Burnout is a common phenomena that many of us go through, regardless of the kind of work we do. With our to do lists getting longer, work stress becoming higher, mental stimulation increasing, and less time to spend with loved ones or doing a recreational hobby, burnout is inevitable.
Our ‘hustle culture’ is also to be blamed for this, where our self worth is tied to our achievements and our productivity. We believe that we always need to push ourselves more, achieve more, succeed more and that creates a an unconscious, subtle anxiety and a form of unease or dissatisfaction. The feeling of inadequacy takes over and we try to do more and more to fill that void. And if many of us dig deeper, we will find that our coping mechanisms melt away leaving us feeling like a seeker, forever in search for peace, happiness or joy.
This eventually does lead to burnout, especially in a culture that does not place a lot of emphasis on mental health.
Burnout has been related to many other mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, low self esteem, poor confidence, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness and an overall poor quality of life. Many people try and do more to get out of the burnout phase, which is exactly the opposite of what one may need. Rest: physical and mental, which is never advocated and always shamed in our society, is vital for our psychological recovery from burnout. But this comes later. Many people struggle to even identify that they are going through a burnout. They cannot take the necessary steps to help themselves as they keep attributing their mental state to circumstances. It becomes increasingly important to identify when burnout happens and take steps to recover mental health and well-being. In this article we outline some common signs of burnout.
- Physical /Mental Fatigue
We all feel tired after a long day, but long term fatigue is a bit different. We feel tired in our body and mind, drained of energy, with low motivation to do anything else. This kind of fatigue may exist even when one wakes up from a long nap or even after a relaxing activity, the fatigue comes back in a short time. We feel less active and energetic and feel less capable of handling stress. For some, even minor stresses may tire them out more than others. Simple tasks may seem to require a lot of effort and strength.
- Feeling helpless or trapped
Burnout can happen in any or even multiple areas of life: work, study, relationships, social life, and so on. There is a predominant feeling of being trapped or of helplessness. It may be a subtle feeling too. The mind rejects the current reality, viewing it as a negative situation that one wants to but can’t get out of. Tasks which one did with little effort, now seem imposed or one feels obligated to do them, as if by force. A general feeling of sadness or in some cases self pity may also accompany these feelings.
- Increased Pessimism or Cynicism
Our perception of the world reflects our state of mind. When one feels increasingly hopeless or helpless, one starts seeing the world as a hostile or meaningless place. One may start focusing on negative outcomes and what ifs of any situation, with many predictions being negative. One may start perceiving others as negative people who are out to get then or who cannot be trusted. This worldview colours many areas of one’s life and is a difficult one to break.
- Dissatisfaction or Feeling Inadequate
There may also be a lack of contentment in life, where one may disqualify the positive things in one’s life and just focus on what is lacking. Complaining may become more and more frequent. There may also be a sense of inadequacy in regards to one’s sense of self. One may never feel quite enough, always looking for external validation and trying to do more to feel adequate and enough.
- Excessive boredom
Boredom, especially repetitive is a feeling that results from not feeling satisfied with one’s life in the here and now. Previously enjoyable activities may also seem to be boring. There may be a disregard of one’s intellectual needs and mental stimulation which happens in a burnout that can lead to excessive boredom. Here, many people blame their environment, people around then or lack of stimulation, but the truth is, they may not have the energy to stimulate their own minds.
- Sensitivity to Feedback
During burnout, a person may become quite sensitive to feedback, come defensive or feel attacked when someone tries to give then feedback. This is because they themselves feel inadequate and for someone else to point that out, in whatever way, feels like a threat to them. When we don’t perceive ourselves as secure individuals, when we feel a latent insecurity, consciously or unconsciously, we may not be ready to take criticism from others. We may lash out, defend or justify our actions, point out the others flaws, and twist reality so that we don’t take the feedback.
- Poor Concentration
One’s attention and concentration may also be impacted during a burnout. The brain does not have enough resources to spare if it is continually stressed. All its energy may be utilized in flight or flight mode, just dealing with what it sees as a stressful environment. Attention span may be reduced because of this. One may become more forgetful, find it hard to focus and get tasks done. It is one of the often missed signs of burnout.
- Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
One may resort to unhealthy ways to cope with this consistent stress such as: drinking or using drugs excessively, being hooked on the internet, social media or video games, over indulging in pornography, overeating, overspending, gambling, and so on. These ways of coping may provide an instant gratification, a shirt term immediate pleasure or relief, but serve to numb our emotions in the long run, making it harder and harder to achieve a balanced and peaceful life. They may themselves create disturbances in us, increasing anxiety, mood swings and negative thoughts.
There are many other hidden signs of burnout, but these are the common ones which most people go through. At ZorbaWellness Rehabilitation Center in Pune, India; we treat drug and alcohol addiction, along with other mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma related issues, phobias, and so on. Burnout is often a predecessor to many of these problems. And also, many clients believe that by immersing themselves back only into work, will help them out of their addiction or other problems. But neglecting other areas of life and other needs, not working on underlying issues, will again form the same cycle of burnout and dissatisfaction that will lead them back to their earlier or novel issues.
Clients are taught tools to help them identify issues that they may be going through and tools to process these issues. A work life balance, identifying compulsive habits, negative thinking patterns, unhealthy emotional patterns, and working on your sense of self and satisfaction in life is usually promoted. There are many ways to deal with issues like burnout and the sooner you catch it, the better. There is, at the end of the day, no substitute to inner work. We can always grow through, what we go through!