All about burnout: what is it and how to prevent it

What is burnout?

When you feel extremely fatigued, dreading going to work and unable to do your normal tasks, this may be a sign that you have burnout.

The term burnout is still fairly new, and was first mentioned in 1974 by Herbert Freudenberger in his book "Burnout: The High Cost of High Achievement. Freudenberger described burnout as, "the destruction of motivation or incentive, especially when one's devotion to a cause or relationship does not produce the desired results."

In burnout, the stress you experience comes primarily from your work, but the stress you experience from your lifestyle can make it worse. For example, if you experience tremendous pressure at work and have to care for your sick mother at the same time, this creates additional stress. In addition, your personality can also play a role. For example, people who are perfectionists and pessimists are more likely to experience burnout.

Most people work much of their lives. And when you don't enjoy your work, can't muster up the energy to go to the office and don't get satisfaction from your work, it can have a huge impact on your well-being - mentally and physically.

Recognize burnout

It's perfectly normal to experience stress from time to time in the workplace, especially if you have an important deadline coming up or have to give a presentation in front of a large group of people. But if you have been experiencing stress for an extended period of time and it is impossible to cope with this stress, it can eventually lead to burnout.

Although burnout is not an official psychological diagnosis, this does not mean that it need not be taken seriously. In the Netherlands, 17% of the population experiences burnout complaints and symptoms every year. Female managers and young professionals in particular are increasingly experiencing burnout symptoms.

Burnout symptoms and signs

You can recognize burnout by the following symptoms and signs:

• Taking more distance from your work and work-related activities
  Many people with burnout see their work as extremely stressful and frustrating. They look at their work or the people they work with in a negative way. They may also distance themselves (emotionally) from their work and pay less and less attention to it.
• Physical symptoms
  Chronic stress can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, abdominal pain and bowel problems.
• Emotional fatigue
  Burnout causes people to feel empty and tired and unable to cope with work pressures. They often lack the energy to do their jobs.
• Reduced performance
  A burnout mainly affects daily performance at work. People with burnout have a negative attitude toward their tasks. They have difficulty concentrating and often lack creativity.
• Risk factors that lead to burnout
  A high workload does not necessarily lead to burnout. When stress is handled properly, there need not be negative consequences. But what causes one person to suffer from burnout symptoms and symptoms, and not another? With a high workload, people with certain personalities and lifestyles are more likely to suffer from burnout.

Although in the Netherlands most burnout complaints and symptoms occur in the ICT sector and in education, it is not only technicians and teachers who go into burnout. People in any industry can experience burnout.

But what then are the causes underlying burnout? A 2018 Gallup study identified 5 risk factors that may lead to burnout.

1. Unfair treatment at work

When employees believe they are treated unfairly at work, they are 2.3 times more likely to experience burnout. Unfair treatment can be anything from prejudice, favoritism to unfair pay or being mistreated by a co-worker.

When an employee does not trust the board, his or her manager or colleagues, it can break the psychological bond that makes for meaningful work.

2. Excessive workload

If the workload is unmanageable, even the most optimistic employees will feel hopeless. Feeling overwhelmed can quickly lead to burnout.

3. Lack of job clarity

For many people, it is unclear exactly what is expected in their jobs. As you can imagine, it causes fatigue and stress when responsibilities and expectations keep changing.

4. Lack of communication and support from a manager

Support from a manager can make you handle stress better. In fact, workers who experience support from their manager are 70% less likely to experience burnout.

5. Unrealistic time pressure

Workers who feel they have enough time to do their tasks are 70% less likely to experience burnout. There are occupations where time pressure is always present, such as firefighters. People in these occupations are therefore more likely to suffer burnout.

In other sectors, unrealistic time pressure may be imposed by people who do not know how long it takes to deliver quality work or provide good customer service.

Treatment of burnout

A burnout is not permanent and can therefore be remedied. And beyond the fact that your personality and lifestyle affect the likelihood of burnout, it is important to take a close look at your work situation. Changes in your work, your team or the organization are often necessary to heal from burnout.

Preventing Burnout

As with anything, prevention is better than cure. It can therefore be helpful to develop ways to deal with stress in a healthy way, such as eating healthy, getting enough exercise and sleeping better.

Another tool for burnout prevention is meditation. Several studies have shown that meditation helps prevent burnout and can alleviate burnout symptoms. Through meditation, you connect with yourself. As a result, you observe your own thoughts and feelings and learn to recognize and name them.

Recovering from burnout

If you are experiencing burnout, it may help to go to your human resources department or talk to a manager about the problems you are experiencing in your job. It may be possible to look together at ways to create a healthier work environment.

But there are also things you can do yourself to recover from your burnout:

1. Make self-care your priority

Recharging your battery is essential, along with making sure you get a good night's sleep, eating healthy, getting enough exercise and making social connections. Exercises that have a calming effect on your mind also help treat burnout. Consider meditating, writing down your thoughts and spending time in nature.

2. Change your perspective

The above activities will bring more peace to your mind, but back on the job, you will soon be faced with the same extreme workload, unrealistic time constraints or annoying team members.

So it is important to review your situation in the workplace. What problems can be remedied and what can you change ? By changing your perspective, you will also begin to look at problems in a different way.

For example, do you suffer from fatigue? Then consider which tasks you can delegate to other people. This way, you will keep time for the things that are really important.

3. Reduce stressors

There will still be important tasks and relationships that generate a lot of unhealthy stress. This means adjusting expectations of your colleagues, clients and even family members. It may also be helpful to establish ground rules about how to work with others. This may cause a negative reaction, but remember that you are making these choices to ultimately be more productive and protect your health.

4. Seek valuable connections

Perhaps the best remedy for burnout is to seek valuable connections, in the form of coaches and mentors. These individuals can help you develop positive habits and give you tools on how best to cope with your burnout.