Burnout: Signs, Causes, and Preventative Strategies

What is “Burnout”?

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion or fatigue from continued exposure to stressful situations with little to no reward or relief. Anyone can experience burnout, but it is more common in those heavily committed to a job, cause, relationship, or way of life. Burnout occurs over an extended period of time, causing severe exhaustion, making coping with day-to-day tasks very challenging. Burnout can be brought on by a lack of autonomy in one’s work, unclear goals and expectations, and excessive responsibilities with little recognition, support, and stimulation. Burnout is not permanent. There are strategies and tips to help relieve and prevent burnout. Before diving into these strategies, knowing the warning signs and phases of burnout is crucial.

What are the Warning Signs of Burnout?

It is important to recognize the warning signs and phases of burnout, the following are the common warning signs of burnout:

A negative/critical attitude towards yourself and others Dread or a lack of enjoyment in life (personal or professional) Low energy A strong feeling of emptiness Physical aches: headaches, back pain Pulling away emotionally

Difficulty sleeping Absenteeism Very easily irritable Feeling a lack of purpose in work and efforts Feeling undervalued and unappreciated

Some psychologists have theorized that burnout occurs in phases. Psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North’s research on burnout led them to publish the 12 Stages of Burnout.

1. The compulsion to prove oneself: Someone demonstrating their worth and accepting responsibilities readily.
2. Pushing yourself to work harder.
3. Neglecting your own needs: erratic sleeping, disrupted eating patterns, and a lack of social interaction.
4. Conflict displacement: problems are dismissed, resulting in feeling panicked, threatened, or jittery.
5. Revision of Values: friends, family, and hobbies are dismissed as ‘irrelevant’ as work becomes the primary focus.
6. Denial of Emerging Problems: problems are viewed as a result of time pressure and work, not because of burnout. The person experiencing burnout may feel and be intolerant and cynical towards others in their lives for not working to their unsustainable standard.
7. Withdrawal: Social life becomes small or non-existent, and the need to relieve stress.
8. Odd Behavioural Changes: family and friends are aware of these behavioural changes.
9. Depersonalization: not perceiving one’s own needs, value, and those of others.
10. Inner Emptiness
11. Depression: feelings of uncertainty, exhaustion, and hopelessness
12. Burnout Syndrome: mental and physical collapse

It is important to remember that burnout is a process that builds up over time and can greatly harm someone in many areas of their life, such as their well-being and personal relationships. In the same way burnout builds up over time, recovering from and preventing burnout also takes time through the implementation of new habits.

Preventing Burnout

Preventing burnout is often more effective than recovering from burnout. When working to prevent burnout, there needs to be consistent efforts to form these habits and for them to prevent burnout.

• Practice saying ‘No’ and setting boundaries when you feel your responsibilities piling up: take control of your time and personal energy.
• This is easier said than done, so asking for help from those around you is a step in the right direction.
• Work with a purpose: assign meaning to the work you’re doing, whether it be personal or within your working environment and community.
• Find opportunities to show kindness to those around you.
• These acts could be as simple as holding the door for someone or telling those around you that you appreciate them.
• Engage in physical movement.
• Manage stress: write out your emotions, meditate, or engage in deep, focused breathing techniques.
• Prioritize better sleep: avoid screens before bed and aim for 8-10 hours every night.
• Balanced diet: prioritize the foods that make you feel strong and well, if you feel well, you will do well.

Recovering from Burnout

Forming habits to prevent burnout is ideal, however, this is not always possible for those already experiencing burnout. Thus, when recovering from burnout, implementing these strategies may be more intense and rigorous to help bring genuine and healthy relief to the stress and burnout someone is experiencing.

• Distance yourself from stressors: doing this whenever possible will give you the space to reduce the immediate pressure.
• Set boundaries: keeping your personal and professional time separate will help manage the stress that causes burnout.
• Ask for help: there is often guilt associated with not completing the same amount of work or taking necessary time off. Having networks and support systems in your workplace with coworkers you can rely on and communicate with is important for recovery.
• Practice gratitude: focusing on what you are thankful for takes the focus away from what you have to give of yourself to others and puts it back onto what you have and enjoy in your life.
• Implement breaks: short breaks help prevent mental fatigue and maintain productivity. These breaks are a good opportunity to implement movement activities into your day.
• Prioritize enjoyment and personal relationships: scheduling uninterrupted time to do things you enjoy by yourself or with your loved ones can relieve stress and contribute to a better work/life balance.

These strategies are healing what burnout has harmed, as you begin prioritizing yourself and your needs. There is some overlap with the preventative strategies, highlighting how all efforts to focus on self care and personal wellness can be beneficial to overcoming burnout.

Our Course, Wellness in the Workplace

Burnout is the repeated exposure to stressful situations with little support, recognition, or relief. This can negatively impact someone’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being and personal relationships if not caught and managed early on. This blog presented a variety of strategies for preventing and recovering from burnout, which ultimately work towards a renewed enjoyment of one’s personal interests and relationships. By recognizing what burnout is, its impacts, and how to overcome or prevent it, you are better prepared to care for yourself amidst stressors and are more likely to establish a healthy work/life balance.

To learn more about managing stress and promoting well-being, we encourage you to visit the webpage for our course, Wellness in the Workplace. In this course, you will explore practical strategies and tools from current research and experts in the field of mental health and well-being to help you identify and manage stressors and achieve a work-life balance. As an outcome-focused course, you will use the information in it to develop effective coping strategies, culminating in the creation of your own wellness plan.

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