Burnout: symptoms, risk factors, and management differ from individual to individual depending upon the type of situation and condition. Burnout is a condition or state of exhaustion. It occurs when a person is not capable of bearing any more stress or pressure physically, mentally, and psychologically. Burnout in professional life has a greater impact on personal life. It results from poor stress management, especially in the workplace.
What are the types of burnout?
Following are the types of burnout.
- Physical
- Mental
- Psychological
What are the symptoms of physical burnout?
Physical burnout (Stressed out) is when a person’s energy level is zero due to extreme stress or workload. Following the symptoms of physical burnout
- Low energy level
- Body aches
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Frequent headaches
- Dull skin
- Disturbed sleep/poor sleep
How can one manage symptoms of physical burnout?
Managing physical symptoms on time is very important otherwise in severe situations it could cause other health problems. Severe weight loss could lead to low energy levels, which may further impact poor physical work and poor performance on duty and at home. Moreover, weak physical health leads to many diseases as well. Furthermore, continuous headaches could lead to low performance on the job affect your mood, and decrease eye site. Decrease appetite leads to malnutrition which could be a major issue to overall health. Similarly, poor appetite and decreased oral intake lead to poor skin complexion and dehydrated skin.
What are the symptoms of mental stress/burnout?
A person with mental burnout exhibits the following symptoms.
- Irritability
- Difficult to concentrate
- Decrease focus
- Anxiety
What are the risk factors of burnout?
Burnout depends on a person’s perception, management, and behavior toward workload, stress, and hectic routine. For example, not all employees in an organization with the same routine will face burnout. Some of them may feel the hectic duty as an opportunity and challenge for their learning, professional growth, and grooming and trying to do better. Others may be exhausted and lose their energy and take it as a burden on themselves.
Following are some of the risk factors:
- Stressful work environment
- Poor time management
- Failure to do list
- Unable to prioritize activities
- Lack of grip or confidence in a profession
- Lack of support from seniors and colleagues
- Favoritism and discrimination
- Poor self-care
- Hesitate to take help from seniors
- Poor communication
- Short tempered /behavioral issues
- Have a history of depression or anxiety
- Poor task delegation/poor team dynamics
- Poor job satisfaction/job insecurity
- Lack of recognition from an organization
How can one manage a burnout crisis?
Burnout can be managed easily if identified on time. Moreover, timely management and identification help In early recovery, delayed and chronic burnout can lead to severe symptoms, either physical, mental, or psychological. Following are some tips to manage burnout
- Good Time management techniques: (Burnout: Symptoms, Risk Factors and its Management)
As discussed above poor time management leads to stress in the workplace. Best time management saves persons time and task completion on time which decreases work pressure. A person who completes his tasks on time can be mentally relaxed and can give more time for himself as self-care on long duty hours. For example can take a coffee break or a lunch break On the other hand person with poor time management will not be able to give time to himself for relaxation.
- Be assertive and learn to say “NO”:
Being assertive can save a person from being overused by colleagues or seniors.it is difficult but once you learn to say it respectfully it will save you from being taken favors from you in the workplace against your will.
Task prioritization:
Prioritizing tasks or activities can save time and decrease work burden. Learn to make a list of activities and complete them according to their level of importance.
Take help from seniors or colleagues:
Always take help and guidance from your seniors or colleagues. it will help you and support you in managing your work.
Seek medical help:
In case of mental exhaustion or anxiety do not forget to take help from any healthcare provider. Furthermore, seeking medical attention will prevent further deterioration of your health and they will guide you to effective stress management techniques. Or can prescribe you some relaxing pills for the acute phase.
Self-care: Burnout: Symptoms, Risk Factors and its Management:
Focusing on self-care will prevent you from so many health issues. Following self-care techniques will help you from being burnout:
Take a good and balanced diet
Take your meal break on time while you are on duty
Maintain good hydration by keeping a water bottle with you
Have a good sleep
Dress up nicely
Do some meditation
Go for a walk
Listen to your favorite music
Talk to your favorite friend
Avoid conflicts with others:
Conflicts in the workplace will irritate you and decrease your work performance. Furthermore, conflicts will consume your positive energy.be fair to all, have a positive relationship with your colleagues, be helpful to others, and always be with a happy face while at work. Avoid complaining behavior, always think of problems with solutions.
Always have positive people around you:
Having contact with positive people around you will change your attitude and behavior positively. They will encourage you and will help you to bring you out of the burnout situation. They will guide you positively and enhance your positive energy levels. This will help you to combat the situation.
Avoid negative or toxic people:
people with negative thoughts and energy will drain your positive energy. Moreover, seeking help from negative people with enhance your worries and double your exhaustion. So, avoid people with negative energy while you are disturbed mentally or physically.
Take a break from your daily routine or work:
when you identify that you are stressed out take a break from your workplace to relax. Continuously working for long hours increases your risk of worsening your condition.
In the end, burnout is a situation that drains a person physically and mentally. Moreover, a healthy and positive self-managing technique helps in combating burnout. On the other hand negative attitude and wrong guidance can make the condition more challenging. Secondly, self-care plays an important role in managing burnout.
