Burnout Syndrome

Burnout can happen to anyone but typically happens to those who are consistently exposed to high levels of stress. It is something that happens gradually, over time, and usually catches us off-guard. We often forget to take a step back and reflect on how we’re managing our lives – work, family, social engagements and responsibilities all need monitoring and require rest and structure to be able to work in harmony and not impact the body and mind in a negative way. If you don’t keep a watchful eye on your emotional, physical and mental well-being, it can lead to feelings of resentment and hopelessness as well as physical exhaustion and poor health. Often, we start new challenges feeling quite motivated and ready to adapt to whatever comes our way but slowly we begin to run out of that motivation, especially if we can’t see or feel positive changes along the way. Burnout then begins to happen when everything feels like it’s piling up on top of you and you start to get overwhelmed and feel emotionally, mentally and physically depleted, unable to manage all that’s on your plate. It is a form of exhaustion that stems from prolonged, relentless stress that eventually becomes unmanageable. There are many types of burnout but the main ones are related to work, socialising and your sense of self.

Work/ Academic Burnout

For a lot of people, burnout comes with their job or within their field of research and once they experience it, it’s very difficult to imagine things changing in a positive way. This can be caused by poor communication within the workplace, leading to confusion and misunderstandings as well as a toxic work environment. Effective communication and fair sharing of responsibilities can drastically improve a workplace environment. Listening to those around you and feeling like you are being heard can help to facilitate a productive team.

Similar can be said for those who are studying – deadlines, research proposals and unmanageable workloads can put enormous stress on the nervous system and unhealthy coping mechanisms such as an increase in your caffeine intake and a reduction in sleep, can deplete all the natural reserves you have, very quickly, leading to exhaustion and eventually burnout. Similar can happen when you are under-challenged in the workplace or academically – you become bored, feel stuck or left without room to grow and learn. You end up feeling like there is very little purpose to your position and avoid responsibilities and interactions, isolating yourself more and more until it becomes overwhelming.

Socialisation Burnout

This happens for quite a lot of people, especially those who feel a need to make others happy and please them and they do so at the cost of their own well-being. They would rather make themselves uncomfortable in a situation than make another feel uncomfortable and so they find it exceptionally difficult to say ‘no’ and put healthy boundaries in place. This often costs them their health as they push their own bodies to cope with situations that they would rather not be in, and in doing so, they ignore their instinct and judge themselves for not being able to enjoy social situations the way they perceive everyone else to. This leads to feeling constantly drained.

Neglect Burnout

This can happen when someone begins to feel helpless and overwhelmed with the responsibilities of their job. It is often linked to ‘imposter syndrome’ where a person feels they are in a position they don’t deserve and are not professionally capable of. The main concern is that they will be ‘found out’ and exposed for being an ‘imposter’ and they begin to feel incompetent in their work. This insecure sense of self, keeps a person in a constant state of anxiety where you doubt your abilities and skills and eventually withdraw from active participation.

Signs and Symptoms – How to Manage Them…

Because burnout doesn’t happen immediately, it’s important to notice the signs and symptoms that will help you distinguish it from stress and avoid leading to depression. Once you can recognise these, you can make the necessary changes.

Fatigue, Exhaustion and Lack of Motivation

One of the main symptoms is extreme tiredness or exhaustion – feeling completely drained or depleted despite how much sleep or rest you seem to get. This can contribute to the lack of motivation already present, eventually making it feel impossible to start each day. Changing your sleeping habits can drastically improve your quality of sleep.

This may involve less screen time before you wind down at night to prevent the mind from being hyper-stimulated. Not drinking any caffeinated beverages after 1 pm and avoiding heavy meals or snacks after 7 pm. Introducing a new bedtime routine and adhering to it is important if any positive changes are to take place. Create a relaxing environment for yourself and make every effort to leave all TV’s and electronic devices out of your bedroom.

Appetite

Changes in your appetite, including a loss of appetite or developing poor eating habits, can also signify burnout. A poor diet and/or eating habits can lead to a compromised immune system and digestive problems. If you struggle to find the motivation to make nutritious home-cooked food for yourself, or you feel you still don’t have an appetite for much, then try and make some small changes – introduce some fruit and veg into your diet by having them in a smoothie. Frozen fruit and veg don’t spoil as quickly as fresh ones do and can be added to juice or a milk of your choice, to make a more nutritious smoothie any time during the day.

Headaches, Muscle Pain and Sleep

Frequent headaches or migraines, pains and aches in your joints and muscles, and poor-quality sleep can all be signs that your body is being pushed beyond what its capable of managing, especially over long periods of time. Having a hot shower or bath in the evening can help the body relax. Booking a massage or taking a long (slow) walk for yourself, making sure to do gentle stretches before and after, can help reduce the pains and aches.

Changes in your Emotional Well-Being

Beginning to feel ‘stuck’ in your situation (career, relationship, home etc.), isolating yourself more and more, becoming highly critical and judgemental of your choices and path in life, feeling little or no satisfaction anymore, are often signs that you are experiencing burnout or heading in that direction. Asking for support, either from friends or family, can make a big difference in how you feel. Attending regular therapy/counselling sessions can help provide some clarity on your situation, allowing you to step back and understand what is happening to you while carefully exploring your needs and options.

If you find that you are experiencing some of the signs or symptoms of burnout, then don’t be afraid to ask for help and support. Exercising, being more mindful of your mental, physical and emotional well-being and talking to a therapist/counsellor are all excellent ways to help manage burnout so it doesn’t lead to a breakdown…