“Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”
coined the term “burnout” for the first in the 1970s to define the consequences of severe
).
However, over time the term has been generalized and taken a turnover to describe the dark side of self-sacrifice by overworked employees, homemakers, and stressed-out career-driven people. This may result in extreme pressure, thereby leading to compromised work quality as well as physical and mental distress. (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Depression: What is burnout?
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).
Differentiate Between Exhaustion & Burnout
Exhaustion at the workplace is a common experience for many. It is characterized by the feeling of being tired, drained out, and inability to further cope (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Depression: What is burnout?
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).
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However, if these experiences reach an increasingly frustrating and stressful level, it may result in emotional and physical depletion/numbness of people with increased negativity towards their work and life (3✔ ✔Trusted Source
What Is Burnout?
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).
One of the most used methods to trace burnout among various professional groups (originally developed for research purposes) is the “Maslach Burnout Inventory” (MBI) questionnaire (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Depression: What is burnout?
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Stages of Burnout
Burnout is not a sudden onset phenomenon (5✔ ✔Trusted Source
What Are the 5 Stages of Burnout?
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) but rather a culmination of chronic exposure to stress that occurs in response to a long-term perceived inability to meet situational demands as per Smith’s (1986) cognitive-affective model (4✔ ✔Trusted Source
Preventing Burnout
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), the stages of it include (5✔ ✔Trusted Source
What Are the 5 Stages of Burnout?
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):
Honeymoon phase:
This stage is often characterized by high energy, optimism, and satisfaction to initiate a new job or task.
The onset of the stress phase:
With the gradual decline of the initial honeymoon phase, there is an onset of stress with fatigue and less productivity.
Chronic stress phase:
Stress becomes consistent with rising pressure, characterized by feelings of apathy, and procrastination.
Burnout phase:
Upon chronic suffering from stress, one may ultimately reach the stage of intense numbness/burnout characterized by physical (headaches, or gastrointestinal distress) and emotional symptoms (depression, anxiety, or chronic fatigue syndrome).
Habitual burnout phase:
The untreated phase of burnout may ultimately lead to chronic anxiety or depression, thereby interfering with daily lives.
How to Overcome Burn-Out
Burnout may set problems that seem insurmountable, with bleakness everywhere and difficult to muster up the energy. Hence, recognizing the warning signs of the looming burnout stage is thereby a necessity to improve the quality of life (6✔ ✔Trusted Source
Burnout Prevention and Treatment
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).
Several organizations like WHO are working to onboard evidence-based guidelines for mental well-being in the workplace (2✔ ✔Trusted Source
Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases
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Some of the simple yet effective hacks one may easily follow to prevent or deal with burnout are the following (6✔ ✔Trusted Source
Burnout Prevention and Treatment
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Adult health
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-
Set a Purpose for your Work: Set a work balance in life by establishing the prioritization at work and personal life which may help establish meaning and satisfaction in life. -
Manage your Time: Eliminate unnecessary work by performing a job analysis and managing your time efficiently. -
Do not Overload: Although it may seem appreciable to overdo the work, it might be beneficial in long term to set your limits and share the work with your co-workers. -
Take Breaks: Exhaustive work schedules may make one more prone to the negative effects of burnout. Hence, it is important that one takes a break for revitalizing and recovering self either through a vacation, hangouts, family get-togethers, or any self-time. -
Avoid Negativity: Developing social connectivity is key to emotional strength and helps you buffer from the burnout phase. However, hanging out with negative-minded people may drag you more into procrastination and further amplify the burnout phase. -
Be Attentive to your Emotions: Watch out for any looming feelings of distress. Learn to say “no” to requests that may over-extend your commitments to yourself. -
Unlock your Potential: It might be natural to judge your capabilities of yourself during the burnout stage. However, one may try engaging in activities that nourish them with joy, and laughter and ultimately unlock their creativity be it your favorite hobby or any fun activities. -
Exercise More: Engage yourself in regular physical activities like exercise and other relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to activate the rest fullness in your body. This may efficiently help one to overcome the stressful phase of burnout. -
Eat Healthy: Unhealthy eating habits like high carbs, processed junk, and excessive alcohol may adversely affect your mood and energy levels. Hence, it is important to include a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables to overcome those weary days. -
Plenty of Sleep: Chronic fatigue/tiredness exacerbates one’s stage of burnout. It is advisable to get plenty of sleep in stressful situations that may help replenish your body both physically and mentally. -
Seek Help: Do not hesitate to reach out and open up to your close ones (partner, friends, and family) that may help ease the burden.
Ultimately, one must remember the following burnout approach of the “Three R”(6✔ ✔Trusted Source
Burnout Prevention and Treatment
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):
-
Recognize: Watch for the warning signs of burnout. -
Reverse: Undo the damage by seeking support and managing stress. -
Resilience: Build your resilience to stress by taking care of your physical and emotional health.
Take a moment to pause, realize and shift the gear to positive again (6✔ ✔Trusted Source
Burnout Prevention and Treatment
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).
References :
- Depression: What is burnout? – (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279286/)
- Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases – (https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases)
- What Is Burnout?
– (https://health.clevelandclinic.org/signs-of-burnout/) - Preventing Burnout
– (https://inside.ewu.edu/calelearning/psychological-skills/preventing-burnout/) - What Are the 5 Stages of Burnout?
– (https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2021/november/what-are-the-5-stages-of-burnout) - Burnout Prevention and Treatment
– (https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm) - Adult health – (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642)
Source: Medindia
