What Burnout Is
Burnout is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion that results from a build-up of chronic and unresolved stress over time. It’s often characterised by:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion.
- Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job.
- Reduced professional efficacy.
While burnout can sometimes be mistaken for depression or overwhelming anxiety, it is a unique condition. Burnout is not solely a workplace issue; it can also affect stay-at-home parents or caregivers. It’s a sneaky, gradual process fuelled by ongoing stress and a lack of self-care.
Main Causes of Burnout
Burnout arises from a combination of factors that contribute to prolonged stress. Some of the main causes include:
- Chronic workplace stress that is not successfully managed. This can include having too many demands and not enough resources to cope.
- Lack of boundaries between work and home life, where work-related concerns intrude into personal time.
- Intense emotional demands at work, such as constant empathy and dealing with difficult situations.
- Ignoring self-care needs, such as neglecting a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep habits.
- A loss of optimism, a feeling that daily challenges are insurmountable, and a sense of failing to meet expectations.
- Task-focused mindsets, where people feel the need to constantly complete tasks, struggle to relax and may overwork.
- Avoidant behaviours such as substance abuse, social media use and other forms of numbing.
- Procrastination, where tasks are put off rather than dealt with, adding to stress.
- Anxiety which can be a symptom of burnout.
- Stress, which can result in fatigue and reduced energy.
Workplace Strategies to Reduce Burnout
Creating a supportive and healthy work environment can significantly reduce the likelihood of employees developing burnout. Some strategies include:
- Promoting self-care: Encouraging employees to take breaks, exercise, and prioritise sleep can reduce stress and recharge their minds and bodies.
- Establishing healthy boundaries: Support employees in setting clear boundaries between work and home life, so that work issues do not continually intrude on personal time.
- Recognising emotional demands: Understanding the unique emotional challenges different roles face, such as tech support compared to research and development.
- Creating an emotionally well-regulated workplace: Foster an empathetic and caring environment, where employees feel supported and understood. This can lead to less stress.
- Offering support for anxiety: Coaching can offer tools to help employees better manage their anxiety, such as stress-reduction strategies and increased self-awareness.
- Providing opportunities to share and express: Encourage the sharing of morbid humour and sarcasm, which can be a way for those in emotionally demanding roles to process and manage their feelings.
- Supporting team work: Promote collaborative working environments, where employees feel connected and supported by their colleagues.
- Reducing Distractions: Reduce distractions in the workplace.
- Promote flexibility: Offer flexible work arrangements to allow employees to better manage work and life.
Treatment for Burnout
Addressing burnout involves both outward-focused and inward-focused strategies:
- Outward-focused approaches: Include physical exercise and reaching out to others for support and guidance.
- Inward-focused approaches: Involve reflection, mindfulness, and techniques to help the brain relax. This can include tools such as the “CPR for the Amygdala” approach, to manage emotions at the end of the day.
- Creating space: Intentionally create space between work responsibilities and home life to allow for time to disconnect and recover from work stress.
- Assertiveness and communication skills: Develop assertiveness, boundary-setting, and communication techniques to manage demands and improve interactions with others.
- Mindfulness practices: Engage in mindfulness to promote a greater awareness of thoughts and feelings.
- Gratitude: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude to help to shift focus away from stress.
Summary
Burnout is a serious condition resulting from prolonged stress that can affect anyone, not just those in traditional work environments. It is characterised by exhaustion, negativity, and reduced effectiveness. The key to preventing and treating burnout lies in a combination of reducing workplace stressors and empowering individuals to take care of themselves, manage their emotions and set boundaries. By addressing these elements proactively, both employees and employers can contribute to healthier, more productive, and more satisfying work environments.