It’s been so difficult getting to work…
What is Work Burnout?
Although this is not a formal psychiatric diagnosis, work burnout has become so prevalent in modern society that many researchers and practitioners call for more public awareness of this type of issue.
By definition, work burnout is a combined physical and emotional state of chronic exhaustion. It can happen periodically or persistently, creating negative impact on one’s overall health, relationships, and sense of self-identity.
Symptoms of Work Burnout
Exhaustion
o A severe loss of energy
o Feeling physically tired and weak
o Feeling emotionally or mentally drained and worn-out
o Difficult to start new work items
o Feeling tired quickly even after spending minimal effort at work
o Difficulty to relax after work
o Difficulty to engage in other activities after a whole day of work
Emotional impairment
o Feeling frustrated and angry at work
o Feeling upset with no clear trigger
o Feeling unable to control emotions at work
o Feeling sad before getting to work or after work
Cognitive impairment
o Memory problems
o Attention and concentration difficulties
o Unable to think clearly and learn new things at work
o Being indecisive at work
Mental distance
o Strong reluctance or aversion to work
o Physical and mental withdrawal from work (e.g. avoiding contact with others)
o Indifference or cynical attitude
o Little or no enthusiasm or interest for the work exists and one feels that one functions on autopilot
Psychological & physical distress
o Sleep problems
o Excessive worrying
o Feeling tense and anxious
o Feeling disturbed by noise and crowds
o Depressed mood
o Low motivation
o Increased irritability
o Weight fluctuations
o Chest pain
o GI problems
o Headaches
o Muscles pains
o Getting sick often
What leads to burnout?
Burnout is caused by an imbalance between high demands at work and insufficient resources to manage these demands. Some possible factors include dysfunctional workplace dynamics, having unclear job roles and expectations, working a monotonous or extremely energy-consuming job, inadequate social support at work and in one’s personal life, and unhealthy work-life balance. Sometimes general life stressors and personal vulnerability may also contribute to the development of burnout.
Difficulties with improving these factors may lead to poor work performance, feeling unfulfilled and incompetent both at and outside of work. Research has also shown that burnout is a predictor of a number of medical issues: hypercholesterolemia, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hospitalization due to cardiovascular disorder, musculoskeletal pain, changes in pain experiences, prolonged fatigue, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, severe injuries and mortality below the age of 45 years.
Burnout vs. Stress
Burnout and stress are different. One of the main feelings stemming from stress is anxiety, whereas the main feelings associated with burnout resemble symptoms of depression: feeling drained, helpless, and even blunted. Stress can motivate one to do more work, resulting in investing too much effort and loss of energy. Burnout can have the opposite effect on someone, resulting in having less motivation and more difficulty with putting in effort at work, which is associated with disengagement.
What can I do about it?
We live in an achievement-driven society where how much we deliver is rewarded disproportionately more than how much we grow as people. Interestingly, studies have shown that while working long hours and being underpaid can lead to job dissatisfaction, high salary and decent work schedule do not necessarily improve job satisfaction or motivation. In fact, people tend to be more motivated at work when their job roles are enriched with more responsibility, decision-making authority, recognition, and chances for career advancement.
If you have been experiencing work burnout, it may be helpful to examine both what you can improve and what you have to accept about the current situation. While you may not be able to change the general work culture that we live in (at least not in the short-term), you can always start with one of the following:
Identify what has been contributing to the burnout
Identify what you can control and change:
o At work:
Discuss concerns with a supervisor or manager to see if you can work out a plan to address the issue
Reach out to a trusted colleague for support
If possible, block out break times at work (and drop those unfinished items when it’s time to take that break!)
If available, take advantage of Employee Assistance Program
o When off-work:
Use planning and problem-solving to schedule self-care time
Set up clear boundaries between “work-on” and “work-off” modes
Try a relaxing or soothing activity, such as yoga, taking a hot bath, or meditation
Reach out to friends and loved ones for support
Try to develop a new interest (or spark an old hobby) that can help you see other aspects of self that are unrelated to the roles at work
Treat yourself well with the golden three: enough sleep, healthy diet, and regular exercise
Switching jobs may help with reducing burnout in the short-term, but as long as the factors that cause burnout continue to exist, the same cycle will repeat. This leads to asking the second question, what do I have to accept?
If you have evaluated your options, and realized that you do not want to change career or interview for other jobs at the moment, it can be the right time to remind yourself of why you value this job and this profession. You may have chosen to be a teacher because you value knowledge and education; you may have chosen to be a software engineer because you value change and creativity; you may have been doing a job that is tedious and boring to you, but you decided to continue doing it anyway because you value providing security and shelter for your family. These values can help remind us of why it is better to focus whole-heartedly than mindlessly when we are at work. Once fully accepted the value of continuing this job we are more able to re-engage with what we do. From here, we are more likely to get unstuck from the burnout state.
Resources I recommend:
Books:
Byung-Chul Han (2015), The burnout society. Stanford Briefs
Michael P. Leiter, Arnold B. Bakker, & Christina Maslach. (Eds.). (2014). Burnout at Work: A psychological perspective. Psychology Press
Diana Hill & Debbie Sorensen (2021) ACT Daily Journal: Get Unstuck and Live Fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger Publications
Podcast:
Ep. 207: Burnout with Debbie and Jill (2021), Psychologist Off The Clock, https://offtheclockpsych.com/burnout/
References
Herzberg, F. (2005). The motivation-hygiene theory. Organizational behavior one: Essential theories of motivation and leadership, eds JB Miner, ME Sharpe Inc, New York, 61-74.
Salvagioni, D. A. J., Melanda, F. N., Mesas, A. E., González, A. D., Gabani, F. L., & Andrade, S. M. D. (2017). Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. PloS one, 12(10), e0185781.
Schaufeli, W. B., Desart, S., & De Witte, H. (2020). Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT)—development, validity, and reliability. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(24), 9495.
The Mayo Clinic. Job burnout: How to spot it and take action. [Last accessed October 18, 2021]. Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642.
