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]]>The origin of the term ‘burnout’
The World Health Organization (WHO), recognized burnout as a disease or occupational phenomenon, in the 11th edition of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) published in May 2019.
The new diagnosis is defined as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and 3) reduced professional efficacy. Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”
How is burnout different from stress?
Burnout is the loss of meaning in one’s work, coupled with mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion as the result of long-term, unresolved stress.
When your boundaries of personal time and work time get blurred, it is the first sign of burnout. In the current work scenarios, with many employees having been laid off there is immense pressure on those still at work to put in extra time and effort to complete the job which was earlier shared over more desks. Burnout can happen when the immediate manager pushes the limits of the employee to do more than his or her fair share of work. It can also be the result of bullying or discrimination.
At this juncture, let us understand and differentiate stress from BURNOUT
Burnout is an outcome or result of excessive stress! Burnout is also referred to as compassion fatigue.
What are the reasons causing the burnout?
Work environments have changed. Today 48% of Generation Xers in their mid-career trajectories are faced with burnout. WFH has only accelerated the process. The causes of burnout are: –
As per a Harvard Business Review, 51% of women are prone to burnout as they take up non-promotable work in a collaborative environment mainly to help colleagues. Even not being able to delegate work to others is a sure sign.
These markers only make people feel like a cog in the wheel than real contributors in a fast-paced highly-competitive workspace.
While lack of sleep, stress-eating, weight gain make a person grumpy and always exhausted, no vacations and lesser time with family and friends also lead to strained relationships sometimes leading to substance abuse. Work-home balance is a must.
Constant high job expectations and doing work that is monotonous and less financially gratifying is also another contributor.
The 5 stages of burnout
Burnout is often faced by persons in the age group 25 to 44. The 5 phases of burnout are,
1. Honeymoon Stage
This very first phase of burnout happens mostly in a new job when one rapidly accepts responsibility to proven one’s mettle. Often the person does not realize his/her unbridled optimism and over-commitment to the job at hand is starting to cause the first signs of burnout. If the right coping strategies are not in place, it escalates moving to the next phase.
2. Onset Stress Stage
In the second stage of burnout job dissatisfaction, irritability, and job anxiety begin to creep in lowering the initial level of productivity. You know it’s getting tougher and you feel the physical, mental, or emotional stress. This may also lead to medical problems like high blood pressure, increasing headaches, and heart palpitations.
3. Chronic Stress Stage
In this stage stress levels increase and symptoms seen in stage two become more intense. One starts to stop socializing, misses work or deadlines, procrastinates, and gets into a denial mode. There is persistent tiredness and exhaustion from early morning, an onset of physical illness, aggressive behavior, and an increase in caffeine, alcohol, drug consumption.
4. Burnout Stage
Stage four of burnout is actual burnout where one may require clinical and emotional intervention. In this stage, the individual feels empty, becomes a pessimist, isolates himself/herself from family, friends and community, and exhibits behavioral changes. Also, it is marked with chronic headaches and chronic stomach or bowel problems.
5. Habitual Burnout Stage
The fifth and final stage of burnout is habitual burnout that leads to sadness and depression.
How to prevent burnout
While burnout is primarily caused by work-related issues, it transcends into home life. It is important to recognize the signs and to proactively take up self-care and build mental resilience.
Here are a few recommendations on how to prevent burnout:
Burnout if ignored or unaddressed can have significant consequences on health leading to high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and even heart attacks.
Find your work-life balance.
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