Burnout~What is Happening? Part 1
Welcome back everyone!
It’s been a minute hasn’t it?
So let’s just jump right in. I’m talking about burnout today and I think it will need to be a series of posts for the next few weeks.
Burnout is difficult. Burnout is awful. Burnout literally tells me that I suck and I don’t have any energy to put forth for anything more today, maybe tomorrow or every day. Burnout is the monster living inside my body and soul. If I have to go back to whatever that is, I just don’t know how I will do it. I don’t want to do it.
Wow! That sounds haunting and extremely negative. Honestly, that is what some of my coaching clients, friends, and family have described as their perception of burnout.
In order to understand the severity of burnout, statistics are a great place to start. I gathered some information from a few different resources and I will post the links below for your perusal.
Two-thirds of full time workers have experienced burnout during their careers (limeaid.com, 2024).
In 2023, 62% of employees reported feeling burned out (medium.com, 2024).
76% of respondents in a Mental Health America and Flex.Jobs study agreed that workplace stress affects their mental health, and 75% have experienced burnout (runn.com, 2024).
I could give more and if you would like to read more about the statistics just check out the links below. There are so many sources and those numbers are huge! I’m concerned!
What is burnout and why do I feel so exhausted from it?
In 2019, the World Health Organization/WHO characterized burnout as a workplace issue. It happens only at work and it isn’t a mental health or physical diagnosis. Unfortunately, the burnout contributes to mental health and physical issues. Burnout is the culmination of unrelenting, unmanaged workplace stress. When I lead workshops discussing compassion fatigue and burnout, I usually say burnout is when you sit in the parking lot and you don’t want to walk through the front door because the environment is just too much for the self. If my clients say yes to that, they are burned out.
What are some of the symptoms of burnout?
Increased cynicism
Lack of patience with self and others
Self-doubt-your skills and abilities
Increase in physical complaints- headaches, digestion issues, or illness with no known causes
Disassociation from the work you do
Poor sleep and/or appetite
Maladaptive coping skills-increase in substance use or other behaviors to self-soothe
Some of the causes
Workplace rigidity
Lack of support
Lack of clarity
Too much change at once causing overwhelm
No work life balance
Unrealistic deadlines or workloads
Maybe not enough to do
Whew! That’s a lot to digest… take a moment…
What I would like to also note is that these two lists aren’t complete. There are more symptoms and causes and each cause and symptom may not occur in conjunction with one another.
I would like to mention that there are certain workplaces that may experience higher rates of burnout. The medical, mental health, social services, and first responder professions were highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic but that doesn’t mean burnout wasn’t already occurring. It was just brought to the forefront and worsened.
More on that maybe another time. (smile)
Think about where you work now? Is that environment ripe for issues with burnout?
My task for you today as you’re maybe rereading this with a curious introspective eye is to determine if you are starting to feel the pangs of burnout? How is it affecting your mind and body? And, what would you like to do about it? Maybe, you’re not ready to do something about it but more information about the burnout effects will help you get to that place. Well then…. Hang on for part two!
Until next time!
I got you!
I’m your Integrative Performance Coach!
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642