5 Things You Don't Know About Burnout That Could Help

Aug 12

You hear the word “burnout” a lot more these days. Some people would say its is sweeping the nation but burnout is not new. The term “burnout” was first used in the 1970s to describe a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. It seems as if almost everyone is experiencing some level of this feeling of fatigue and a sense of being... well ...“burnt out.” Considering the season we're in it's definitely understandable.

But is burnout the same as depression?

No, according to the International Classification of Diseases, burnout is not a medical disorder but an occupational condition. That doesn't mean that you can't feel burnt out for reasons unrelated to your occupation like family pressures or that it's not something to take seriously.

Burnout is a serious condition that can affect your performance and slowly erode your health. Depression and Burnout can look alike, so it's important to get a diagnosis from a professional.

I remember when I first started noticing feelings of burnout friends and family would tell me I just needed to rest more. It was true that I needed rest but even after sleeping for hours or on week-long vacations, I was never able to completely shake the feeling.

That's because burnout isn't just an "I'm tired" problem — it goes much deeper than that. Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It can occur in any area of your life, whether it's your job, relationships or even parenting, and often in situations that offer little time for recovery.

Then, can burnout make you sick?

Yes, not in and of itself but it's symptoms like prolonged stress, disturbed sleeping and eating habits, and lack of concentration can be detrimental to your health over time. It can lead to depression and other psychological disorders, as well as physical problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

How can you begin to address burnout?

Burnout is often a mismatch between your expectations of what you can accomplish, and how much you're actually able to accomplish. Sometimes you'll also hear people say that they feel stuck or in a rut.

It's different from simple frustration or unhappiness because it's not about your job — it's about yourself. If you're suffering from burnout, it can mean that something within you has changed. Maybe you're no longer being challenged in the way that you were before. Or maybe things around you haven't changed and you're no longer feeling fulfilled.

The first step to avoiding burnout is making real changes to your lifestyle and how you approach life as a whole. That means mental, physical, and emotional health.

Dr. Marla Deibler, director of the Workplace Health and Safety Unit at the University of California, San Francisco. suggests engaging in self-care. What does that look like? It's different for everyone. It doesn't have to mean weekends at the spa. It can look like getting enough sleep so you don't have to be on caffeine all day long, taking vacations, exercising regularly, eating well, learning to say no, learning a new skill, taking steps to improve your situation, and spending time with others who care about you.

For me it was making time to relax with crochet, learning new skills, and scheduling time outside.

Also take conscious steps to reframe your mindset. What you focus on is what you'll see more of. So, look for things that you can celebrate, or be grateful for. Look at obstacles or objections as opportunities or challenges like in a game. Know that when (yes, emphasis on when) you overcome it you'll have grown, learned something new, or be closer to your goals or creating a life on your terms.

These things will help improve your physical health and make you better able to manage stressors to help avoid burnout in your life.

Resources:

Psychology Today

Burnout Research: Emergence and Scientific Investigation of a Contested Diagnosis, Linda V. Heinemann & and Torsten Heinemann