Overcome Burnout Through Simple Life Hacks

Burnout, an occupational phenomenon may hinder one's quality of work, due to extremely higher levels of stress along with physical and mental numbness.

Highlights:

Burnout not only results in extreme pressure and compromised work quality but also results in chronic physical and mental distress
It is hence crucial to learn techniques to overcome the ill-effects of burnout and lead a quality life
Easy life hacks can help overcome burnout

Burnouts are individuals who have pushed themselves to the limit and eventually end up getting burnt out. The problem is that burnout is a silent killer. It sneaks up on you and before you know it, you're totally broken. The feeling can be overwhelming, and it isn't always recognized in its early stages.

Burnout hacks are a collection of tips and tricks that can be used to help prevent burnout - whether it be a long-term or a short-term burnout that is experienced during a stressful period of life ().

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‘Burnout, an occupational phenomenon may hinder one's quality of work, due to extremely increased levels of stress along with physical and mental numbness.’
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What is Burnout?

Burnout is not a medical condition but is rather defined as an "occupational phenomenon" as per the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) by The World Health Organization (WHO) ().

The term is described as - "Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It is characterized by three dimensions:

feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
reduced professional efficacy.

Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.

Burnout can happen to anyone regardless of their age, gender, or occupation. But most importantly, it is not a one-size-fits-all condition. As such, each individual suffering from this condition needs unique treatment measures depending on their situation and circumstances.

Ways To Stop Burnout
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Existence into Term

An American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger coined the term “burnout” for the first in the 1970s to define the consequences of severe stress and high ideals in “helping” professions (for example, doctors and nurses) ().

However, over time the term has been generalized and taken a turnover to describe the dark side of self-sacrifice by overworked employees, homemakers, and stressed-out career-driven people. This may result in extreme pressure, thereby leading to compromised work quality as well as physical and mental distress ().

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Differentiate Between Exhaustion & Burnout

Exhaustion at the workplace is a common experience for many. It is characterized by the feeling of being tired, drained out, and inability to further cope ().

However, if these experiences reach an increasingly frustrating and stressful level, it may result in emotional and physical depletion/numbness of people with increased negativity towards their work and life ().

One of the most used methods to trace burnout among various professional groups (originally developed for research purposes) is the “Maslach Burnout Inventory” (MBI) questionnaire ().

Burnout is the Result of Stress Due To Mismatch Of Employee Needs & Job Demands
Burnout can be controlled at workplace by positive interventions that prevent mismatch between individual needs and job demands.

Stages of Burnout

Burnout is not a sudden onset phenomenon () but rather a culmination of chronic exposure to stress that occurs in response to a long-term perceived inability to meet situational demands as per Smith’s (1986) cognitive-affective model (), the stages of it include ():

Honeymoon phase:

This stage is often characterized by high energy, optimism, and satisfaction to initiate a new job or task.

The onset of the stress phase:

With the gradual decline of the initial honeymoon phase, there is an onset of stress with fatigue and less productivity.

Chronic stress phase:

Stress becomes consistent with rising pressure, characterized by feelings of apathy, and procrastination.

Burnout phase:

Upon chronic suffering from stress, one may ultimately reach the stage of intense numbness/burnout characterized by physical (headaches, or gastrointestinal distress) and emotional symptoms (depression, anxiety, or chronic fatigue syndrome).

Habitual burnout phase:

The untreated phase of burnout may ultimately lead to chronic anxiety or depression, thereby interfering with daily lives.

Burn-Out Hacks You Can Learn

Burnout may set problems that seem insurmountable, with bleakness everywhere and difficult to muster up the energy. Hence, recognizing the warning signs of the looming burnout stage is thereby a necessity to improve the quality of life ().

Several organizations like WHO are working to onboard evidence-based guidelines for mental well-being in the workplace ().

Some of the simple yet effective hacks one may easily follow to prevent or deal with burnout are the following (, ):

Set a Purpose for your Work: Set a work balance in life by establishing the prioritization at work and personal life which may help establish meaning and satisfaction in life.
Manage your Time: Eliminate unnecessary work by performing a job analysis and managing your time efficiently.
Do not Overload: Although it may seem appreciable to overdo the work, it might be beneficial in long term to set your limits and share the work with your co-workers.
Take Breaks: Exhaustive work schedules may make one more prone to the negative effects of burnout. Hence, it is important that one takes a break for revitalizing and recovering self — either through a vacation, hangouts, family get-togethers, or any self-time.
Avoid Negativity: Developing social connectivity is key to emotional strength and helps you buffer from the burnout phase. However, hanging out with negative-minded people may drag you more into procrastination and further amplify the burnout phase.
Be Attentive to your Emotions: Watch out for any looming feelings of distress. Learn to say “no” to requests that may over-extend your commitments to yourself.
Unlock your Potential: It might be natural to judge your capabilities of yourself during the burnout stage. However, one may try engaging in activities that nourish them with joy, and laughter and ultimately unlock their creativity — be it your favorite hobby or any fun activities.
Exercise More: Engage yourself in regular physical activities like exercise and other relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to activate the rest fullness in your body. This may efficiently help one to overcome the stressful phase of burnout.
Eat Healthy: Unhealthy eating habits like high carbs, processed junk, and excessive alcohol may adversely affect your mood and energy levels. Hence, it is important to include a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables to overcome those weary days.
Plenty of Sleep: Chronic fatigue/tiredness exacerbates one’s stage of burnout. It is advisable to get plenty of sleep in stressful situations that may help replenish your body both physically and mentally.
Seek Help: Do not hesitate to reach out and open up to your close ones (partner, friends, and family) that may help ease the burden.

Ultimately, one must remember the following burnout approach of the “Three R”():

Recognize: Watch for the warning signs of burnout.
Reverse: Undo the damage by seeking support and managing stress.
Resilience: Build your resilience to stress by taking care of your physical and emotional health.

Take a moment to pause, realize and shift the gear to positive again ().

References :

Depression: What is burnout? - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279286/)
Burn-out an "occupational phenomenon": International Classification of Diseases - (https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases)
What Is Burnout? - (https://health.clevelandclinic.org/signs-of-burnout/)
Preventing Burnout - (https://inside.ewu.edu/calelearning/psychological-skills/preventing-burnout/)
What Are the 5 Stages of Burnout? - (https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2021/november/what-are-the-5-stages-of-burnout)
Burnout Prevention and Treatment - (https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm)
Adult health - (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642)

Source-Medindia