WELLNESS WEALTH KENYA

What is burnout?

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is referred to as experiencing emotional, physical, and mental fatigue caused by consistent stress at work. It is accompanied by feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet the daily work-life demands. It is stress-induced unhappiness with depression-like symptoms. Unlike depression, burnout can be treated by taking time off the stressful environment. Burnout is very hard to spot early, making it easy to crip into anyone. Unlike a broken leg, burnout is mental and can be confused with laziness or depression.

How burnout feels like

When dealing with burnout, you feel like you have nothing more to give, and in most cases dread getting out of bed in the morning. You may find yourself sleeping more than usual, staying longer in bed after waking up, being pessimistic, and experiencing feelings of hopelessness. Burnout doesn’t go away on its own and if left untreated can lead to mental and physical problems such as depression and diabetes.

One of the largest problems when it comes to burnout is that many people feel ashamed for needing help, often because their work environments don’t support slowing down. Frequently, people equate it to having a cold. They believe that one day of rest should make everything better.

People with symptoms of burnout may fear that taking time away from work or investing in self-care makes them “weak,” and that burnout is best overcome by working harder. Neither of that is true.

Left untreated, burnout can cause folks to become depressed, anxious, and distracted, which can impact not only their work relationships but their interactions, too. When stress reaches an all-time high, it’s harder to regulate emotions like sadness, anger, and guilt, which may result in panic attacks, anger outbursts, and substance use.

Stage of burnout

• Honeymoon phase
  Like a honeymoon phase in a marriage, this stage comes with energy and optimism. Whether it is starting a new job or tackling a new task, it’s common to experience satisfaction that leads to periods of productivity and the ability to tap into your creative side. 
• Onset of stress phase
  Eventually, the honeymoon phase dwindles, and you begin to experience stress. Not every second of your day is stressful, but there are more frequent times when stress takes over. As this stage begins, take notice of any physical or mental signs. You may start to lose focus more easily or be less productive when completing tasks. Physically, fatigue can start to set in, making it more difficult to sleep or enjoy activities outside of work. 
• Chronic stress phase
  You’ll reach a point where the stress becomes more persistent, or chronic. As the pressure mounts, the stress is likely to consistently affect your work. Examples include feelings of apathy, not completing work on time, being late for work or procrastinating during tasks. Socially, you may withdraw from normal work-related conversations. In other cases, you may become angry and lash out at coworkers. Sometimes, these feelings follow you home and can affect relationships with friends and family. 
• Burnout phase 
  This phase is when you reach your limit and can no longer function as you normally would. Problems at work begin to consume you to the point where you obsess over them. At times, you may also feel numb and experience extreme self-doubt. Physical symptoms will become intense, leading to chronic headaches, stomach issues and gastrointestinal problems. Friends and family members may also notice behavioral changes. 
• Habitual burnout phase 
  If left untreated, burnout can become a part of your everyday life and eventually lead to anxiety or depression. You can also begin to experience chronic mental and physical fatigue that prevents you from working. Your job status may be put in jeopardy if you continue on this path.

Signs of burnout

Burnout manifests itself in four ways. That is physically, mentally, emotionally and in behavior.

Mental signs

1. Exhaustion: This fatigue presents itself both mentally and physically. The energy you typically have is zapped by persistent exhaustion. 

2. Depersonalization: This is a feeling of indifference. In other words, you start to feel numb. For example, you may become more cynical in your inner workings or lack the ability to communicate effectively with people. 

3. Reduced personal accomplishment/performance: This tends to manifest when you feel your work is insufficient and you’re incapable of performing your work. For example, you may lose pleasure in work you previously received joy from. Your usual creativity may wane, and it can become harder to concentrate.  

Physical signs

• Feeling tired 
• Having difficulty sleeping 
• Experiencing a change in appetite 
• Dealing with headaches or muscle pain

Emotional signs

• Lacking motivation 
• Experiencing feelings of self-doubt 
• Failure or loneliness 
• An overall feeling of dissatisfaction 

Behavioral signs

• Social isolation 
• Not performing your responsibilities 
• Work-related anger outbursts

What other ways does/ has burnout manifest itself? Share below in the comment section. Also, follow to get a follow-up article on managing burnout.