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The World Health Organization (WHO) has redefined burnout as a syndrome linked to chronic work stress. There’s a difference between a busy workload and something more serious, writes Zaria Gorvett.
[…] Late last month [June 2019], the WHO announced that the trendy problem will be recognised in the latest International Classification of Diseases manual, where it is described as a syndrome “resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.
According to the WHO, burnout has three elements: feelings of exhaustion, mental detachment from one’s job and poorer performance at work. But waiting until you’re already fully burned out to do something about it doesn’t help at all – and you wouldn’t wait to treat any other illness until it was too late.
Feeling the burn ⇒ How can you tell if you’re almost – but not quite – burned out?
“A lot of the signs and symptoms of pre-burnout would be very similar to depression,” says Siobhán Murray, a psychotherapist based in County Dublin, Ireland, and the author of a book about burnout, The Burnout Solution. Murray suggests looking out for creeping bad habits, such as increased alcohol consumption and relying on sugar to get you through the day. Also watch out for feelings of tiredness that won’t go away. “So that even if you do sleep well, by 10 in the morning you’re already counting down the hours to bed. Or not having the energy to exercise or go for a walk.”
As soon as you begin to feel this way, Murray advises going to see your doctor.
“Depression and pre-burnout are very similar, but as much as there was a lot of enthusiasm recently that burnout has now become a medical condition, it is still not – it is still classified as an occupational phenomenon.” It’s important to get help from a medical professional who can distinguish between the two, because although there are many treatment options for depression, burnout is still best tackled by making lifestyle changes. […]
👉GO TO FULL ARTICLE How to tell if you’re close to burning out, by Zaria Gorvett
How to Avoid Burnout: Crash Course Business - Soft Skills #17 (10:39 minutes)
👉13 Warning Signs That You're Heading for Burnout (From MindTools)
[…] What Is Burnout?
Two important definitions are:
"A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long term involvement in emotionally demanding situations." – Ayala Pines and Elliot Aronson.
"A state of fatigue or frustration brought about by devotion to a cause, way of life, or relationship that failed to produce the expected reward." – Herbert J. Freudenberger.
Between them, these definitions embrace the essence of burnout, with the first stressing the part that exhaustion plays in it, and the second focusing on the sense of disillusionment that is at its core. […]
💡13 Warning Signs That You're Heading for Burnout ⇒ Specific symptoms include:
- Having a negative and critical attitude at work.
- Dreading going into work and wanting to leave once you're there.
- Having low energy, and little interest at work.
- Having trouble sleeping.
- Being absent from work a lot.
- Having feelings of emptiness.
- Experiencing physical complaints such as headaches, illness, or backache.
- Being irritated easily by team members or clients.
- Having thoughts that your work doesn't have meaning or make a difference.
- Pulling away emotionally from your colleagues or clients.
- Feeling that your work and contribution goes unrecognized.
- Blaming others for your mistakes.
- You're thinking of quitting work or changing roles.
[…] Burnout is a mixture of professional exhaustion, and disillusionment with other people, the organization, or the career, over the long term.
Symptoms of burnout include low energy, a loss of interest in your work, and irritability with colleagues or team members. As such, it can cause low productivity, high absenteeism, low creativity, and even health problems.
💡Tips to avoid burnout:
- Work with purpose.
- Perform a job analysis and eliminate or delegate unnecessary work.
- Give to others.
- Take control, and actively manage your time.
- Get more exercise.
- Learn how to manage stress.
Remember, if, at any time, stress and burnout are causing you to worry about your health, seek the advice of an appropriate health professional.
👉GO TO FULL ARTICLE 13 Warning Signs That You're Heading for Burnout (From MindTools)
How stress affects your body - Sharon Horesh Bergquist (4:42 minutes)
How stress affects your brain - Madhumita Murgia (4:15 minutes)
