Freudenberger described burnout in his 1974 article as “burnout caused by excessive demands on energy, strength, or resources” in the workplace. The term “burnout” is used to describe a person who has run out of energy. A similar analogy would be to extinguish a blaze or put out a candle. In simple terms, if there aren’t enough resources, the fire won’t burn as bright.
Burned-out employees lose the ability to make meaningful contributions over time. Continued operation will result in smoldering rather than burning, which is harmless and unnoticeable.
As a result, they accomplish less in the eyes of themselves and others. For the sake of clarity, the metaphor alludes to the exhaustion that comes from employees who can no longer commit themselves to their jobs with the same intensity.
Burnout is more common in modern society due to long-term exposure to stressful work environments. Additionally, it can occur regularly, subjected to excessive amounts of stress.
According to a 2017 study, the world faces significant socioeconomic issues, and people are under increasing pressure in their daily lives, particularly in the job. Many people worldwide are suffering from work-related stress, fatigue, and exhaustion, which is sometimes referred to as burnout syndrome because of the wide range of industries and sectors affected.
Overcoming Burnout
Slow down and take a rest if you need to
At this point in the burnout process, changing your mindset or prioritizing your health won’t help. If you’re going too fast, it’s time to take a rest. Reduce as many responsibilities and activities as possible. Take a break and allow yourself to relax, think, and heal.
Exercise
Regular exercise can help alleviate stress and improve one’s attitude. Exercise on a regular basis will also help you feel more invigorated and productive. Additionally, regular exercise can help you sleep better.
Regular aerobic exercise benefits your body, metabolism, heart, and soul. Discovered to have the potential to stimulate and relax, to battle anxiety, and disperse stress. This is a common occurrence among endurance athletes who use exercise to address anxiety and sadness. Like athletes and patients, you can reap the psychological benefits of exercise.
A more effective strategy to increase exercise is to rise early or even work out over lunch. Organizing a workplace fitness challenge or collaborating with coworkers may also help you stay motivated to exercise.
Manage stress
If not dealt with properly, short-term stress can lead to burnout. That’s why it’s essential to learn about stress management. There are a plethora of methods for managing stress.
You might use a stress diary to keep note of the things that cause you the most tension. Deep breathing, meditation, and other relaxation techniques might help you unwind when you’re stressed.
Controlling your thoughts can also help alleviate stress. Focusing on positive thoughts can alter your unhelpful reactions and better control your emotions.
Symptoms of Exhaustion
The key to properly managing burnout is recognizing early warning signs and initiating immediate action immediately. Burnout does not occur over a single day or two. Aside from the physical symptoms of exhaustion and weariness, burnout poses a much more significant threat.
Burnouts tend to isolate themselves emotionally and cognitively from their work and their coworkers because of their tiredness. They do this to keep up with the never-ending barrage of work-related demands and demands on their time.
The following are the symptoms of physical and emotional exhaustion you should look out for:
- Chronic fatigue
- Insomnia
- Forgetfulness
- Physical symptoms (chest pains, dizziness, headaches)
- Weak immune system
- Loss of appetite
- Anxiety
- Anger
A warning sign that you may be on the incorrect path is experiencing any of these symptoms. Now is the perfect time to take stock of your stress levels and make a plan to deal with them. Unlike the virus, burnout does not go away on its own after a few weeks unless you make some changes to your way of life to accommodate it.
The wise course of action is to make minor adjustments to ensure that you remain in the race and have enough gas to get to the finish line. For instance, you can begin this approach by doing a healthy lifestyle overhaul.
Harvard Business Review reported that reclaiming thriving requires realizing that burnout results from depleting one’s supply of energy and resources. You can’t “pull yourself together” to overcome burnout like you can’t keep driving a car out of gas to get home. To recover from burnout, one must replenish depleted resources, minimize further resource depletion, and locate or create future resource-rich situations.
Good health, a strong sense of self-worth, and the capacity to make a difference in the lives of those around us are just a few of the most significant aspects of having a fulfilling career.
Effects
Burnout has detrimental consequences on all aspects of life, including your home, career, and social life. Additionally, burnout can cause long-term changes to your body, making you more susceptible to illnesses such as colds and flu. Burnout must be addressed immediately due to the plethora of implications.
It is a real hazard that goes beyond exhaustion and fatigue. With their bodies and minds worn out, those who are burned out disengage from their work and the people with whom they work. They do this to meet the demands of their jobs, which include a heavy workload.
As a result, burnt-out employees are more prone to provoke conflict among coworkers, be hostile toward them, and show a lack of concern for their coworkers. This is because their inability to regulate their strong emotions and be attentive to others has been hampered by their excessive levels of stress and exhaustion.
Additional serious consequences of burnout, according to Confidant Health, include alcohol or substance misuse, heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. For instance, substance misuse will prompt professional help, in which awareness of medications such as zubsolv vs suboxone will be discussed with the individual struggling with substance misuse. To know the difference between the two medications mentioned above, visit here.
