Most professionals of any field experience burnout at work at least once in their lives. It happens to even those who really love what they do. Often, burnout is not related to just one job. Today, there are enough stress factors in our lives that keep us in constant tension and nothing may seem to be a joy anymore. Despite this, the problem can be solved, but first, you need to understand how to spot burnout symptoms. Let’s look into this issue.
What is burnout?
Burnout can have several meanings, but none of them have a medical connotation. The condition is more related to psychology and, according to the APA dictionary, it is equated with exhaustion, which can be emotional, physical, or mental in nature. It is associated with a decrease in working capacity and general motivation, as well as a critical attitude towards oneself and others.
Unfortunately, many people miss the first signs of burnout and attach importance to their condition only when they reach the breaking point.
It is especially difficult when work takes up all your time, and the only rest is sleep. You are not alone, there are many. Over the past few years, many professions have switched to a remote format and have completely ceased to distinguish between life and work. This also applies to office workers and businesspeople who are used to working late and coming to work before sunup. Such a work schedule will leave a mark on the emotional, mental and physical state of the person.
Burnout symptoms
Each person will experience burnout differently. It may have the following symptoms:
Emotional ones:
- apathy
- the feeling of helplessness
- the feeling of loneliness
- being cynical
- lack of motivation
- feeling of constraint in possible actions
- the feeling of dissatisfaction with both work and issues in your private life
Physical ones:
- headache
- decreased immunity
- increased fatigue
- sleep disturbance
- lack of appetite or, conversely, excessively increased appetite
- often recurrent pathologies
- problems with the gastrointestinal tract
Behavioral ones:
- outbursts of aggression
- desire to isolate
- procrastination
- inability to perform any actions, both household and work
- an irresistible feeling of fatigue, even after a full sleep
- loss in space and time
If you have experienced some of these symptoms, and all of them are related to work or even domestic problems, most likely you are experiencing burnout. Unlike more serious disorders such as depression, this condition disappears when the underlying trigger is eliminated.
How to avoid burnout?
We have all experienced coming to work for the first time. Do you remember these emotions, awe, and inner experience from the first working day? No, we are not saying that they need to be experienced daily, but internal satisfaction with the work process must be present.
Some may find it just uncomfortable to go to work every day, but it’s not always about burnout. Perhaps you just don’t like the work you are doing and you just need to change it or find something else to do.
Listen to yourself, and the body itself will let you know that you have already crossed the line of burnout.
Conclusion
We all really miss the boundaries between work and leisure, as well as the understanding that we only have one life. One way to look at the world in a new way is to get acquainted with innovative thinking definition. You can also change the type of activity you do, take a vacation, or go on a trip.
Today we discussed how to spot burnout symptoms. Now you understand what happens to the body during this period. The main thing is to respond to the signals of your body, analyze them in time and change your attitude towards your life, even at the cost of being fired.
