Danger of Burning Out

ISSN: 2277-4637 (Online) | ISSN: 2231-5470 (Print)
Opinion Vol. 2, No. 1, June 2012
Danger of Burning Out

Dr. Supriya Jha*
Abstract
Burnout is a psychological term for the experience of long- term exhaustion and diminished interest. Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest or motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place. Burnout reduces your productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give. Most of us have days when we feel bored, overloaded, or unappreciated; when the dozen balls we keep in the air arent noticed, let alone rewarded; when dragging ourselves out of the bed requires the determination of Hercules. If you feel like this most of the time, however, you may be flirting with burnout. This paper will try to explore the reason of burn out and ways to save ourselves, so that we can take pre-caution. Keywords: Burn out, Stress, Prevention, Recovery, Symptoms
Introduction
What exactly is burnout? It is defined in MerriamWebsters Collegiate Dictionary as exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration. If constant stress has you feeling disillusioned, helpless, and completely worn out, you may be suffering from burnout. When youre burned out, problems seem insurmountable, everything looks bleak, and its difficult to muster up the energy to carelet alone do something about your situation. The unhappiness and detachment burnout causes can threaten your job, your relationships, and your health. But burnout can be healed. If you recognize the signs and symptoms of burnout in
its early stages, simple stress management strategies may be enough to solve the problem. In the later stages of burnout, recovery may take more time and effort, but you can still regain your balance by reassessing your priorities, making time for yourself, and seeking support. Burnout is a psychological response to long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, and may take months or years to bubble to the surface. First defined by American psychoanalyst Herbert J. Freudenberger in 1972, burnout is a demon born of the society and times we live in and our ongoing struggle to invest our lives with meaning. He goes on to say that burnout is not a condition that gets better by being ignored. Nor is it any kind of disgrace. On the contrary, its a problem
*Asst. Professor, Amity School of Business, Amity University, Noida (U.P.)
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Opinion: International Journal of Management
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born of good intentions. Another description in New York Magazine calls burnout a problem thats both physical and existential, an untidy conglomeration of external symptoms and personal frustrations. Psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North have theorized that the burnout process can be divided into 12 phases, which are not necessarily followed sequentially, nor necessarily in any sense be relevant or exist other than as an abstract construct. A compulsion to prove oneself Working harder Neglecting ones own needs Displacement of conflicts (the person does not realize the root cause of the distress) Revision of values (friends or hobbies are completely dismissed) Denial of emerging problems (cynicism and aggression become apparent) Withdrawal (reducing social contacts to a minimum, becoming walled off; alcohol or other substance abuse may occur) Behavioral changes become obvious to others Depersonalization (life becomes a series of mechanical functions) Inner emptiness Depression Burnout syndrome The negative effects of burnout spill over into every area of life including your home and social life. Burnout can also cause long-term changes to your body that make you vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu. Because of its many consequences, its important to deal with burnout right away. The difference between stress and burnout Burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress, but it isnt the same as too much stress. Stress, by and large, involves too much: too many pressures that demand too much of you physically and psychologically. Stressed people can still imagine, though, that if they can just get everything under control, theyll feel better. Burnout, on the other hand, is about not enough. Being burned out means feeling empty, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. People experiencing
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burnout often dont see any hope of positive change in their situations. If excessive stress is like drowning in responsibilities, burnout is being all dried up. One other difference between stress and burnout: While youre usually aware of being under a lot of stress, you dont always notice burnout when it happens. Its important to note that burnout is not the same as depression, though there are shared characteristics that blur the distinction; burnout can be brought on by fits of depression or may lead to depression itself.
Causes of Burnout
There are many causes of burnout. In many cases, burnout stems from the job. But anyone who feels overworked and undervalued is at risk for burnout from the hardworking office worker who hasnt had a vacation or a raise in two years to the frazzled stay-athome mom struggling with the heavy responsibility of taking care of three kids, the housework, and her aging father. At some point in your career, you will experience burnout. Regardless of how much you like your job there will come a time when you just dont feel like doing it anymore. If you could choose between being sick enough to stay home (and not just lying about being sick) and going to work, you would actually choose to be sick. It would be far less aversive than facing your boss, your co-workers, your clients, and your desk. Then there are those who work hard and dont receive the gratitude they feel they deserve from their bosses. They go to work everyday, work hard, and dont feel they are rewarded properly, People who seem to work less, but have more political clout, seem to do better. Raises arent forthcoming, and promotions arent either. Being in the wrong career is also very stressful and can be frustrating. Many people are in the wrong career. They either tire of a career they once liked or they chose poorly in the first place. Others are in the right career but in the wrong job. Either way a change may be in order. It may involve a career change or simply a change in where you work. So, as you can see, there are many factors that cause people stress and frustration with their jobs. Im sure you can name some yourself. Burnout doesnt happen only to those who are stressed or frustrated, though. Notice the definition says
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burnout usually happens as a result of stress and frustration. I dont think the stress that causes one to experience job burnout has to be terribly obvious. Work may be going along smoothly. There are no apparent problems no issues to resolve. You get along well with your boss, co-workers, and clients. Then suddenly one day you feel a little knot in your stomach when you think about going to work. Or, you cant come up with any fresh ideas. You let your inbox fill up. You cringe when your phone rings. You just cant figure it out. Yesterday you loved your job and today you hate it. What could have caused this to happen? Therefore, burnout is not caused solely by stressful work or too many responsibilities. Other factors contribute to burnout, including your lifestyle and certain personality traits. What you do in your downtime and how you look at the world can play just as big of a role in causing burnout as work or home demands. Work-related causes of burnout Feeling like you have little or no control over your work. Lack of recognition or rewards for good work. Unclear or overly demanding job expectations. Doing work thats monotonous or unchallenging. Working in a chaotic or high-pressure environment Lifestyle causes of burnout Working too much, without enough time for relaxing and socializing Being expected to be too many things to too many people. Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others Not getting enough sleep Lack of close, supportive relationships Personality traits can contribute to burnout Perfectionistic tendencies; nothing is ever good enough Pessimistic view of yourself and the world The need to be in control; reluctance to delegate to others High-achieving, Type A personality
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Warning Signs and Symptoms of Burnout

Burnout is a gradual process that occurs over an extended period of time. It doesnt happen overnight, but it can creep up on you if youre not paying attention to the warning signals. The signs and symptoms of burnout are subtle at first, but they get worse and worse as time goes on. Think of the early symptoms of burnout as warning signs or red flags that something is wrong that needs to be addressed. If you pay attention to these early warning signs, you can prevent a major breakdown. If you ignore them, youll eventually burn out. Physical signs and symptoms of burnout Feeling tired and drained most of the time Lowered immunity, feeling sick a lot Frequent headaches, back pain, muscle aches Change in appetite or sleep habits
Emotional signs and symptoms of burnout Sense of failure and self-doubt Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated Detachment, feeling alone in the world Loss of motivation Increasingly cynical and negative outlook Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment Behavioral signs and symptoms of burnout Withdrawing from responsibilities Isolating yourself from others Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope Taking out your frustrations on others Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early
Dealing with Burnout: The Three R Approach

Recognize Watch for the warning signs of burnout Reverse Undo the damage by managing stress and seeking support Resilience Build your resilience to stress by taking care of your physical and emotional health
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Strategy to Prevent Burnout

Slow down When youve reached the end stage of burnout, adjusting your attitude or looking after your health isnt going to solve the problem. You need to force yourself to slow down or take a break. Cut back whatever commitments and activities you can. Give yourself time to rest, reflect, and heal. Get support When youre burned out, the natural tendency is to protect what little energy you have left by isolating yourself. But your friends and family are more important than ever during difficult times. Turn to your loved ones for support. Simply sharing your feelings with another person can relieve some of the burden. Re-evaluate your goals and priorities Burnout is an undeniable sign that something important in your life is not working. Take time to think about your hopes, goals, and dreams. Are you neglecting something that is truly important to you? Burnout can be an opportunity to rediscover what really makes you happy and to change course accordingly. Communicate When in doubt, talk.Seek counsel and support from family, friends, and industry peers, or consider more formal coaching, possibly through a local business network or wellness center. Set boundaries and expectations The days of the 9-to-5 job are gone and the boundaries between work and home are blurred to the point of non-existence. Were expected to be available nearly all the time, and the problem is often exacerbated for freelancers or anyone who works primarily from a home office where the only divide between being at home and being at work is a single door or a flight of stairs. Although clients may choose to leave you messages and send e-mail at all hours, its up to you to set expectations about your responsiveness. As soon as you leave yourself open to responding to e-mails at 10 oclock at
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night, you set a precedent that can be hard to take back. Sleep more The world is a much smaller place now than its ever been. Information is at our fingertips whenever we want it and wherever we happen to be. Time zones blur, allowing us to work with clients in the same city as easily as those on the other side of the world. But we still need sleep, and we rarely get enough. Sleep gives our brains a chance to work out problems and process the information weve absorbed throughout the day. Even though the 9-to-5 work day is history, theres no reason work should extend into the wee hours of the morning. Create a daily routine Its not unusual for creative types to do their best work at the same time every day. By this I mean that its important to follow our own circadian rhythms. Do your most important work (or the work requiring the greatest focus) during that time when youre most energized and have the fewest distractions. Use the rest of your working hours to solve secondary problems or gather information that will fuel the next productive sprint. Make time for numero uno Spending time with family, friends, or your personal interests may provide the fulfillment you dont get at work. So get out. Go to a museum or an art gallery. Go to the library or a concert. Get some exercise. Play. Make time for what makes you happy, and guard that time fervently. Change your situation Although changing careers is usually not an option, theres plenty you can do to make your job more engaging and fulfilling. Change departments, learn a new skill, or simply focus more on the things youre good at, and that make you happy. Offload responsibilities that are not fulfilling or that are not part of your core job function. Changing your situation could be as easy as changing desks: If you work at home, spend more time at a local coffee shop or bookstore that has free wifi. If you work in a more traditional office, change desks or spend time in another part of the office.
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Recovering from Burnout

Sometimes its too late to prevent burnout youre already past the breaking point. If thats the case, its important to take your burnout very seriously. Trying to push through the exhaustion and continue as you have been will only cause further emotional and physical damage. How a burnout situation can be changed into a transformational experience? We Can say it, Creative Burnout? Practice Safe Stress? Today professionals are often expected to be always onalways working, absorbing information, and honing new skills. Unless our work and personal lives are carefully balanced, however, the physical and mental effects of an always on life can be debilitating. But if you take steps to get your life back into balance, you can prevent burnout from becoming a full-blown breakdown. Start the day with a relaxing ritual. Rather jumping out of bed as soon as you wake up, spend at least fifteen minutes meditating, writing in your journal, doing gentle stretches, or reading something that inspires you. Adopt healthy eating, exercising, and sleeping habits. When you eat right, engage in regular physical activity, and get plenty of rest, you have the energy and resilience to deal with lifes hassles and demands. Set boundaries. Dont overextend yourself. Learn how to say no to requests on your time. If you find this difficult, remind yourself that saying no allows you to say yes to the things that you truly want to do. Take a daily break from technology. Set a time each day when you completely disconnect. Put
away your laptop, turn off your phone, and stop checking email. Nourish your creative side. Creativity is a powerful antidote to burnout. Try something new, start a fun project, or resume a favorite hobby. Choose activities that have nothing to do with work. Learn how to manage stress. When youre on the road to burnout, you may feel helpless. But you have a lot more control over stress than you may think. Learning how to manage stress can help you regain your balance.
Conclusion
When youre burned out, you know it. You can feel it and taste it, but in order to get past, it you have to acknowledge it and fight to restore your internal equilibrium. Stop, decompress, communicate, and focus. That process often begins with a look inward to learn what gives your life balance, such as family, friends, personal interests, and hobbiesthe things that counterbalance your life. Your life should be just that a life; if your waking hours are entirely consumed by work, or if youre unfocused and inattentive to your own needs, burnout will be waiting at every turn. Many of us work long hours because we actually like our jobs. We have work that needs to get done, and we choose to spend ten hours a day doing it. Then one day we realize that many months have passed since we had a vacation, a full weekend off, or even a relaxing evening at home. Theres an old saying that goes On their death bed, no one ever said, I wish I had spent more time in the office. As an aside, the man who coined the term burnout was a psychologist named Herbert Freudenthal. Dr. Freudenthal, himself, had a reputation for working extremely long hours but did not experience burnout.
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References 1. Reclaiming the Fire: How Successful People Overcome Burnout by Steven Berglas,2002 2. Restore Yourself: The Antidote for Professional Exhaustion by Edy Greenblatt ,2000 3. Overcoming Job Burnout: How to Renew Enthusiasm for Work by Ph.D. Beverly A. Potter,2001 4. The Truth About Burnout: How Organizations Cause Personal Stress and What to Do About It by Christina Maslach, 2002 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnout_(psychology) as viewed on 20th November, 2011 6. http://helpguide.org/mental/burnout_signs_symptoms.htm as viewed on 5th December, 2011 7. http://www.stressdoc.com/four_stages_burnbout.htm as viewed on 12th January, 2012 8. http://www.alistapart.com/articles/burnout/ as viewed on 22nd January, 2012 9. http://careerplanning.about.com/od/workrelated/a/burnout_2.htm as viewed on 2nd February, 2012 10. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/burnout/WL00062 as viewed on 9th February, 2012 11. http://www.stressreductionbasics.com/stressburnoutsymptoms.html as viewed on 2nd March, 2012 12. http://www.time-management-guide.com/burnout-symptoms.html as viewed on 6th March, 2012 13. http://www.mindtools.com/stress/Brn/StressIntro.htm as viewed on 10th March, 2012
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ISSN: 2277-4637 (Online) | ISSN: 2231-5470 (Print)

Opinion Vol. 2, No. 1, June 2012