Have you ever felt that life has become so intense that things are spiralling out of control…or have you reached ‘burnout‘ and if so, what does that really mean?
Stress is having too much on your plate…such as an overwhelming work load or working too many hours or not coping with responsibility, whereas burnout is to feel like you don’t have the energy or motivation to get through the day…not to be confused with depression which can sometimes be interpreted as burnout, with feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.
There are five stages to ‘burn out’, usually caused by chronic workplace stress and will typically start as feelings of high energy and optimism. But soon, things begin to spiral out of control turning into negativity or pessimism, bringing about severe physical & mental problems, but there are ways to redress the balance, which we will look at:
The 5 Stages of Burnout
- Honeymoon Phase – Typically you will experience a sense of satisfaction with periods of increased productivity such as starting a new job or task that taps into your creativity.
- Onset of Stress – At this stage you may notice increased stress, perhaps not everyday but more frequently when it takes over. At the start you may lose focus or be less productive when completing tasks.
- Chronic Stress Phase – Then, when stress becomes more persistent, and the pressure mounts, it may affect your work, with feelings of apathy, being late for work or not finishing on time. It could begin to affect your home life or relationships with family or friends.
- Burnout Phase – This is the point at which you reach your limit and you can no longer function as normal. Problems at work begin to be all consuming, and you may obsess over them and have feelings of self-doubt, and physical symptoms can be more intense. You may get painful headaches, stomach, or digestive issues more frequently.
- Habitual Burnout – This is the stage when, if left untreated, can become part of your everyday life leading to anxiety and depression, then to chronic fatigue that could prevent you from working which, in turn, affects other areas of your life.
There are three aspects of burnout: Exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment:
- Exhaustion: Fatigue presenting itself mentally & physically, the energy you typically have is zapped by persistent exhaustion.
- Depersonalisation: Feeling indifferent or numb, you may become more cynical or lack the ability to communicate effectively with other people.
- Reduced personal accomplishment: This can occur when work is insufficient or you’re incapable of doing your job well, or lose pleasure when you’re creativity wanes and it’s harder to concentrate.
Generally these symptoms may present themselves as physical, emotional or behavioural:
- Physical: Feeling tired; difficulty sleeping; change in appetite; frequent headaches or muscle pain.
- Emotional: Lack motivation; feelings of self-doubt; failure or loneliness or overall feelings of dissatisfaction.
- Behavioural: Social isolation; not owning your responsibilities or work-related outbursts.
Recovery from Burnout
The first step is to recognise the burnout, then talk to your manager or therapist to let them know what your struggles are. Think about taking time out during the day or a couple of days off to regroup. Remember to say ‘no’ and know your limitations as this will be the start of finding a life-work balance so you can move forward. Finding a relaxation technique that works for you, either breathwork, yoga, mindfulness, or Sophro Dynamic Relaxation, will redress the balance.
Rome wasn’t built in a day…so RELAX and take things slow!
Contact me for more advice on how Sophro Balance for Wellbeing could help your personal journey of change and transformation.
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