It takes focus to maintain a good work life balance but all too often people are presenting with burnout.
So…what exactly is it, how do you recognise the symptoms and causes and how do you avoid it?
Ayala Pines and Elliot Aronson defined burnout as:
“A state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long term involvement in emotionally demanding situations.”
Whilst on the other hand Herbert J. Freudenberger defined it as:
“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.”
Either way, these definitions embrace the essence of burnout and although anyone can become exhausted, what is so poignant is that it mainly strikes people who are highly committed to their work: you can only “burn out” if you have been “alight” in the first place.
So… what are the warning signs?
- 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.
And what are the causes?
People experience burnout for a varying number of reasons, and it usually takes place over a long period of time. You might experience it:
- If you believe your work is meaningless
- When there’s a disconnect between what you’re currently doing and what you truly want to be doing
- When things change for the worse e.g.: when you lose a supportive boss, or when your workload increases beyond a sustainable point.
- When you go through “the motions” instead of being truly engaged. Over time, this leads to cynicism, exhaustion, and, sometimes, poor performance.
- You lack autonomy
- You don’t have much control over your work
- You feel that you never have enough time to finish tasks and projects.
- When your values don’t align with the actions, behaviours, or values of your company, or of your role.
- You have unclear goals or job expectations.
- You are working in a dysfunctional team or company.
- You are experiencing an excessive workload.
- You have little or no support from your boss or company.
- There is no recognition for your work.
- If you have monotonous or low-stimulation work.
The consequences of burnout can be severe. Your productivity can drop dramatically, and this not only impacts your career, but it negatively impacts your team and organisation as well. Your creativity will also be affected, so you’re less likely to spot opportunities (and you don’t have the interest or desire to act on them), and you may find excuses to miss work or take days off sick.
Career burnout can also spill over into your personal life, negatively impacting your well-being and your relationships with friends and family.
How do we avoid burnout?
When feelings of burnout start to occur, many people focus on short-term solutions such as taking a holiday. While this can certainly help, the relief is often only temporary so it’s worthwhile focusing on strategies that will have a deeper impact and create lasting change.
Some strategies that may help you to avoid burnout are:
- Work with Purpose
Do you feel that your career has a deeper purpose, other than just earning a pay check? Most of the time, rediscovering your purpose can go a long way towards helping you avoid burnout and keeping stress at bay.
Look at the deeper impact of what you do every day; how does your work make life better for other people? How could you add more meaning to what you do every day?
If you think that you’re in the wrong role or career, develop a career strategy to help you plan for a career that’s better for you and will bring more meaning and happiness to your life.
- Perform a Job Analysis
When you experience work overload day in and day out, you can start to feel as if you’re on a treadmill and that you’ll never catch up. This is demoralising, stressful, and often leads to burnout.
Perform a job analysis so you can clarify what’s expected of you, and what isn’t. This tool will help you identify what’s truly important in your role, so that you can cut out or delegate tasks that aren’t as essential.
If you feel that your boss is assigning more work than you can handle, then schedule a private meeting to discuss the issue. Let him or her know that your excessive workload is leading to burnout. Come prepared with some options that could be considered for shifting certain tasks or projects to someone else.
- “Give” to Others
One quick and easy way to add meaning to your career is to give to others, or to help them in small ways.
When you do this, it makes you feel good. Even the smallest act of kindness can re-energise you and help you find meaning in your work.
- Take Control and manage your time effectively
You can avoid or overcome burnout by finding ways to create more autonomy in your role. Try talking with your boss to see if he is willing to let you have more control over your tasks, projects, or deadlines.
You’ll also feel more in control of your work if you manage your time effectively. Learn prioritisation techniques and make use of To-Do Lists or an Action List to take control of your day. Then tie these in with daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly personal goals.
- Exercise Regularly
Exercise can help alleviate stress and create a sense of well-being. You will also experience increased energy and productivity when you exercise regularly. What’s more, regular exercise will help you get a good night’s sleep.
Get more exercise by getting up earlier, or even by exercising at lunchtime. You might also be more motivated to exercise by teaming up with colleagues, or by setting up an office fitness challenge.
- Learn to Manage Stress
When not managed well, short-term stress can contribute to burnout but there are several strategies that you can use to cope with stress. For instance, you could keep a stress diary to document what routinely causes you stress. Practicing deep breathing, meditation, and other relaxation techniques can help you calm down when you’re experiencing stress.
You can also manage the way you think – this can contribute to stress. By monitoring your thoughts and practicing positive thinking, you can change unhelpful reactions and manage your emotions through a stressful situation.
In summary:
Burnout is a mixture of professional exhaustion, and disillusionment with other people, the organisation, or the career, over the long term. To avoid burnout, follow these tips:
- 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.