Burnout occurs when you have pushed yourself too far. You have tried to cope with excessive pressures for an extended period. When the pressures became too much, you became stressed but you failed to recognise this and thus failed to take corrective action. If you go too long without taking corrective action, you begin to experience the symptoms of burnout. The longer this continues the more severe the symptoms of burnout become.
Symptoms of burnout
The symptoms of burnout are like steps along the path to total burnout. The journey to total burnout usually encounters the symptoms of burnout in the following order:
1. Overload
The pressures which are placed upon you, or which you perceive to be placed upon you, exceed the level of pressure which you can cope with or, which you perceive that you can cope with.
It is important to note that your perception of the pressures and your perceptions of your ability to cope are as important as the actual pressures and your actual capabilities.
2. Irritability
As you struggle to cope with the overload, you are constantly on edge. You become emotionally drained but fail to take the time to restore emotional balance. You become emotionally stressed and are ready to snap at any moment. Your irritability often leads to you snapping at people who have done nothing wrong apart from being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
3. Anxiety
As the overload is prolonged, and the stress levels grow, you become more and more anxious. There can be a number of factors which trigger your anxiety but in the main they boil down to your ability to perform your work to an acceptable standard and the potential consequences of failing to do so.
4. Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most observable of the symptoms of burnout. One of the most common reactions to overload and stress is to work longer hours. This can be an effective solution in the very short-term but when the source of stress is not dealt with, these extended hours soon become the norm. This is not a sustainable approach. It leaves insufficient rest time to recover from the pressures experienced. With insufficient rest and recovery, fatigue sets in and performance levels start to drop. Unfortunately, at this point, many people try to solve the problem by extending their hours again, thus escalating the problem.
5. Exhaustion
Increased pressure; increased working hours; and reduced rest time, is a recipe for disaster. The fatigue levels continue to grow until you are completely exhausted.
6. Total burnout
The exhaustion sets in so deep that you become physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually drained. You feel as though you have nothing of value left to offer and you struggle to motivate yourself to do any more. Your journey to total burnout is complete.
Burnout is one of the most common forms of stress. If you are struggling with stress, check out Stress Free Living.
Burnout is a serious problem which arises as a result of trying to cope with excessive pressures. In any job, there are likely to be times when you are going to be subjected to intense pressures. Over a very short period, this is not harmful. However, to maintain health and performance, these periods of intense pressure must be counter balanced by periods of rest and reduced pressure. Where this does not happen, you soon find yourself on the path to total burnout.