Are you feeling tired all the time? Do you feel like you're constantly running on empty? It's possible that you're experiencing burnout.
Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term stress. It can be caused by work-related stress, personal stress, or a combination of both. If you're experiencing burnout, you may feel like you're not able to cope with the demands of your life anymore.
According to Bloomberg
Workers around the world are more exhausted than ever before. More than 40% of people working in the office feel burned out at work, the highest on record in the history of the pandemic, according to research published on Wednesday 15.02.22 Future Forum. The problem is particularly acute outside the US, where levels of burnout are rising so high as to offset the marginal improvements seen by US workers. Economic uncertainty, fear of job cuts and the growing pressure to return to desk jobs are exacerbating workplace malaise, Future Forum researchers say. Women and younger workers in particular reported struggling with burnout.
To make it clear, here is a real life example!
Meet Clava, she is a working mom. She starts her day early in the morning, rushing to make breakfast, getting her kids ready for school, and herself ready for work. She works in a high-pressure job where she's expected to meet tight deadlines (Maybe Clava's management is not good at allocating tasks to team members, causing deadlines to burn, but that's another story), attend numerous meetings and handle multiple projects simultaneously. After work, she comes home and starts the second shift, making dinner, helping her kids with homework, and managing the household chores.
At the end of the day, Clava is exhausted. She's been running around all day, and she's starting to feel the effects of burnout. She has no energy left, and she's constantly irritable. She's losing interest in things she used to enjoy, and she's struggling to find the motivation to keep going.
At the end of the day Clava is ****ing exhausted. She has been running all day and is starting to feel the effects of burnout. She has no energy left and is constantly annoyed. She loses interest in things she used to enjoy and struggles to find the motivation to keep working.
Clava is not alone! Many people experience burnout at some point in their lives. So how do you recognise the symptoms of burnout so that you can take steps to prevent it from getting worse?
Symptoms of burnout include constant fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, feeling overwhelmed and physical symptoms such as headaches or even stomach aches.
This is also constantly fuelled by feelings of worthlessness, an inability to achieve goals and a feeling that all efforts are in vain.
If these symptoms are not addressed, burnout can lead to serious consequences such as depression, anxiety, health problems, in some cases it can even reach the point of alcohol or drug addiction.
So, how can you prevent burnout? Here are some tips:
- Take breaks: It's essential to take breaks throughout the day, even if it's just a few minutes to step outside and take a deep breath.
- Practice self-care: Make sure to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep and doing regular physical activity - by the way, walking outdoors is great cardio!!!
- Set boundaries: Learn to say no and don't take on more than you can handle. (Believe me, it's much more effective to delegate to another employee and get everything done in time than you are with burnout, but with the feeling that it's up to you.)
- Prioritize your workload: Learn to prioritize your tasks and focus on what's important. Prioritising and concentrating on the essentials is the key to productive work and a kind of guarantee for postponing burnout.
- Seek support: Talk to someone you trust about how you're feeling, or seek professional help if needed. (But remember that "friendly advice" may not always be right for you! When giving advice, people reason with their "quick brain", i.e. relying only on their own lived experience, but of course you can live another person's life and burn out again :). Consult a coach or a psychologist, they can hear and understand your problem and guide you from the "adult-adult" position to the path you think is right for you!!!)
Remember, burnout is not something to be taken lightly. It can have serious consequences on your physical and mental health. If you're experiencing symptoms of burnout, it's essential to take action (see an appropriate specialist, change your tasks, change a job you don't like, etc.) and make changes to prevent it from getting worse.
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Remember, taking care of yourself is the first step towards a happier and healthier life.