Wellbeing & Resilience: The burnout

The burnout era

SARAH EL SAYED, WELLBEING AND RESILIENCE COMMITTEE

Prior to the emergence of COVID-19, burnout had gained some traction in headlines with its reclassification by the World Health Organisation as a syndrome caused by chronic stress in the workplace that has not been successfully managed. This occupational phenomenon has placed the syndrome high on the agenda for employers and employees concerned with managing burnout and employing effective practices that support positive mental well-being in the workplace. Given its debilitating and obstructive nature, it is an important skill to be able to identify the obvious signs of burnout (and the not so obvious) and adopt strategies that will allow you to overcome burnout so that you can live a flourishing life.

WHAT IS BURNOUT?

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by chronic stress and comprises of three main components:

1. Physical and emotional exhaustion

- you may find that you are waking up each morning with a constant state of dread and fatigue.

2. Cynicism and detachment in the

workplace - you are finding yourself cynical of the workplace and perhaps even your clients. You have also developed an increased sense of detachment from your workplace. 3. Reduced professional efficacy - you once felt like you were great at your job but now feel unaccomplished and demotivated.

It is important to recognise that burnout does not occur overnight; it is insidious in nature and tends to creep up on you. It can take quite some time for you to notice that you are experiencing burnout as the signs can be quite subtle at first.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON SIGNS OF BURNOUT?

everyone. However, some of the common signs of burnout include: • Constant fatigue, lack of energy and poor sleep. • Decreased attention span, difficulty focusing and poor memory retention. • Physical symptoms such as heart palpitations or chest pain, weight fluctuation, changes in mood, feelings of detachment and isolation.

It can be quite difficult to pinpoint burnout as the symptoms can quite easily be overlooked and attributed to other factors in your life such as pregnancy, menopause or starting a new family.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

If you are already experiencing burnout, you should first take steps to recover from that episode. This may include implementing exercise into your life, taking time off work, or re-assessing your goals. To prevent future episodes of burnout you should try and find the sources of stress in your life and implement effective strategies to manage that stress. It can be quite difficult to implement change in your life when you are unsure what is causing you to feel that way. Once you are aware of the contributing factors, you can implement strategies to manage those problems effectively. For example, why is your workload always so overwhelming? Perhaps you struggle to say no to your boss and have overcommitted or maybe there’s not an even distribution of the work between yourself and other members of your team. An effective strategy may be to communicate to your team when you are nearing capacity or delegate work to others where appropriate. The reduction in your workload may be enough to give you some immediate relief.

Burnout can be quite overwhelming, and it can be difficult to find the energy to take positive steps to overcome burnout when you are feeling mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. If this is the case, you may find some utility in reaching out to others for help. Seek help from someone you trust. It could be a family member, co-worker, friend or even a professional such as a psychologist or counsellor. The Dr Jill LawCare service is available through the Society.

If you are concerned about your general well-being, you can also access the Society’s Wellbeing and Support resources.