Are You Suffering From Work Burnout?

If you feel mentally, physically and emotionally depleted when it comes to work then you may very well be suffering from work induced burnout. The sheer fatigue and exhaustion that you feel is when work related stress has built up to such a level that you can no longer manage to function in a normally healthy way.

Statistics from a recent UK survey indicate that a little over half of employees had experienced the feeling of being burnt out because of work. While it seems likely that certain individual character and social traits can leave you more predisposed to burnout than others, it can happen to anyone at any stage in their working life. Therefore it is imperative that you are able to recognise the symptoms before it reaches a critical level.

If your job has overwhelmed you, you may feel so fatigued and exhausted that you no longer can show any enthusiasm and you are engulfed by pessimism and negativity towards work.

Of course, lack of concentration leads to lack of productivity and you may find yourself overlooking simple things or not achieving to the best of your ability.

You may become cross, snappy and irritated not only at work and with your colleagues but at home also because either you have just finished a shift or because you are filled with dread knowing you have to return tomorrow or the next day. This in turn can affect sleeping and eating habits which adds to the feelings of despondency and can cause actual physical ailments such as headaches and digestive issues.

So what can you do about it? It is all about stress management and setting healthy boundaries for ourselves. As with anything that is affecting mental and physical health, it is always advisable to seek professional advice as you could have other underlying issues that need to be addressed.

Make your managers and your HR department aware that you are suffering from work related stress and discuss the options of perhaps reducing your hours or your workload for a while or indefinitely. Asking for help and admitting defeat is an important step to take and it allows your employer to understand how you are feeling.

Take some time away from work if possible and try to draw a strong line between work and your personal and family life. Find ways to identify and then to minimise and cope with stress so that it does not overwhelm in the future.

Familiarise yourself with self care techniques and recognise what works for you. This can be anything from mindfulness, the importance of diet and exercise to pursuing new interests and meeting new people, all of which will give you a fresh perspective.

Enquire at your place of work what help there may be for employees suffering from burn out symptoms or work related stress and encourage the managers to either implement or update support systems.

Maintaining your own well being is of prime importance.

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