What is Job burnout?
Job burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. It often occurs as a result of persistent or repeated stress, which is mostly triggered by problems at work or when you have worked in a physically or emotionally draining role for a long time. Burnout is not a medical diagnosis. Some professionals think that other conditions, such as depression are behind burnout. In a study taken, when asked to identify the symptoms of burnout, 85% of UK adults correctly identified symptoms of burnout, while 68% mistakenly identified symptoms of anxiety.
Common symptoms and signs of burnout:
- Feeling tired or drained as well as taking longer to get things done
- Feeling helpless, trapped, overwhelmed and/or defeated
- Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?
- Do you find it hard to concentrate?
- Are you feeling detached/alone in the world?
- Are you having a cynical/negative outlook?
- Are you feeling Self-doubt?
- Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers, or clients?
- Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?
- Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?
- Are you using food, drugs, or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?
- Have your sleep habits changed?
- Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?
Why does burnout arise? and what you can do to help these situations?
There are a variety of varied factors why burnout could occur. This could be things such as:
- Money worries- Money worries go hand-in-hand with mental health issues. A majority of people were found to have burnout because they was worried about money. Things you can do to help with this is Plan your budget– it helps to write down what is going in and out and plan to make sure your bills get paid. There are budgeting tools to help. As well as this you can get help with Debt advice if you are struggling to pay your bills there are people out there to help do not struggle alone.
- Worries about job security- For example since the start of the covid pandemic people were being put on furlough leaving thousands of people worried about their future and their careers. Some ideas to help the situation could be Talk to your employer this could help put your mind at ease and to see if your job security is fine. Another idea is Make a plan If your job is at stake, it might help you to make a plan to help. Such as take control of the situation, know what your options are, reduce stress, knowing there are practical things you can do.
- Physical health- Mental health is just as vital as physical health, and they influence each other. A majority of people felt that poor physical health could contribute to burnout. A few ways you could improve your physical health.
- Eat healthy foods and have a balanced diet.
- Keep physically active. Exercise can help to reduce stress and anxiety
- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoiding smoking and drinking or cut down on the amount you consume
- Sleep- Sleep is a crucial factor how you feel overall physically and mentally however how you feel can also affect if you sleep or not. Ways to improve your sleep – Start a Routine Having a set routine before bed can help with having a better night’s sleep. As well as this you can find Relaxing techniques. You can try different activities that help you feel relaxed and sleepy such as yoga, meditation, art, listening to soothing music.
- Relationships- It is important for our happiness to have good relationships so that we can share our feelings to keep us going when we need extra support. A few ways on how to improve your relationships. It is important to have a good relationship with yourself. Self-care is a key factor in this. Self-care can include resting, exercising, and spending time outside. If you have a partner, it is important to maintain a healthy relationship with them. Methods can be give them time, be present for each other, listen to each other and share thought and feelings
Final opinions
Healthcare workers are some of the fiercest members of the society today helping put others before themselves and they do such a brilliant job overall. However, they also need help to make sure they can stay the best they can. The roles that cause burnout the most need to be identified so organisations can put things in place to reduce the risk. Extra support from direct managers but also from the organisations they work for will help to lessen the burnout and will help with any situations that arise. Healthcare organisations must identify the causes and effects of burnout in their workforce to not only shield the individual’s physical and mental welfare, but to understand what they can do on a larger scale to decrease the possibility of burnout.