable task. This sense of mental detachment can manifest in many ways, such as feeling uninterested in projects, having difficulty connecting with colleagues and constantly arriving at the workplace late. Plus, when your battery is running on empty, you might also experience brain fog — making it even more challenging to focus and think clearly.
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Feelings of Negativism or Cynicism Related to Your Job
Another symptom of burnout is feeling resentment toward your job. For example, you might begin to feel that all tasks are pointless, constantly think about quitting and become unwilling to take on new challenges. If left unchecked, these negative emotions can lead to physical and mental exhaustion and damage your health and work performance.
Reduced Professional Efficacy
Professional efficacy is a self-evaluation of your ability to be competent, productive and successful in your professional life. When burnout hits, you might feel that you’re not performing at your best and you’re failing yourself and those around you.
Questions to Help Spot Work-Related Burnout
If you haven’t been feeling like yourself lately at work and wonder if you may be on the verge of burning out, here are some questions to ask yourself before it’s too late:
— Am I having more bad days than good days at work?
— Do I feel resentment toward my job?
— Have my sleep patterns changed?
— Am I having stomachaches, headaches or other body pains more frequently than usual?
— Do I find it difficult to concentrate and stay engaged?
— Am I becoming more irritable and impatient with my clients or co-workers?
— Am I using unhealthy coping mechanisms like excessive drinking to feel better about work?
— Am I too emotionally and physically exhausted to indulge in my hobbies on my off days?
— Do I fantasize about quitting my job almost constantly?
If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, you’re likely experiencing burnout, and it may be time to take a break from work or seek professional help.
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Possible Causes of Job Burnout
While there are many possible causes of job burnout, some common factors include the following:
— Lack of control.
— Too much responsibility or workload.
— Unclear performance expectations.
— Inadequate rewards or recognition for accomplishments.
— Excessive overtime hours.
— Lack of social support.
— Monotonous work and career stagnation.
Ways to Treat and Prevent Burnout at Work
If left untreated, burnout could have serious consequences for your health, such as fatigue, insomnia, high blood pressure, excessive stress, panic attacks and even increased vulnerability to illnesses. Here are some ways to recover from burnout:
Set Work-Life Boundaries
Burnout rates skyrocketed when the pandemic hit because many struggled to draw a clear line between their professional and personal lives while working from home. According to a survey by global online employment platform Monster, 69% of employees experienced symptoms of burnout while working remotely during the onset of the pandemic — compared to 35% before the global health crisis started.
So, to combat burnout, it’s crucial to establish clear boundaries between your job and personal life — especially if you telecommute. For example, you can set up a designated workspace in your home, establish a uniform starting and ending time for each workday or designate weekends strictly for relaxation and hobbies.
Practice Meditation
Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine studied meditation as a potential stress reliever in a group of 80 health care workers. After the three-month experiment, the researchers found that twice-daily meditation alleviated anxiety, insomnia and burnout among these workers.
The meditation technique that the health care workers practiced in the study is called transcendental meditation. Here’s how it works: For 20 minutes (twice a day), you silently repeat a word or a sound to settle yourself into a deep meditative state.
Quieting your mind when you’re burned out and overwhelmed by work can be challenging at first. But try your best to dedicate around an hour daily to practicing mindfulness. If you notice your mind beginning to wander during meditation, don’t fret. Gently bring your attention back to the present moment.
Prioritize Yourself Over Work
It’s easy to get so caught up in the grind of a job that you forget who you are outside of its structure and demands. “Work is important, but so are you. If you don’t have your health — mental and physical — then you certainly won’t have your job,” psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert wrote in an email. He says to combat burnout at work, prioritize your needs and “think about who you are when you’re not an executive, lawyer, teacher or any other type of employee.”
Get in touch with the version of yourself beyond your professional identity. Who are you as a person, away from all the expectations? Are you a friend to someone? A parent or soccer coach? An avid solo traveler or pizza connoisseur? By reconnecting with those versions of yourself, you can return to work with new vigor and focus.
Talk to a Mental Health Provider
Annia Raja, a licensed clinical psychologist, says, “Oftentimes, high achievers get their entire sense of self from their careers.” And from her clinical experience, she’s found that many who experience burnout either “struggle with finding purpose in life outside of work or cultivating inner happiness.” To tackle these issues, Raja recommends seeking in-depth therapy so that you can develop healthy coping strategies and recognize underlying problems.
[See: Best Jobs for Work-Life Balance.]
Go Easy On Yourself
Having a serious case of burnout is like living in a perpetual state of exhaustion — it can be debilitating and all-consuming. But the good news is that it’s not permanent and is treatable. With proactive changes to your routine and lifestyle, you can take steps to prevent or heal from burnout. Remember, recovery is not an overnight process, so be patient with yourself as you take steps toward better days ahead.
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Burnout at Work: How to Spot It and Take Action originally appeared on usnews.com
