Burnout Signs and Solutions

We looked at the cause of burnout and how it can impact individuals and organisations. According to research 40% of workers report experiencing burnout.

It’s easy to miss the signs and, it can be an unacknowledged problem. Yet it’s becoming increasingly widespread. We need to take it more seriously.

Here are 5 signs of burnout.

1. Feelings of being overwhelmed.

If you’re normally on top of your workload and generally feel organised and in control. A key sign of trouble can be a sense of overwhelm and not being sure how and where to start with work.

2. Lack of energy and low productivity

Feeling a constant lack of energy is another feature of burn out. After ruling out any other medical cause this needs to be investigated. If even after rest and time out, your energy and productivity are low, the chances are you’ve burnout.

3. Inability to relax.

Being constantly wired and running on adrenalin is a key part of burnout. You may have the urge to keep going even in your free time to feel in control of your work. This is a dangerous state as being unable to rest, and feeling overwhelmed and unable to make inroads into your work can create guilt and can create low moods which can deepen into depression.

4. Depersonalisation and detachment

Individuals may start to see their workplace as frustrating and their contribution as inadequate or irrelevant. This can create a feeling of detachment from colleagues, and this can be shown in feelings of irritation and distancing behaviour.

5. Emotional Exhaustion

Over a prolonged period, burnout can cause profound exhaustion. This can lead to feeling drained and defeated and this can also create a vicious cycle as all the signs are interrelated and without support depression and serious mental health issues can follow.

Here are 5 steps to deal with burnout:

1.Take time out.

Taking time out allows space to rest and take stock. Use holidays as a time to recuperate and recharge. If necessary take a sabbatical and an extended period of leave.

2. Set boundaries

Being overwhelmed can be a result of taking on too much and it can be exacerbated by not being clear about boundaries . Get help to prioritise and if necessary delegate.

3. Talk to trusted people.

It’s important to share issues with a trusted sounding board. This can provide perspective and support before things get out of hand.

4. Explore options

When burnout is on its way, there can be a tendency to feel trapped and to not see choices. The first 2 steps help clear this thinking but it’s important to start to examine other options and weigh these up.

5. Make a plan to change

Feeling stuck can perpetuate the sense of lack of control and frustration which can gradually escalate into feeling unable to move. Before you get to this stage explore how you can get beyond this point with a vision of where you want to be in set time frame with a plan of action with steps to get you there.

Burnout is such an important issue for individual and organisational wellbeing and it’s worth taking time to speak to appropriate professionals and get support before the problems gets worse.