All about Burnout: Causes, Symptoms, and how to Cope
Pretty much everyone finds it difficult to get out of bed and go to work on Monday mornings or worries about a big project at work from time to time. However, work stress can become debilitating when it grows into burnout, a state of overwhelming mental exhaustion caused by chronic stress. Burnout has become a major issue worldwide, with over a quarter of employees across 15 countries reporting symptoms of burnout, and even worse in the U.S., with 76% of respondents agreeing that work stress affects their mental health (Taylor 2023). This troubling rise in burnout has been attributed to the increasing demands to be “on-call” outside business hours with modern connectivity technology, the stress of living and working in the same space while working from home, and more. Although depression, anxiety, and burnout can and often do occur together, burnout is a discrete condition with identifiable causes. Possible causes of burnout may include:
Lack of clarity about expectations, or “moving goalposts” where expectations change frequently.
Lack of control of workload, working hours, or how you do your job. Institutional issues within the company or industry that are out of your control may also contribute.
Lack of support in the office or from social networks outside of work.
Lack of work life balance, in which working hours and off hours blur together.
Conflicts with coworkers, supervisors, customers or clients.
Too much or too little to do at work.
All of these conditions create a less than ideal workplace environment that may lead to the following symptoms of burnout:
Feeling tired and unmotivated but struggling to rest.
Feeling cynical, like nothing you do matters or will ever be enough.
Everything feels like a stressful obligation, even non-work commitments and chores.
Losing patience and/or empathy with coworkers, customers and clients.
Difficulty focusing at work.
Questioning the value of your work or doubting your skills/abilities.
Feeling like you have to drag yourself to work and force yourself to get started.
Lacking both physical and mental energy.
Using food, alcohol, or drugs to decrease stress or feel better.
Otherwise unexplained physical symptoms like headaches and stomach/digestion issues.
If you identify with the above symptoms, it’s likely that you’re experiencing burnout. You’re not alone! As burnout often stems from difficult working conditions that are outside your control, it can be hard to overcome the condition without changes being made by your employer. Try sharing your concerns and suggestions for improvement with your supervisor. They might be able to make improvements, such as clarifying expectations or providing additional support. If your employer is unwilling or unable to make adjustments, then it’s time to either look for a new job or develop improved coping skills. If job hunting isn’t an option right now, then try these techniques to cope with stress:
Seek support from coworkers, friends, and family. Feeling like you belong at work can go a long way towards making up for a bad employer, and talking to friends and family about your situation can help decrease the stress.
Focus on getting enough quality sleep. Easier said than done, right? If you’re concerned about your sleep, then you may consider calling your PCP for a sleep evaluation.
Get some exercise, which has been proven to improve mood and stress tolerance.
Try taking up a relaxing activity such as yoga, knitting, or reading.
Practice mindfulness strategies like meditation, journaling, and gratitude.
If these coping strategies don’t help, then it’s time to bring in professional help. An experienced therapist here at AWC can help you identify the root cause of your symptoms and develop an action plan to work through your burnout. Overcoming burnout can be a difficult journey, but it doesn’t have to be undertaken alone.
References
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, November 30). Know the signs of Job Burnout. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
Taylor, H. (2023, July 18). 50+ Burnout Statistics that will shock you into action. Runn. https://www.runn.io/blog/burnout-statistics#:~:text=A%202022%20survey%20of%2015%2C000,%2C%20and%2075%25%20experienced%20burnout.
