It is not uncommon to experience stress, low energy, and lack of enthusiasm in your professional life from time to time. But, if you are dreading work on most days, you may be experiencing symptoms of burnout.
By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how burnout is defined, and variables that may contribute to this experience.
What is burnout?
Burnout is defined as a stress response to chronic and excessive workplace stressors. This type of stress builds up over time and has an accumulative effect. To decrease chances of reaching the point of burnout, it is important to be mindful of early symptoms, and take action to reduce the effects of burnout.
Burnout is identified by the following 3 dimensions:
- Feelings of exhaustion, lack of energy
- Feelings of mental disconnect form one’s job or cynicism
- Reduced efficacy at work.
What to look for
Some common signs of burnout may include:
- Insomnia
- Physical exhaustion
- Changes in eating habits
- GI issues
- Headaches
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Feelings of dread and resentment
- Self-doubt
- Loss of motivation
6 Drivers that may contribute to burnout
Dr. Christina Maslach is a researcher who has dedicated decades to studying burnout. She has proposed 6 common drivers that may lead to burnout. These factors may be helpful to identify where the problem lies which may offer insight about what changes can be made.
- Workload: You may notice that there is a mismatch between the demand at your work, and the resources (tools, time, demands people) available to you
- Lack of control: A sense of not having influence or autonomy over decisions that affect your job.
- Lack of positive feedback: You may feel that you are not receiving recognition for your effort or the work that you do.
- Workplace community: You may feel underappreciated, bullied, or notice you feel emotionally unsafe with the people you frequently interact with at work.
- Fairness: A sense of fairness is a common human need. If you are feeling like you are treated unfairly, it can increase a sense of cynicism.
- Values: It is important to feel a sense of meaning in the work that we do. Feeling a sense of disconnect between personal values and the work that you do can contribute to a sense of burnout.
How to measure Burnout
If you suspect you may be experiencing burnout, Dr Maslach has developed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) which you be interested in completing:
https://www.psychosomatik.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Maslach-burnout-inventory-english.pdf
I have provided links to articles that offer guidance on how to manage burnout in the “Useful Links” section.
Self-Reflection
- Can you identify any symptoms of burnout?
- If so, what drivers could you identify as possible causes?
Useful Links
- Burnout Recovery: 11 Strategies to Help You Reset https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/burnout-recovery
- How to Measure Burnout Accurately and Ethically https://hbr.org/2021/03/how-to-measure-burnout-accurately-and-ethically
- How to Recover from Burnout. https://www.mindful.org/grueling-week-heres-how-to-recover-from-burnout/
Free Virtual Consultation
Therapy can be a safe space to work on having a more mindful approach our inner experience. If this post resonated, and you find that cognitive distortions are affecting your well-being feel free to reach out to schedule a FREE consultation.
