Burn Out: Causes, Five Stages And How To Deal With It

A Few Months Later...

What we just read in the pictures was a situation that occurs to almost every person at least once.

This situation is what we call a burn-out.

The person might be freaking out or crying out inside over the fact that she or he feels like a machine or in other words empty inside, and that the enthusiasm she or he had once, is no more.

Causes Of Burnout 

• When there is an attitude of being a people-pleaser, I have to do everything I can to make the others happy or please the others, I need to make sure that everyone is satisfied, and the people pursue this goal without any concern, once again, for their own mental and physical health. Finally, you fall prey to burnout due to the frustration and emptiness that follows the failure.
• When there is an attitude of, I can’t do it anyway, no matter what I am going to do, I am going to fail, you give up pretty easily, but still follow the rules and work away like a slave without thinking much. This causes burnout as well.
• When a person works for hours on end, with no time for rest or relaxation.
• When you are not able to control the work schedule you have or if you are not able to work how you want or have the necessary freedom you require to work on your job.
• When it’s a job where you need to stay in a constant state of alertness or under chronic stress.
• The risk of burnout can be high if you are a person who is alone most of the time or do not have much support from people around you.

The above mentioned are just some of the many causes of burnout.

General Signs And Symptoms Of Burnout

• A weak immune system, which means that you get colds more frequently than normal.
• You feel lethargic and unmotivated most of the time.
• The productivity level is less.
• Change in appetite.
• Sleep disorders.
• A sense of failure.
• Feelings of being trapped, helpless.
• A cynical and negative outlook of the world and everything around.
• Skipping work.
• Avoiding or Procrastinationof work.
• Isolating and withdrawing yourself from others and responsibilities.
• Increased level of irritability.
• An indifference to most things.
• Headaches and stomach aches.
• Intestinal issues.

Most of the time, it is a case of the person not noticing them than ignoring them, by taking the signs and symptoms as something normal, or something that does not need concern over, or they are so occupied by their work, that they fail to take care of themselves.

Stages Of Burnout

There are five stages of burnout. These stages are commonly observed among people with burnout.

Honeymoon Phase

• High level of satisfaction with your job
• A sustained level of energy
• High productivity levels
• You experience the predicted stresses of the job.
•  

Onset Of Stress

• You experience some days as harder than other days
• Lack of sleep
• Lack of ability to focus
• Lower productivity levels than at first
• Tiredness

Chronic Stress

• Stress is experienced quite frequently
• Lethargic most of the time
• Miss deadlines that were set
• Procrastination
• Withdrawal from responsibilities
• A feeling of being out of control

Burnout

• This is what we commonly refer to when we say a person is suffering from burnout
• Feeling of emptiness inside
• Intestinal issues
• Headaches which are frequent
• Social withdrawal
• Negative and cynical outlook
•  

Habitual Burnout

• This stage is when the symptoms have become a part and parcel of your daily life.
• You suffer from Depression and chronic mental as well as physical fatigue in this stage.

Difference Between Chronic Stress And Burnout

It is important to note that burnout is a result of chronic stress and is completely different from too much stress.

Stress means that you are overworked over something and it can be calmed down by imagining yourself to be in control. In such cases, the people are hyperactive and overreact emotionally. This is not so in the case of burnout. Burnout is about being completely disengaged from something due to a feeling of emptiness inside and mental exhaustion. Such people are devoid of motivation and have a desire to disengage themselves from society in general due to a loss of hope. They feel hopeless and helpless and their emotions are mostly blunted.

How To Deal With Burnout?

All hope is not lost though. A person under burnout can jump back into shape and take on life again by taking some measures:

• They can seek support or take help from family, friends, or someone they are close to.
• They can sleep as it always helps to have a good sleep once in a while without any disturbances.
• They can try exercising as it helps us to take some time off work.
• They can try some activities that help in relaxation such as listening to music.
• Self-compassion in the form of self-care such as taking some time to go away for a weekend getaway or a weeklong vacation can be helpful.
• A change in jobs can also help a lot.

Always remember; there is a light at the end of any tunnel, no matter how long it may be.