You’ve heard the term job burnout being thrown around, but you aren’t sure what it means or what it looks like in practice.
Burnout occurs when you have been working so hard on something (a project, your career, etc.) that you have forgotten to take care of yourself.
And while burnout can appear at your job, it can happen anywhere else where you are pushing yourself to do more and more until your body and mind rebel and completely shut down to avoid dealing with it anymore.
So how can you tell if this is what’s happening to you? When should you take action?
Here are some of the signs that you might be suffering from job burnout, along with some tips on handling them or preventing them in the future
What is Job Burnout?
Job burnout can manifest itself in several ways. If you find yourself constantly feeling stressed at work with no end in sight for your workload or responsibilities, you might be experiencing a form of job burnout.
It’s essential to recognize that there are different levels of job burnout, too. At its most extreme level, it’s known as compassion fatigue (aka secondary traumatic stress disorder).
That becomes the case when employees have become so used to seeing clients in crisis that they start exhibiting signs of trauma themselves—they may develop chronic anxiety, depression, or insomnia.
Signs or Symptoms of Job Burnout
It’s normal to feel some stress from time to time. However, experts advise you should strive for productive stress that stimulates us and keeps us on our toes.
But there are certain signs of an unhealthy amount of stress that could be bad for your health or career. So if you suspect you might be suffering from job burnout, here are some warning signs to watch out for.
Feeling tired all of the time: This is a common sign of job burnout—not just because you’re overworked. Burned-out employees often feel exhausted because they’re unhappy at work and have trouble concentrating on tasks that used to be enjoyable or fulfilling.
Having trouble making decisions: It might be not easy to make decisions or take on new responsibilities if you’re feeling burned out at work. It can cause major issues in your personal life and your professional one.
Thinking about quitting: If you’re feeling stressed at work, it’s normal to think about quitting from time to time. However, if that thought has become an obsession, or you can’t stop thinking about leaving your job or spending a lot of time fantasizing about being able to do so—it could be a sign of job burnout.
The Possible Causes of Job Burnout
If you’re experiencing chronic job stress, it could be because of your role or company culture. This kind of stress is a regular occurrence for many professionals, but some specific things can worsen your situation.
Here are some common causes of job burnout:
- Unreasonable workloads
- Unmanageable deadlines
- Unfair compensation or benefits
- Lack of respect from peers or management
- Poor work-life balance
- Lack of opportunities for advancement
- Poor employee health benefits packages
Health Consequences of Job Burnout
Job burnout can be a terrible thing. It’s when you feel like you’re physically (and mentally) exhausted by your job, leading to various health consequences.
Research has revealed that when it comes to heart disease risk, people who are burned out face similar risks as those who smoke or have high blood pressure—or even diabetes.
Job burnout is also linked with increased depression and anxiety, higher stress levels, and greater work-life imbalance. These effects can lead to many health problems, including heart disease and high blood pressure.
What You Can Do About It
There are some basic things you can do to lessen the impact of job burnout. First, if you’re experiencing negative feelings that interfere with your performance regularly, try taking some time off or cutting back on your workload for a short period.
Make sure to schedule plenty of fun activities into your week. Life outside of work is essential and contributes to stress relief.
Below are other ways to handle job burnout.
Get some exercise: Exercise helps reduce stress by releasing endorphins that make you feel good. It also enables you to sleep better at night and is a great way to de-stress after a long day.
Take a few minutes to meditate: Meditating for just five minutes can help you feel more relaxed and focused throughout your day. Try using an app like Headspace or Calm that offers guided meditation sessions to help you get started.
Spend time with friends and family: Spending time with loved ones is a great way to relieve stress and keep you in check for work-related issues.
Seek support from a professional therapist: If you find yourself struggling with job burnout to a greater degree than you can handle, it may be time to seek out professional help. A therapist can help by exploring potential causes of your negative feelings and helping you develop strategies for managing them more effectively.
Get enough sleep: Getting a good night’s rest is essential for staying healthy and keeping your stress levels in check. Aim to get about six or eight hours of sleep each night.
Conclusion
To fight job burnout, it’s important to recognize signs that you’re overworked. Then your mental health is at risk.
So don’t wait for things to get worse. Instead, identify warning signs as soon as possible and take action.
Once you’ve regained control of your life and workload, consider seeking professional help with career counseling to ensure that you don’t become burned out again.