If constant stress has you feeling helpless, disillusioned, and completely exhausted, you may be suffering from a burnout.
When you’re burned out, problems seem insurmountable, everything looks bleak, and it’s difficult to muster up the energy to care – let alone do something about the situation.
What is burnout?
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet the constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest or motivation that led you to take on the certain role in the first place.
Burnout reduces productivity, and saps your energy leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful.
The effects of burnout
The negative effects of burnout spill over into every area of life including you social life. Burnout can also cause long-term changes to your body that make you vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu. Due to its many side-effects, it is very important to deal with burnout straight away.
Causes of Burnout
Burnout often stems from the job you occupy. Anyone who feels overworked and undervalued is at risk for a burnout. Your life style and personality traits can also be contributed to burnout. What you do in your downtime and how you look at the world can play just as big of a role in causing burnout as work or home demands.
Work-related causes of burnout
Feeling like you have no control over your work;
Lack of recognition or reward for good work;
Unclear or overly demanding job expectations;
Doing work that’s repetitive or unchallenging and
Working in chaotic or high-pressure environment
Lifestyle causes of burnout
Working too much, without enough time for socialising or relaxing
Lack of close, supportive relationships
Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others
Not getting enough sleep
To deal with burnout, turn to other people
There are positive steps you can take to get your life back into balance and overcome burnout. One of the most effective ways is to reach out to others.
Since the face and heart are wired together in the brain, talking face to face with a good listener can help you quickly calm you, and relieve stress. The person you talk to doesn’t have to be able to ‘fix’ your stressors; they just have to be a great listener, someone who’ll listen attentively without being distracted or who would judge you.
Reframe the way you look at work
Whether you have a job that leaves you rushed off your feet or one that is monotonous and unfulfilling, the most effective way to combat job burnouts is to resign and find a job that you would prefer. Whatever your situation, though, there are still things you can improve your state of mind.
Try find some value in what you do, even if it is a mundane job. Focus on aspects of the job that you do enjoy – even if it’s just talking with co-workers at lunch. Changing your attitude towards your job can help you regain a sense of purpose and control.
If you do not like your job, look for meaning and satisfaction elsewhere in your life: in your family, friends, or hobbies. Focus on the parts of your life that bring you joy and tranquillity.
Having strong ties in the work place can also help reduce monotony and it could counter the effects of burnout. Having friends to chat and joke with during the day can help relieve stress from an unfulfilling or demanding job, improve your job performance and it could simply get you through a rough day.
For any guidance about your career and to discuss new job opportunities please do not hesitate to contact our team at VacancyCentre or [email protected].