Wondering whether you're tired or facing burnout? Here's how you can
| Jul 17, 2019, 15:35 IST
A few years ago if someone told you that you were so stressed from work that you were practically falling apart you'd probably scoff at them. Now, occupational burnout has been recognised as a proper medical condition by the World Health Organisation. But before you can just put this off and say to yourself that you're just tired and you only need to pull yourself together, here are some things that will help you identify if you're burned out instead.
Burnout generally occurs from too much work stress and leads to a chronic process of exhaustion, inefficiency and even cynicism. It starts out slow and then keeps building up until a person goes completely under. So, even though it may be slow, it ends up taking quite a toll after building up for a few years.
A study conducted found that younger men and women aged 20-35 years and those over 55 years were most likely to feel burned out. The study also suggested that women were more likely to feel burned out as compared to men because women were generally not in positions of power and so they were also more likely to feel helpless. Key stressors include excessive workload, little to no appreciation or acknowledgement, lack of control, lack of rewards, lack of community or belongingness and stark difference of opinions.
Physical symptoms include exhaustion, sleeping issues, digestive issues, heart palpitations, chest pain, headache and even lowered immunity. Psychological symptoms include panic attacks, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, extreme pessimism, rage, frustration and even loss of enjoyment for activities. Behavioural symptoms include loss in productivity, increased absenteeism, withdrawal from team activities, increased dependence on alcohol and drugs.
Tackling burnout:
While things may seem hopeless, you need to understand that there are solutions to every problem. Start by not obsessing over every little thing as that could just escalate the issue. Make sure that you know your limitations so that you don't end up overworking or trying too hard unnecessarily. Try to have a life outside of work where you indulge in at least one hour of exercise or physical activity as it can help make you feel calm and give you some sense of control. If all else fails, go to a counsellor to seek help. They'll be able to better equip you with meditation techniques and exercises that will help keep you centered.
Burnout generally occurs from too much work stress and leads to a chronic process of exhaustion, inefficiency and even cynicism. It starts out slow and then keeps building up until a person goes completely under. So, even though it may be slow, it ends up taking quite a toll after building up for a few years.
A study conducted found that younger men and women aged 20-35 years and those over 55 years were most likely to feel burned out. The study also suggested that women were more likely to feel burned out as compared to men because women were generally not in positions of power and so they were also more likely to feel helpless. Key stressors include excessive workload, little to no appreciation or acknowledgement, lack of control, lack of rewards, lack of community or belongingness and stark difference of opinions.
Physical symptoms include exhaustion, sleeping issues, digestive issues, heart palpitations, chest pain, headache and even lowered immunity. Psychological symptoms include panic attacks, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, extreme pessimism, rage, frustration and even loss of enjoyment for activities. Behavioural symptoms include loss in productivity, increased absenteeism, withdrawal from team activities, increased dependence on alcohol and drugs.
Tackling burnout:
While things may seem hopeless, you need to understand that there are solutions to every problem. Start by not obsessing over every little thing as that could just escalate the issue. Make sure that you know your limitations so that you don't end up overworking or trying too hard unnecessarily. Try to have a life outside of work where you indulge in at least one hour of exercise or physical activity as it can help make you feel calm and give you some sense of control. If all else fails, go to a counsellor to seek help. They'll be able to better equip you with meditation techniques and exercises that will help keep you centered.