HOW TO PREVENT EMOTIONAL BURN OUT

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

What is burnout?

In 2019. - Occupational burnout syndrome was included in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

The ICD-11 defines burnout as follows:

« Emotional burnout is a syndrome recognized as the result of chronic stress in the workplace that has not been successfully overcome. It is characterized by three characteristics:

• feeling motivational or physically exhausted;
• growing mental distancing from professional duties or a feeling of negativism or cynicism towards professional duties;
• decrease in working capacity ".

How and why do we start to burn out?

One theory is that we get burned out, when we begin to give up activities and pastimes that give energy.

Have you noticed what happens when there is a lot of work? Usually, as adults and responsible people, we concentrate only on work, and during periods of heavy workloads we put off everything, seemingly unimportant, for later. So we stop communicating with friends, devote time to sports, to engage in hobbies. And it turns out that we have nothing left that actually gives us energy. This is how we get into the funnel of burnout.

Also, this process can be influenced by frequent conflicts at workthat lead to permanent stress. Especially if conflicts are associated with devaluation of us as employees, lack of recognition of our contribution. These can be both vivid conflicts in which the parties will sort things out, and hidden messages, when we are not told directly what exactly does not fit, but by indirect signs - phrases, gestures, actions - they make it clear that we are not valuable.

Burnout can be caused by loss of meaning … Existential psychologists say that burnout syndrome is “the result of the fact that a person does not experience values for a long time in his activity” (A. Langle). Those. burnout occurs due to a lack of true meaning in the activities that a person performs.

What to do if signs of burnout are detected?

• Firstly, take an inventory and determine what gives me energy and what takes it … To do this, you need to keep a diary throughout the week, in which you note your energy level throughout the day. And to mark actions or relationships, after which the energy falls, as well as actions or relationships, after which the energy rises. And gradually add to the "routine" that which increases energy.
• Secondly, rest is important … Quality recreation that will help restore resources. If there is an opportunity - take a vacation, if there is no opportunity, then find time for relaxation during the week - this can be massage, meditation, yoga classes, visits to spa centers, establishing a sleep schedule, etc.
• Thirdly, admit that burnout is a difficult period in life … It's not just tiredness that goes away after sleep. This is a serious symptom, much like a depressive episode. During this period, it is important to ask for and accept support. To do this, you can ask for help from friends and family, to those who are ready to empathize and support. Or seek professional help from a psychologist.
• Fourth, work on existential attitudes … Find your meaning in work. Find ways to fulfill your values at work. Take care of your values. To do this, focus not only on the result of the work, but also on the process itself. And also, you can ask yourself a number of questions to clarify your values and meanings in work:
• Why am I doing this (work)? What does it give me? What else do I get, even if I'm not ready to admit it to myself?
• Do I like what I am doing? Do I just like the result or also the process? What do I get from the process? Does it grab me? Do I see value for myself in the process of work? Can I dive into thread state while doing my job?
• Do I want to devote my life to this activity? Do I see myself in the future in this profession? Is this what I live for? Do I want to continue living this way? Or do I want to bring something new into my activity (new values, meanings)? How can I influence my activities?

Burnout is a difficult period in life that can occur for anyone. During this period, it is important to take care of yourself, care and support.

The text uses the materials of ICD-11, the theory of the funnel of exhaustion by Professor Marie Osberg, the existential analysis of the emotional burnout syndrome by A. Langle.