Burnout is a negative state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion caused by prolonged or repeated stress and inability to cope with it.
It has become imperative to educate and understand the nature of burnout. Burnout can lead to stress and depression!
Burnout is not just a result of working long hours or juggling too many tasks. The stress, depression, and lethargy that are characteristic of burnout most often occur when a person does not have control of how a job is carried out be it at work or at home.
This blog highlights what could be burnout and not laziness or depression(alone)!
Are you spending most of your time lying down in bed and not doing much lately?
Are you someone who easily gets tired ?
Do you think it as laziness and nothing more?
There's a lot of overlap between laziness and burnout. What you are experiencing can be burnout and not mere laziness! BE it
5 Signs you are burnt out-
1- FEELING DISCONNECTED
Are you going on with your emotions everyday as if on autopilot , persistent feeling of being detached from your own self!
What you might be experiencing is 'depersonalization', people who suffered some sort of trauma report of emotional numbness, as if they were watching life from out side for themselves. They don't feel like themselves anymore. they don't fee engaged by anything. Struggles with sense of helplessness and inability to take back control of their life
2- NO MORE MOTIVATED
Laziness is a character trait, which stays stable overtime. A lay fellow doesn't feel like exerting effort into doing something. But if you were somebody who was motivated and high achieving , and now you've recently become exhausted, apathetic and unmotivated, them maybe it is burn out and not laziness!
3 - NO MORE PASSIONATE
Do you think you were passionate about things earlier, but don't feel it anymore, you struggle to find interest and enjoyment in it? It can be talent, sport or academic or professional things. Burnout can make it hard for you to do things you once loved or were passionate about , even to a point of hate and resentment towards the same thing !
You overworked yourself and pushed yourself to the brink of it because of it
4- MOODY AND IRRITABLE
Do you find yourself snappy and easily irritated? Feel emotionally out of control and don't know why. Moodiness and irritability are often overlooked signs of burnout
Having trouble controlling your emotions especially when it never was a problem for you. Lazy people are often relaxed and laid back, they aren't impacted by all this!
5- YOU DON'T INDULGE IN SELF CARE
This can be a distressing sign of burnout when you start to neglect your selfcare and socially withdraw from others. Your eating and sleeping patterns show concerning changes, you stop to make yourself look good or groom yourself , and tend to spend your time by yourself ,doing nothing , because you are so exhausted by simplest of tasks . It sucks because you weren't always this way, your were not lazy!
These changes happened gradually. Burnout develops in stages.
Loosing interest and motivation especially in things you once loved , these changes don't just happen overnight.
Studies show five major stages of burnout , each with increasing degree of severity
The honeymoon phase
The onset of stress
Chronic Stress
Burnout
Habitual burnout
Many people begin to feel symptoms as early as second stage when there is moderate amount of stress but optimism, interest, motivation and performance may already start declining.
By the time you reach fifth stage burnout has become so embedded in your life that the persistent physical and mental fatigue become more intense and harder to treat making you more vulnerable to developing depression and anxiety
Work environments can be especially grinding—such as the medical profession or law enforcement. If you feel you are running out of gas take steps to alleviate the deleterious effects of burnout and, if necessary, reevaluate your work life.
Seek professional help.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE BURNT OUT -
Talk with your Manager Try to explain how you’re feeling and discuss a more manageable workload. Communication is important for creating a healthy work environment.
Get Enough Sleep Sleep is vital for good physical and mental health. If you aren’t getting enough because of anxiety over your job, it’s likely to lead to burnout. Prioritize getting enough sleep.
Try a Relaxing Activity Yoga, meditation, or tai chi can be great ways to release stress. Burnout symptoms can appear physically; you can hold onto stress in your body. Practicing these activities can help you release the tension.
Exercise Mindfulness This gets you to focus on yourself internally, and know how you’re feeling in the moment. Mindfulness can help you identify when you’re feeling overwhelmed and let you take stock of your emotional well-being. It can also help you cope with challenges of life and work.
Find Support Talking with trusted coworkers, friends, and family is an important way to share how you’re feeling and seek help. Their support can help you cope with the stressors of your job. Finding a therapist is also a great way to discuss your feelings and get support.
Get Moving Taking at least 30 minutes of exercise is proven to have a multitude of health benefits. Not only is it good for you physically, but it can improve your sleep quality and mental health as well.
Spot the signs early and get help!
Keep an open mind as you consider the options. Try not to let a demanding or unrewarding job undermine your health.
Do you know someone who is burnt out?
Are you taking care of yourselves?