Understanding and Recovering From Burnout
What burnout really looks like, how to spot the warning signs, and what you can do to prevent or recover before it takes a lasting toll on your mental health.
Burnout is a psychological reaction to long-term stress from dealing with other people, especially common in jobs like healthcare, education, and human services (Maslach C, Leiter MP, 2016). Even though it's not a recognised mental health condition, it's considered a workplace risk. It happens when continuous work-related stress leaves people feeling exhausted, cynical, and unmotivated. This can lead to feelings of fatigue, depression, and anxiety. There's a limit to how much stress your mind and body can handle before you reach a breaking point. Luckily, there are ways to recover from and prevent burnout, which can help lessen its negative effects on your well-being.
Signs of Burnout
Burnout isn't just about feeling stressed or tired; it's a profound state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that can leave you feeling utterly drained, without hope, and unmotivated (Hillert A, et al., 2020). Key signs and symptoms include:
- Constant exhaustion
- Loss of motivation or interest in previously enjoyable activities
- Cynicism, apathy, and negativity
- A sense of stagnation or lack of progress
- Increased absence from work or frequent lateness
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Changes in appetite or sleep
- Social isolation
- Physical ailments such as headaches, chest tightness, neck or back pain, and nausea
- Increased consumption of alcohol and nicotine
- Indifference, boredom, and restlessness
If you recognise these signs in yourself, it's crucial to act promptly to prevent the situation from worsening.
Preventing Burnout
The best way to handle burnout is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here's how you can do that:
Prioritise Your Health
Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is crucial. This means eating well, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. It's also important to find healthy ways to manage stress, such as practicing yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises.
Set and Maintain Boundaries
It's essential to establish clear boundaries in your life. Learn to say no when you're overwhelmed and make time for yourself, even when there are many demands on your attention. This includes declining projects that aren't top priorities and communicating your needs clearly. Finding a work-life balance that suits you is key. Try to create distinct separations between your home and work life, like having a daily ritual to help you relax after work.
Actively Manage Stress
Since stress is a major cause of burnout, it's vital to manage it effectively. Stress relief techniques like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing can be very helpful. While quick stress relievers are useful for immediate stress, it's equally important to use long-term strategies. Consider incorporating a healthy diet, positive self-talk, and gratitude journaling into your routine.
Practice Self-Compassion
Restoration often comes from being kind to yourself. Instead of pushing past your limits, learn to recognise when you're feeling overwhelmed. If you find yourself in that state, step back and figure out what you need in that moment. This might mean taking a break, talking to a friend, or seeking professional help (Swetz KM, 2009).
Recovering from Burnout
If you're already experiencing burnout, it's crucial to take action. Effective recovery strategies can help you pinpoint the cause, rebuild your mental strength, and combat feelings of cynicism.
Pinpoint the Root Cause
Take time to assess what aspects of your job are contributing to your burnout. Common culprits include excessive working hours, poor relationships with supervisors or colleagues, workplace conflict, lack of management support, and overwhelming workloads. Once you're aware of the cause, you can start addressing it. While some issues might be challenging to tackle, you could begin by discussing ways to manage workplace stress and reduce interpersonal conflict with your employer. Options like lightening your workload, delegating tasks, changing your work location, or even switching to a partial-remote schedule might help alleviate some of these feelings.
Take a Break
It's vital to set aside time for relaxation and rejuvenation. This could involve taking a vacation, getting a massage, or picking up a new hobby. While researchers are still exploring the most effective treatments for burnout, taking a break is frequently cited as one of the most common approaches people use when experiencing burnout symptoms.
Embrace Solitude
Burnout is often linked to prolonged interpersonal stress, which is why people in client-facing roles are more susceptible to it. If you've reached a point where you feel irritable, withdrawn, and have a negative attitude towards others, try to carve out some time for yourself. Spending time alone doing things you enjoy can be a great way to recharge, especially if you're more of an introvert.
Develop Effective Coping Skills
You can't eliminate all stress, but you can certainly develop better ways to cope with it. How you perceive situations significantly impacts how you feel. Cognitive reframing can be a helpful strategy to change your perspective on stressful situations. For example, viewing a challenge as a learning opportunity instead of a burden can help you approach it with less anxiety.
Lean on Loved Ones
While some solitude can be beneficial, it doesn't mean you should isolate yourself from loved ones. While negative social interactions often contribute to burnout, positive and supportive social connections act as an essential buffer against it. Leaning on your social support system can also relieve some of the pressure you're feeling. Talking to friends and family about what you're going through can help you feel less alone.
Prioritise Self-Care
Taking care of yourself is crucial for burnout prevention, but it becomes even more vital when you're already burned out. Ensure you're nurturing yourself physically and mentally. This involves eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. Making time for yourself, even when demands are high, can significantly aid in burnout recovery.
Seek Professional Help
If you're struggling to manage burnout on your own, it's essential to seek professional help. Therapy, such as psychodynamic or cognitive group therapy, has been shown to reduce symptoms of work-related depression, and many other effective types of psychotherapy can also be very helpful. A therapist can assist you in identifying the causes of your stress and developing a plan to address them. If you feel overwhelmed, don't hesitate to reach out for support.
Call/WhatsApp us at +254721240462/+254733932470 or email us at [email protected]. Check for more educative articles on our blog at www.givinghope.co.ke.
References
Hillert A, Albrecht A, Voderholzer U. The burnout phenomenon: A résumé after more than 15,000 scientific publications. Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:519237. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.519237
Maslach C, Leiter MP. Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry. 2016;15(2):103-111. doi:10.1002/wps.20311
Swetz KM, Harrington SE, Matsuyama RK, Shanafelt TD, Lyckholm LJ. (2009). Strategies for avoiding burnout in hospice and palliative medicine: peer advice for physicians on achieving longevity and fulfillment. J Palliat Med. 2009;12(9):773-777. doi:10.1089/jpm.2009.0050
Peter Mugi is a qualified Family Therapist, based in Kasarani, Nairobi, Kenya.
With a commitment to mental health, Mr Kuruga provides services in English and Kiswahili, including Counselling (Career), Counselling (Divorce), Counselling (Family), Counselling (Marriage), Individual and Couple Therapy, Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, Mediation, Online Counselling / Phone Therapy, Relationship Counselling and Stress Management.
Mr Kuruga has expertise in Addiction (Drugs and Substances), Adolescent Counselling, Behavioural and Emotional Problems, Bereavement and Loss, Divorce and/or Separation, Family Problems, Parenting Issues, Pre-Marital Counselling, Relationships and Marriage Problems and Suicide Ideation / Survivor.
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Important:
TherapyRoute does not provide medical advice. All content is for informational purposes and cannot replace consulting a healthcare professional. If you face an emergency, please contact a local emergency service. For immediate emotional support, consider contacting a local helpline.
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