Burnout is a mental health status; it is a stress condition that is brought about by a number of stressful situations that culminate in stress overwhelming an individual. These can be things such as working long hours, reading negative news or being in stressful relationships.
Herbert Freudenberger came up with the term in the 70s and described burnout as ‘a state of severe stress that can result in mental, physical and emotional exhaustion’.
He distinguishes it from regular fatigue by pointing out that burnout contributes to how people can process and deal with stress. It affects how they function and often become unable to meet the requirements and responsibilities they face each day.
Burnout is a state of mind that any individual can get themselves into and is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Feeling burnt out can lead you to feeling even more burnt out. Not good at all.
This is because individuals suffering from burnout can start to feel increasingly pessimistic, hopeless and distant from their friends and families – all aspects that deepen depression.
Burnout isn’t something that just vanishes one day; it is necessary to make changes in order to end it and therefore identifying you’re burned out and knowing how to shake it off are both extremely important.
Knowing You’re Burned Out
These are some of the core symptoms associated with burnout that you can keep an eye out for. Whether it be yourself or those around you (sometimes it's much easier to notice in others than in yourself).
Isolation – If you’ve found yourself not meeting your social responsibilities, not seeing your friends or family then you might be in a state of burnout. Similarly, if you’ve noticed one of your friends growing distant, not confiding in you or others - then they might be as well.
Irritability – Burnout very often changes people’s reactions and heightens their emotional state. If you’re usually a calm person, and you’ve noticed that you are reacting to things more than previously, then that could be a sign of you entering burnout.
Illness – Stress over long periods of time damages our immune system and we become more likely to catch illnesses such as the flu, as well as mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression (which are very intimately linked with burnout).
Exhaustion – It feels like being tired has become normalised in our modern society, but that may just be a sign of how widespread burnout is. If you constantly feel physically unwell and emotionally spent, then you’re likely burned out.
Preventing Burnout
Burnout is totally preventable. Unlike stress, which is sadly a factor of life, we can totally remove burnout from our lives. Here are some great ways to achieve that.
Exercise
Exercise is king. Regular exercise can release positive endorphins into our brain and heighten our moods.
This doesn’t mean you need to go out and get a gym membership – simply regularly stretching or working in short exercises into your daily routine are just as potent to elevate our moods.
Boundaries
High stress jobs are one of the most common factors in cases of burnout. If you’re suffering from burnout, it is essential that you shift your perspective on your job, set boundaries and reduce your interactions with individuals that cause you stress in the workplace.
Articulate boundaries to your co-workers and superiors. Tell them that you will not be responding to emails or checking your devices outside of office hours. Limit the amount of work you agree to do and express that you cannot handle the added load due to stress.
If you face challenges with this, then reach out to your HR department or other colleagues. You’re all in this together and you can’t be bullied into damaging your own health for the sake of work.
Work can make you encounter high stress individuals and you should do your best to avoid interacting with them. Sadly, sometimes these individuals are people you have to interact with but if it is coworkers or colleagues that aren’t necessary - then stamp it out as best as you can.
Sleep Well
Sleep, like exercise, is very often the answer to a lot of health problems. Make sure to develop a healthy sleep routine by sleeping and waking up at the same time every day.
Incorporate pre- and post-bedtime routines such as a warm shower before you sleep, a self-care session or a morning stretch/yoga.
Taking time out of your day to focus on yourself is a fantastic way to develop mindfulness and can create a moment of quiet on even the most hectic of days.
Closing Thoughts
For the vast majority of us, one of the symptoms of burnout is likely present in our lives today. However, there is an increasing awareness of this phenomenon, as well as other mental health conditions.
This means there is an abundance of material and support available to help you out. Make use of these resources and don’t forget to talk to those around you!
