Over the past year, I experienced burnout, which left me feeling drained, lacking energy, and even flu-like symptoms. This made me rethink how I live my life. I was working long hours on projects and juggling multiple jobs. I never thought burnout would happen to me. I hope this blog can help you spot the signs early and make changes in your life before you end up where I did. In this blog, I aim to discuss early identification of burnout and share coping strategies to help you deal with and overcome burnout.
What is burnout?
It’s common for everyone to experience burnout at some point in their lives. When we’re busy juggling work, helping others, and managing family responsibilities, we can forget to take breaks and recharge. This constant feeling of being overwhelmed can lead to burnout.
Burnout is a type of exhaustion that occurs when we face prolonged emotional, physical, and mental fatigue. While often associated with work, burnout can also affect other areas of life and impact health.
Unlike stress, which results from excessive pressure and demands, burnout is characterised by feeling emotionally drained and lacking motivation or care. While stress can make you feel overwhelmed, burnout leaves you feeling depleted and empty.
Although burnout is not a medically recognised condition, ignoring it can have adverse effects on your physical and mental well-being.
Burnout drains productivity and can lead to feelings of hopelessness, distrust, and resentment. Its effects can spill over into your home, work, and social life, making you more susceptible to illnesses like colds and flu in the long run which is where I found myself.
What are the warning signs of burnout?
Are you wondering what burnout actually looks like? Well, it varies from person to person. Here are some key signs to watch out for:
Fatigue: Feeling physically and emotionally drained, impacting your daily functioning. You may lack energy, skip exercise, sleep more, and struggle with mental clarity.
Insomnia: Difficulty falling or staying asleep, leading to tiredness and unrested mornings.
Unhealthy coping habits: Turning to harmful habits like smoking, drinking, or overeating to cope with stress.
Mood swings: Increased irritability, emotional outbursts, and conflicts with others.
Negative outlook: Developing self-doubt, and alienating people with a negative attitude.
Cognitive issues: Difficulty focusing, memory problems, and confusion.
Physical symptoms: Unexplained pains, frequent illnesses, and feeling nauseous or dizzy.
Anxiety: Racing thoughts, tense muscles, and panic attacks due to stress.
Work performance decline: Struggling to maintain focus and perform well at work.
Apathy: Losing interest in previous activities and hobbies, feeling a lack of pleasure in life.
Personally, I failed to notice some of these symptoms because I was focused on achieving my goals quickly through hard work. However, pushing through burnout actually decreased my productivity and made me feel like I was being dragged instead of driven towards success. By reflecting on these insights, I hope you can recognise the signs of burnout sooner.
How can burnout be prevented? Or how can you recover from burnout and regain balance?
Here are some suggestions that can assist you in self-reflection and making positive changes.
Workload
When your workload and capabilities are in harmony, you can efficiently complete tasks and make time for professional growth, development, relaxation, and recovery.
Evaluate your performance in the following areas:
Planning your tasks:
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- Are you aware of upcoming work?
- Do you have a clear plan for the next week that you can share with others?
Delegating responsibilities:
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- It’s beneficial to entrust tasks to others, even though it may be challenging.
Setting boundaries:
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- Learning to say no is crucial when you’re overwhelmed with tasks or others could handle them.
Letting go of perfectionism:
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- Sometimes aiming for perfection isn’t necessary; good enough is often sufficient.
Gain control
Feeling overwhelmed, lacking control, and not having enough resources can lead to burnout and impact your success.
Do you find yourself answering work calls or emails after hours or on weekends?
Take steps to regain control. Set boundaries for when you’re available and identify the resources you need to excel at your job. Taking control of your work environment can boost your sense of independence.
Balance your tasks
After completing a mentally, emotionally, or physically challenging task, it can be helpful to transition to a less demanding activity.
Alternating between tasks of different levels of complexity daily, weekly, or monthly can help you restore harmony and take a breather.
For instance, following the completion of a detailed report, presentation, or analysis, consider allocating time in your schedule to organise your emails into folders for the week.
Take mental breaks
We sometimes feel unable to stop. We check emails while in line for a coffee and type up notes on the flight back from a business meeting. While it can seem essential when you are busy to keep pushing ahead, it is vital to take breaks. Use spare time to read a book, listen to music, talk to a friend, or run through breathing exercises.
Taking time out for yourself is crucial to your wellbeing and will ultimately benefit your performance.
Take physical breaks
Stress and tension can affect you physically, leading to tight shoulders or headaches. It’s important to identify when you’re feeling stressed or anxious. When you do, take a moment to breathe slowly or take a short walk to help relax.
How long does burnout last?
The duration of burnout varies for everyone. However, identifying the symptoms early can enable you to seek help sooner. If left unattended, burnout can persist and potentially worsen over time.
What are the differences between stress and burnout?
It’s essential to distinguish between stress and burnout as it guides you on how to manage them effectively. When facing stress, relaxation techniques may be helpful. In the case of burnout, more significant actions such as seeking professional assistance or adjusting aspects of your work or personal life may be necessary for recovery. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I can relate to your experience. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Conclusion
Feeling overwhelmed by burnout can seem like an impossible situation. However, it’s a sign, not a permanent condition. By recognising the signs, understanding the reasons behind it, and creating strategies to cope with life’s pressures, you can recover and create a plan to prevent burnout. This challenging experience can be a turning point that guides you toward a more balanced and fulfilling career and life.