Burnout occurs when you are exposed to ongoing or chronic emotional and interpersonal stressors with no relief. Ultimately, these experiences result in fatigue, cynicism, and reduced productivity. Whether you work long hours, have a high-demand job, or have increasing caretaking demands at home, you are at risk for burnout. In fact, anyone who experiences chronic stress related to their responsibilities is at risk.
Burnout also is extremely common—especially in recent years. For instance, the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 79% of people participating in their Work and Well-Being Survey had experienced work-related stress the month prior to the survey, and 71% said they usually feel tense or stressed during the workday. Meanwhile, nearly 60% indicate that their experiences at work are taking such a toll that they intend to change jobs within the next year.
Because burnout can take a toll on your emotional and physical health and well-being, it is important to be able to identify it in the early stages so that it can be addressed before it becomes a chronic issue. Here is what you need to know about identifying the stages of burnout, how to recover if you are experiencing burnout, and what you can do to prevent it.
Chronic Stress vs. Burnout
Chronic stress is stress that exists for a prolonged period of time, while burnout is a condition that can occur when this chronic stress primarily occurs on the job. That said, recent research has shown that burnout is not just limited to work-related stress, but also may apply to other areas of your life. But experiencing chronic stress does not mean that you also are experiencing burnout. Instead, burnout is what can occur if your chronic stress is not addressed.
Characterized by enthusiasm, this stage of burnout contains no signs of burnout. Instead, you are likely excited about any new roles you have undertaken or additional projects you have been assigned. You may even ask how you can help and offer to take on additional assignments.
During the honeymoon stage, you likely feel productive, inspired, and happy to take on new responsibilities and learn new things. You also may feel particularly creative, optimistic about the future, and full of energy. Proving you are capable is at the top of your mind—and to do so, you may even take on more responsibilities than you should.
Stage 2: Onset of Stress
During this stage of burnout, you start to feel stagnate and may begin to notice that your job (or other commitment) is taking more of your time than you might like. Additionally, some days are particularly stressful and you have less time and energy for the things you enjoy and the people you love.
It also is not uncommon to experience headaches, anxiety, and changes in your appetite and sleep patterns. You may even find that you are less productive and more irritable.
By the time you reach this stage of burnout, your frustration levels are rising and you are feeling increasingly stressed out. Not only are your problem-solving skills and your performance starting to decrease significantly, but you also may feel an overwhelming sense of powerlessness. It also is common to feel resentful, cynical, and apathetic.
Plus, you are likely plagued by persistent fatigue and exhaustion and your job (or other commitment) are becoming a burden on your overall well-being. This may lead to a wide range of coping mechanisms including everything from chronic procrastination and denial to alcohol and drug use. Some people may even respond with aggression—especially if they feel threatened or pressured.
Stage 4: Burnout
Once you reach this stage of burnout, you are officially burned out by your job (or other commitment) and may feel increasingly apathetic. By not addressing the earlier stages of stress and burnout, you have now reached a critical level of exhaustion that can feel crippling.
Not only will you struggle to meet the demands placed on you, but you also may battle a continuous sense of failure, inadequacy, and ineptitude. What's more, you may struggle with self-doubt and pessimism and look for ways to escape reality for a little bit. It also is not uncommon for people at this stage to neglect their personal needs in favor of obsessing about their work issues.
When you do not recover from burnout, or it becomes a way of life for you, that is known as habitual burnout. During this stage, you not only experience mental and physical fatigue, but you also may have chronic sadness and even depression. The hope is that once you reach this stage, you will seek help or some type of intervention to alleviate your symptoms.
What Does Burnout Feel Like?
Experiencing burnout typically results in three primary dimensions including emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced achievement or productivity. Here's an overview of what these dimensions of burnout might feel like:
- Exhaustion: Burnout often leaves you feeling physically and emotionally drained. Not only are you exhausted by the psychological demands of work, but you also may have difficulty adapting to changes or new expectations. People who are burnout often feel tired, weary, and fatigued and do not have the emotional energy to cope with their responsibilities.
- Cynicism: If you are experiencing burnout, you also may experience cynicism or depersonalization. In other words, you may feel detached or indifferent about the work you are doing. Ultimately, this can cause you to become cynical and not see the point any longer. You also may feel irritable and avoid interactions with others.
- Self-doubt: Once you are experiencing burnout, it is not uncommon to doubt your abilities or question whether or not you are capable of performing your job. These beliefs eventually translate into reduced productivity or personal achievement. You also may experience low morale and have fewer coping skills when challenges arise.
Whether you are in the beginning stages of burnout, or you recognize that you are in stage five and are habitually burned out, fortunately there are things you can do to recover. In fact, according to a study published in Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being, the key to recovery is to leverage your weekends and paid time off to get away from work and relax. You also should look for opportunities where you can feel in control, be productive, and connect with others. Here are some ways to put those things into practice.
Detach From Work
To recover from burnout, find ways to detach from work—especially on the weekends or during your paid time off. This means cutting off contact with your job by silencing your messages, avoiding checking email, and putting off work-related tasks.
You may even want to avoid reading work-inspired magazine or journal articles while you are detaching. In fact, research shows that people who did work-related activities on the weekends showed reduced energy levels and overall well-being.
Focus on Relaxation
Another way to recover from burnout is to make relaxation a priority. Get in touch with your unique needs and what might work for you. Everyone responds to chronic stress and burnout differently, so determine what helps you relax and make it happen.
If you are at a loss for ideas, one study found that physical relaxation helped reduce stress in healthcare workers. They also found that yoga was particularly effective and can be done at home or in person. Massage and pilates also may help promote relaxation as well.
Embrace Things You Can Control
One of the hallmarks of burnout is feeling out-of-control or powerless to change your circ*mstances. For this reason, researchers suggest finding things in your life that are within your control or where you can exercise leadership skills.
Some examples might include organizing a community toy drive or volunteering to choose the movie for your family's weekly movie night. Think about things that matter to you and that you have the energy to do. Of course, if you do not have the stamina to take on another responsibility, focus on other things you can control like how you think about work, or how you respond to requests to do more work.
Engage in Activities That Help You Feel Productive
When it comes to burnout, most people struggle with self-doubt or worry that they are inadequate. To combat this, researchers suggest finding ways to feel more productive or engage in activities where you already have some mastery. Spending time doing things you are good at will build your confidence and restore your emotional strength.
Connect With Other People
If you are suffering from burnout, you are likely feeling socially isolated or alone—especially if work or another responsibility is monopolizing all of your time. If this is true for you, find ways to connect with those closest to you.
Consider your personality type and what types of connections restore you. For some people this might mean coffee one-on-one with a close friend and for others it might mean a group date at a local paint and sip event. Make a concerted effort to spend time with others in a way that will restore your energy, help you relax, and relieve your stress.
When to Get Help
If you are suffering from burnout and it is interfering with your day-to-day life or negatively impacting your relationships, reach out for help from a mental health professional. You also should talk to a healthcare provider if you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety or your burnout is impacting your physical health.
How to Prevent Burnout
Because anyone can experience burnout, it is important to take steps to prevent it—even if you think it could never happen to you. Here are some things you can do help prevent burnout from rearing its ugly head in your life.
- Recognize the stages of burnout: One of the best ways to prevent burnout is to recognize the signs of burnout before they progress. At the first sign of stress, do something to address it. It also might help to limit the number of extra projects or assignments you volunteer for at work.
- Practice consistent self-care: Self-care should be a consistent part of everyone's routine—not to the extent that it's just one more thing on your list of things to do, but instead as something you look forward to. Try to incorporate things into your everyday life that help refresh and rejuvenate you.
- Strive for work-life balance: Having an imbalance between work and life is connected not only to decreased job satisfaction and less productivity, but also can lead to burnout. For this reason, it is important to prioritize both parts of your life and not allow one area to dominate over the other.
- Experiment with mindfulness: Mindfulness may be useful in helping combat compassion fatigue, which is closely related to burnout—especially for those in helping-oriented jobs. Likewise, researchers have discovered that it is also useful in reducing burnout levels. Try using mindfulness to become more aware of your thoughts and to relieve stress.
- Engage in physical activity: Both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training are effective methods for reducing chronic stress and burnout. In fact, researchers found that the more a person incorporates exercise into their routine, the more likely they are to reduce their burnout levels. To prevent burnout in your life, look for ways to incorporate regular exercise.
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Burnout occurs when you are exposed to chronic stress at work for prolonged periods of time. Ultimately, this ongoing stress causes fatigue, cynicism, and reduced productivity. There are five stages of burnout, which can be useful in helping you recognize burnout sooner rather than later. Doing so, can keep you from experiencing chronic or habitual burnout.
If you are currently experiencing burnout, try to detach from work as much as possible during weekends and paid time off. You also should look for opportunities where you can feel in control, relax, be productive, and connect with others. You also can take steps to prevent burnout by recognizing the different stages, practicing work-life balance, and engaging in consistent self-care.
