“I’m seeing burnout walk in the door of my practise, day-in, day-out. It’s on an epidemic level, to be honest, and I’m not sensationalising it. It’s a real problem,” says author and Clearview Founder Jane Downes to The Irish Times.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is that state of mental, emotional and almost physical exhaustion that is brought on by a state of prolonged stress and emotional drainage. This is affecting our mental health. At a basic level, if people aren’t getting through their workload, they’re losing faith and second-guessing themselves.”
Where there is prolonged stress, it leads to burnout. Because if we’re putting absolutely every bit of our lives into work, we’re not looking after our mental, social, emotional, physical or spiritual needs.
What are the Symptoms of Burnout?
chronic fatigue
insomnia
forgetfulness (or impaired concentration and attention)
increased illness
loss of appetite
anxiety
depression or anger
How Can You Avoid Burnout?
Here are 5 steps to focus on to avoid burnout:
1. Respect all four dimensions
Take the time to look after all four dimensions: spiritual, physical, mental and social/emotional well-being. It's like a chair, if one side falls down, it affects the others.
2. Differentiate between competencies and strengths
If you find purpose and meaning in what you do, you could work 100 hours in a week and not feel burnout. If you haven't already, figure out what your strengths and competencies are. Align what makes you feel good with what you are good at.
3. Be grateful for the little things
When you’re being pessimistic, reactive and negative, you start to catastrophise and take everything personally. Optimistic people tend to respond to setbacks less personally. Focus on the change you want to make and the little steps and accomplishments you make to get you there.
4. Say ‘no’ more often
Rather than blaming the organisation, we’ve got to take control of our time management and career development and better understand the triggers that are causing us such stress. When we are facing burnout, the answer is not get a new job, it’s more of a case of self-management, while understanding the signs and symptoms of burnout before they manifest. Say 'no' more often and switch off technology at the end of our working day and week.
5. Take regular exercise
When we have more energy we are more able to take on big tasks and deal with stressful situations in a more positive way. Increase your energy levels by exercising regularly. You may struggle with energy to begin with, but within weeks your energy levels will significantly boost, lifting your mindset with it.
You can read the full article with The Irish Times here.
If you are feeling burnout in your work and want to get a hold on things, talk to Clearview. Our team of expert career coaches will help you implement a clear plan to avoid burnout and get to where you want to be in your career while enjoying your work along the way.