Are you feeling overwhelmed, absolutely drained and barely making it through the day? Do you find yourself snapping at your loved ones, getting irritated by the smallest things and not enjoying life anymore? You may be suffering from burnout. Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about burnout these days. So what really is burnout? And how is it different than just being really stressed out? Check out the facts to figure out if what you are experiencing may be burnout and what to do about it. Good news: it can be reversible!
What is Burnout?
Burnout is characterized by emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by chronic unmitigated stress. When most people hear the term burnout, they think of work and professional burnout. Burnout can actually result from many chronic stressors, including parenting, caregiving, romantic relationships, etc.
Signs & Symptoms of Burnout:
- Mental and physical exhaustion
- Feelings of cynicism
- Irritability or losing your temper
- Feeling helpless, defeated or trapped
- Lack of motivation
- “Sunday Scaries”
- Decreased productivity
- Procrastination
- Frequent illness
- Headaches and stomachaches
- Change in eating habits
- Not taking care of your basic needs
- Insomnia
- Isolating self from others
- Using alcohol/drugs/food to cope
- Numbness or emptiness
Common Causes and Risk Factors:
- Lacking support from team/management, partner, family, community
- Chaotic or high pressure environment
- Unmanageable workload
- Lack of control or autonomy
- Unclear job or role expectations
- Lack of recognition or adequate compensation for good work
- Perfectionism, Type A personality
- Reluctance to delegate
- Poor work/life balance
- Toxic or discriminatory work environment
Stress vs. Burnout:
Am I experiencing burnout or am I just stressed? In small amounts, stress can be motivational and even healthy. Stress can be what helps push us to finish a big project, meet the deadline or reach that goal. However, too much stress and unhealthy coping skills lead to more problems than benefits. Stress carries over into burnout when it is excessive and prolonged, feels as though it is never-ending, and doesn’t feel like it can be ameliorated. It is helpful to think of stress as “too much” and burnout as “not enough.” With stress, you may feel overwhelmed and as if you are drowning. However, with burnout, you will feel depleted and empty.
How to Prevent Burnout:
Try to catch the warning signs of burnout before you experience a full-blown episode. Try these strategies for better stress management and burnout prevention.
- Improve exercise, nutrition and sleep (The BIG 3)
- Increase social support, talk to a friend
- Create healthier work/life boundaries
- Time for hobbies and recreation
- Take time off regularly
- Technology free time each day
- Journal, meditation, gratitude
- Go to therapy
How to Reverse Burnout:
Burnout is reversible but will take more than increasing your self-care. Consider these interventions.
- Create healthy boundaries: say no, take breaks, set start/stop time for work, minimize multitasking, limit email checking after work hours
- Delegate responsibilities when possible – to co-workers, partners, family members
- Outsource when possible – house cleaning, childcare, grocery delivery
- Talk to Human Resources, advocate for better work conditions – no meeting days, quiet areas for breaks, culture of mental health as a priority
- See your MD – general check up and blood panel
- Ask for help – from a professional, partner, family, friend, etc.
- Find a new job – one where you feel a sense of purpose, meaningfulness or impact on others
Very Nice!