Why do we ignore the signs of stress even when we know they are harming us? Why do we keep working when we are exhausted, take supplements instead of resting, and only see too late that we are heading toward burnout?
Annita Rogier is a psychologist, president of the Association of Recognized Stress and Burnout Coaches (VESB) and author of several books on stress. For years, she has been helping people cope better with stress and avoid getting burned out.
In this article, she shares her insights on the causes of stress and burnout, the first signs we often overlook and effective ways to reduce stress. Because stress cannot always be avoided, but you can learn how to deal with it better and prevent it from taking over your life.
Main causes of stress and burnout
"Stress symptoms almost always arise from a combination of external circumstances and the personal way a person deals with stress," explains Anita Rogier. "External factors can be work-related, such as a high workload, emotionally taxing work, conflicts or a lack of autonomy. But private circumstances also play a role, such as child care, informal care or even positive events such as a move or the arrival of a child."
According to Rogier, societal factors are also taking on increasing importance: "High energy costs, fear of wars, threats of attacks or concerns about the environment - these are all external sources of stress that have an impact. But stress is never determined by circumstances alone. "
Personal traits, such as perfectionism, a strong need for control, excessive sense of duty and ambition, can further increase pressure. People with these traits often place extra high demands on themselves and experience making mistakes as a personal failure."
First signs of stress that people often overlook
According to Annita, decreased energy is often a first sign of stress. "People feel tired and overworked and notice that they are increasingly exhausted. Muscle pain can also be a stress response; the brain perceives threat and tightens the muscles, as if it needs to defend itself."
"Cold hands and feet occur because under stress the body sends blood to the vital organs, as if preparing for danger. Adecreased appetite can also be a sign. After a long day of work, some people feel their bodies tremble when they lie down for a while - a sign that muscles have been tense for too long. In addition, stress can lead to uncertainty about tasks one normally performs effortlessly, a shorter fuse and even tinnitus."
Small but effective changes
"To prevent stress, manage your energy well," Annita says. "Alternate effort and relaxation and take breaks, even if you think you don't have time for them. Taking a walk, a breathing exercise or briefly catching up with a colleague already helps. Start your day slowly, leave on time, and realize that you can never do everything in one day. Prioritize and focus on one task at a time."
"Talk about workload with your colleagues, supervisor and at home. Seek support, make sure you have a plan B, such as someone to pick up the kids for once. And take note: structural overwork - working more than 55 hours a week - is just as bad as smoking. Make time for social contact, even when you're tired, and sleep between 7.5 and 8 hours a night. That really makes a difference."
Working structurally more than 55 hours a week is just as bad for you as smoking.
Overwhelmed by stress? Recover physically first
"Feeling overwhelmed by stress? The first step is acknowledging how you're really doing," says Annita. "Accept that stress is normal and that you don't have to do everything on your own. Seek help if you need to.
After that, it's important to reconnect with your body first. Many people ignore signals, take pills or try to suppress symptoms, but you need to feel them.
Meditation can help, but that often doesn't work until later. Under stress, your brain switches to survival mode. Normally you use your thinking brain, but under stress that connection is broken and the motor part takes over. This means that keeping an overview, coming up with creative solutions and setting priorities become more difficult.
That's why you have to recover physically first: relax, recharge your energy, do some light exercise, sleep well, do breathing exercises, before you start working on mental processes."
Only then mentally
"Only when your body calms down can you learn to deal with emotions and brooding thoughts," Annita continues. "You can use your brain again by journaling, doing danceability exercises or meditating, for example."
"Of course, what works varies from person to person - some meditate, others knit or go running. Want to strengthen your resilience? Then a coach can help.
For uncomplicated stress and burnout symptoms, a stress and burnout coach or psychologist is appropriate. But if there is complicated burnout, for example in combination with grief, depression or a recurring pattern, then you are better off seeking specialized help from a licensed psychotherapist."
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