“Burnout” is a psychological syndrome that 89% of employees are dealing with: from mild stress to heavy impact negatively on your career advancement!
“I still lack sleep when I have to run deadlines.
I forgot to eat, forgot to drink, forgot to brush my hair”
If you feel like this your situation and often exhausted at work, you probably have a particularly dangerous “Burnout” syndrome!
“Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place”.
The concept of “Burnout syndrome” was first named in a scientific paper, published by the German-American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in a journal of psychology in 1974.
Accordingly, he described the burn-out syndrome with manifestations such as exhaustion, headaches, insomnia, irritability to think or create anything. Freudenberger observed that people who were “burnt out” often looked depressed, and their actions also showed similar signs. Based on the premise that Freudenberger cited, a series of studies have been carried out to revolve around this popularly negative syndrome.
According to research by the UK Health and Safety Executive, between 2016 and 2017, as many as 526,000 workers suffered from burnout, costing the country a total of 12.5 million working days. In addition, in Korea, up to 90% of workers said they feel “fearful of Mondays” because of the feeling of suffocation and confinement at work.
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EVEN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS A BURNOUT!
At the 11th International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) on May 28, 2019, the WHO defined Burnout as a “medical condition” (similar to depression or other common mental illnesses). Media outlets around the world immediately reported that “ burnout at work is a disease”.
However, the very next day, May 29, 2019, WHO again corrected that “Burnout is only a professional phenomenon”, indirectly asserting that the content published by the press is just a “mistake” and at the same time expressed their embarrassment towards this misinformation.
The WHO defines Burnout as “a syndrome caused by uncontrolled chronic stress in the workplace”. People with Burnout will have the following common symptoms: feeling “exhausted”, having negative thoughts, doubts about the work they are doing and finally, a serious decrease in professional efficiency. In particular, WHO also emphasized: Burnout is only related to employment and should not be used to describe other areas.
In addition, according to the Mayo Clinic, people with Burnout syndrome may also abuse alcohol, stimulants or illegal drugs to save the situation, leading to an increased risk of heart diseases, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
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10 QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU CHECK OUT IF YOU HAVE BURNOUT SYMPTOMS
1. Do you doubt the work you are doing?
2. Do you find it difficult to go to work every Monday and struggle to start working?
3. Have you ever been angry with your superiors, colleagues or customers?
4. Do you feel lack of energy and enthusiasm at work?
5. Do you find it difficult to concentrate?
6. Do you underestimate the results of your work?
7. Do you feel “disillusioned” compared to what you always dreamed of in this job?
8. Are you using drugs or alcohol to relieve your stress?
9. Has your sleeping habits changed?
10. Do you have other physical problems such as headaches, digestive disorders?
If correct 5/10 sentences, unfortunately, you are in the group of young people “disgusted with Mondays” (or can be understood as “fear of going to work”).
However, if you fall into the category of someone with an adjustment disorder, an anxiety disorder, or a mood disorder, it’s important to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis because Burnout and these syndromes have relatively similar symptoms.
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5 WAYS TO PREVENT BURNOUT AND BE ENTHUSIASTIC AT WORK AGAIN
1. Ask for help from others
Social contact is nature’s antidote to stress and talking face to face with a good listener is one of the fastest ways to calm your nervous system and relieve stress. They just have to be a good listener, someone who’ll listen attentively without becoming distracted or expressing judgment.
Reach out to those closest to you: your parents, best friends,…
Be more sociable with your coworkers: Developing friendships with people you work with can help buffer you from job burnout. When you take a break, for example, instead of directing your attention to your smartphone, try engaging your colleagues with interesting conversations.
Find new friends. If you don’t feel that you have anyone to count on, it’s never too late to build new friendships and expand your social network.
2. Reframe the way you look at work
Try to find some value in your work. Even in some tedious jobs, you can often focus on how your role helps others, for example, or provides a much-needed product or service.
Work-life balance. If you hate your job, look for meaning and satisfaction elsewhere in your life: in your family, friends, hobbies, and future plans.
Take time off. If burnout seems inevitable, try to take a complete break from work. Go on vacation, use up your sick days, ask for a temporary leave-of-absence, or anything to remove yourself from the situation.
3. Reassess your priorities
Take time to think about your hopes, goals, and dreams. Are you neglecting something that is truly important to you? This can be an opportunity to rediscover what really makes you happy and to slow down and give yourself time to rest, reflect, and heal.
Set boundaries. Don’t overextend yourself. Learn how to say “no” to requests.
Take a daily break from technology. Set a time each day when you completely disconnect. Put away your laptop, turn off your phone, and stop checking email or social media.
Get plenty of sleep. Feeling tired can exacerbate burnout by causing you to think irrationally. Keep your head cool in stressful situations by getting a good night’s sleep
4. Exercise is the best remedy
Exercise is a powerful antidote to stress and burnout. It’s also something you can do right now to boost your mood.
Aim to exercise for 30 minutes or more per day or break that up into short, 10-minute bursts of activity.
A 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours. To maximize stress relief, instead of continuing to focus on your thoughts, focus on your body and how it feels as you move.
5. Support your mood and energy levels with a healthy diet
Minimize sugar and refined carbs which can affect your mood negatively
Reduce your high intake of foods that can adversely affect your mood such as caffeine, unhealthy fats, and foods with chemical preservatives or hormones.
Avoid nicotine. Smoking when you’re feeling stressed may seem calming, but nicotine is a powerful stimulant, leading to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.
Drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol temporarily reduces worry, but too much can cause anxiety as it wears off.
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Besides, psychologist Shaina Ali had an interview with NBC News that we need to love and take care of ourselves more when at work, actively build healthy relationships at work, make the most of your break time by doing light exercise or participating in recreational activities on site.
In addition, people with Burnout syndrome should also limit the problem of “workaholic”, do not be afraid to open up to relatives, friends and colleagues to get a better experience at work.
How are your choices? Rise up again and “burn it up” at work or give up at the right time, enjoying your life? Let’s share!
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This post was previously published on Medium.
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