Preventing Burnout

Overwork is one of the great tragedies of this generation. Those under 40 today have to work twice as hard as their parents to make half as much. While the amount of money they make is certainly greater than their predecessors, the things they can purchase with it are considerably less, thanks to inflation and rising costs of living. As a result, young people, especially those with families to care for, have to work overtime or take multiple jobs to make ends meet. This leaves them with little free time for hobbies and recreation and leads to a state of fatigue, frustration and exhaustion commonly known as burnout.

Burnout sounds innocuous and many associate it with simple tiredness. But the reality is that it is a physically and emotionally debilitating condition that afflicts many without their knowledge.

So, what does burnout look like? Physically, it is marked by chronic enervation. There is a lack of energy to do anything at any time. The body feels sick. Burned out people suffer from frequent headaches and also lose appetite and sleep. Our bodies let us and those around us know that we are overloaded.

Emotionally, burnout brings a lot of self-doubt. We question our inability to work at the level we used to and feel inadequate. That is why many of us have a hard time accepting when we are burned out. We have been conditioned to equate success with overwork. Pushing ourselves today will give us time to “enjoy” tomorrow. Therefore, we feel bad when we are not able to give our “110 per cent”.

This then traps us in a vicious cycle. We are not able to perform at our expected levels which causes us to doubt our abilities and makes us dissatisfied with ourselves. This further demotivates us and makes us more unproductive which increases our self-doubt.

This can take us down a dark path which, in extreme cases, drives us to alcohol or drugs. Burnout manifests itself in different ways in different people. But according to experts, it generally passes through three stages.

The first stage is marked by mental fatigue and detachment from one or all of the jobs we do. We start feeling overwhelmed by our responsibility and dread having to go to the office. The second stage has longer-lasting and more serious symptoms like irritability, aggression, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. We feel helpless and lose hope that we will return to our optimum selves. These symptoms, if left untreated, can evolve in the third stage which is the stage of severe psychiatric and physical health disorders. We push our friends and family members away and drive ourselves into isolation. We may seek comfort in food, drinks and narcotics and opt for self-harm. Indeed, burnout is not to be dismissed or taken lightly.

So, what can we do to prevent it? The first and best thing to do is to find a work-life balance. Set aside time for things and people that you love and do not define your existence by your work. Balance will recharge us and make us more productive at our jobs which will then increase our output and make us more satisfied with our performance. Working at a pace of 110 per cent serves no one. Separate at least 50 per cent of yourself for yourself.

The second thing to do is to perform a job analysis. Do not just work to stay busy. There must be a purpose to your schedule, whether it be earning money, acquiring knowledge, building relationships or something else. So, if you feel you have too much on your plate, stop and take stock. Is everything you have in front of you necessary? Study what is and is not useful to you and reject tasks that do not have a purpose. There is no harm in saying no.

Also, do not be afraid to delegate tasks, especially if you are in an organisation. Not everything given to you needs to be done by you only. Pass some things on to your colleagues and subordinates. Share the workload.

And the third thing to do is to talk. Talk to your superiors, your juniors, your peers, your family – whoever you are comfortable with. Tell them about how you feel. Be open about the treatment you feel you need.  There is no shame in seeking help. Tell your bosses that your job is burning you out. Tell your peers that you need some time to rediscover priorities. Tell your family that you need compassion and understanding. Your needs are valid and do not keep them bottled up.