Job burnout is a kind of work-related stress characterized by physical or emotional tiredness, as well as a sense of diminished accomplishment and loss of personal identity.
“Burnout” is not a medical term. Some specialists believe that burnout is caused by other diseases, such as depression. Individual characteristics such as personality features and family life, according to researchers, impact who experiences job burnout.
Job burnout, whatever the reason, can have a negative impact on your physical and emotional health. Consider how to determine if you have job burnout and what you can do about it.
Symptoms of job burnout
Consider the following:
- Have you developed a cynical or critical attitude at work?
- Do you drag yourself to work and struggle to get started?
- Have you grown irritated or impatient with your coworkers, customers, or clients?
- Do you lack the energy to be productive on a consistent basis?
- Do you have trouble concentrating?
- Do you feel unsatisfied with your accomplishments?
- Do you have a negative attitude toward your job?
- Are you relying on food, drugs, or alcohol to make you feel better or to make you feel nothing?
- Have your sleeping habits shifted?
- Do you suffer from inexplicable headaches, stomach or intestinal problems, or other physical symptoms?
If you responded yes to any of the following questions, you may be suffering from job burnout. Consider speaking with a doctor or a mental health practitioner because these symptoms may be related to a medical problem, such as depression.
Job burnout can be caused by a variety of factors.
Job burnout can be caused by a variety of circumstances, including:
- Control issues. Inability to influence job-related decisions, such as your schedule, responsibilities, or workload, may result in job burnout. A lack of the resources you require to do your assignment could also be an issue.
- Uncertain job expectations If you’re unsure about your level of authority or what your boss or coworkers want from you, you’re not going to feel at ease at work.
- Workplace dynamics that are dysfunctional. Perhaps you work with an office bully, feel undercut by coworkers, or your employer micromanages your job. This can exacerbate job stress.
- Extreme levels of activity. When you work in a repetitive or hectic environment, you require constant energy to stay focused, which can lead to exhaustion and job burnout.
- Social support is lacking. You may get more anxious if you feel isolated at work and in your personal life.
- Work-life conflict. If your work consumes so much of your time and energy that you lack the energy to spend time with your family and friends, you may burn out rapidly.
Factors that contribute to job fatigue
Job burnout may be caused by the following factors:
- You have a lot on your plate and work a lot of hours.
- You are having difficulty balancing your job and personal lives.
- You work in a field that helps people, such as health care.
- You believe you have little or no influence over your work.
Job burnout’s consequences
Ignoring or ignoring job burnout can have serious repercussions, including:
- Excessive anxiety
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Anger, sadness, or irritation
- Misuse of alcohol or other substances
- Cardiovascular disease
- Blood pressure is too high.
- Diabetes type 2
- Illness susceptibility
Managing Workplace Burnout
Make an effort to act. To begin, follow these steps:
- Consider your alternatives. Discuss any specific issues with your boss. Perhaps you can collaborate to adjust expectations, reach compromises, or find solutions. Set goals for what needs to be done and what can wait.
- Seek assistance. Support and collaboration may help you survive, whether you seek out coworkers, friends, or loved ones. Take advantage of applicable resources if you have access to an employee assistance program.
- Try a stress-relieving activity. Investigate stress-relieving programs such as yoga, meditation, or tai chi.
- Get some physical activity. Regular physical activity can help you cope with stress better. It can also distract you from your work.
- Get some rest. Sleep improves your mood and protects your health.
- Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of focusing on your breath flow and being acutely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling at any given time, without interpretation or judgment. In the workplace, this strategy entails approaching circumstances with openness, patience, and judgment.
Keep an open mind while you weigh your possibilities. Try not to allow a stressful or unsatisfying job to degrade your health.