Burnout at Work: Recognizing and Addressing It

Recognizing Burnout

Burnout can appear in various forms, but generally it has three dimensions:

Emotional Exhaustion

1. Declining or out of vitality.
2. Trouble getting motivated to do things or even start them.
3. Being irritable or feeling more emotionally uptight.

Cynicism or Detachment

1. Getting a negative or dejected view of work.
   
   
2. Lack of connection with colleagues, clients, or the mission of the company.
   
   
3. Absent satisfaction or success.

Reduced Performance

1. Decline in productivity and efficiency.
   
   
2. Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
   
   
3. To think that one is incompetent or not enough.

Common Causes of Burnout

1. Pressure: Too much work, too few deadlines.
   
   
2. Lack of Management: Little to no control or input into work decisions.
   
   
3. Undefined Functions: Undefined or inconsistent tasks.
   
   
4. Business Relationships: Bad connections or no support.
   
   
5. Work/Life Disparity: Not enough time to rest, have family or do personal stuff.
   
   

Addressing Burnout

Self-Care Strategies

1. Make sure you get enough sleep, eat right and exercise.
2. Get your hands dirty with something fun and easy like hobbies or meditation.
3. Protect personal time and resources with boundaries.

Time Management

1. Distill large projects into small steps.
2. Organize work with calendars and to-do lists.
3. Learn to outsource or refuse work that’s not necessary.

Seek Support

1. Discuss workload concerns with supervisors.
2. Count on others, friends or family to be there for you.
3. Seek professional help, like counselling or therapy.

Adjust Workplace Dynamics

1. Make roles and responsibilities explicit.
2. Build good teams.
3. Communicate with leaders and do so honestly and constructively.

Realign Goals

1. Look at personal and professional objectives.
2. Find areas of improvement or transformation in the company.
3. Try out other careers if things aren’t manageable right now.

Preventing Burnout

1. Encourage regular breaks and vacations.
2. Create an inclusive culture at work.
3. Offer employees training and development.
4. Show up and reward for success to help motivate.

Burnout is something that must be worked on at a personal and organizational level. If people are able to notice early the symptoms and intervene effectively, workplaces and workers can lead a healthier and more sustainable culture of work.