What is burnout?
In this article, Martin Preston discusses what burnout is.
Juggling the everyday stressors of life can sometimes feel like an overwhelming challenge, especially with so much turmoil being broadcasted on the news and social media each day.
Doing too much at work without taking a break can, sometimes, lead to physical symptoms of burnout.
Burnout refers to the feeling of having so much on your plate that you can physically no longer cope. In fact, 79% of UK workers reported symptoms in 2021.
As untreated burnout symptoms can lead to a long-term impact on your health, Martin Preston, founder and chief executive at Private Rehab Centre Delamere, offers an insight.
In the past, when it came to discussing the topic of burnout with employers or doctors, there was always the risk that it would not be taken seriously.
Now that the public has become more educated about the issue, it will make it easier for those suffering to recognise symptoms and seek treatment.
Leaving symptoms of burnout untreated for a prolonged period can not only be damaging to your mental health but your physical health too.
Many people have returned to their office environments, surrounded by the constant threat of the pandemic and its devastating health and financial risks.
People suffering from burnout are likely to enter into a vicious cycle of feeling stressed and anxious.
This leads to not being able to complete the tasks they have set for themselves. They may then feel even more swamped once the working day is over.
There is no respite from these feelings. Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge what burnout looks and feels like, along with what can happen if left to its own devices.
In the next part of this article, we look at burnout’s impact on your life in the long run.
Worry burnout
In a previous article, Preston looked at the signs of and overcoming worry burnout.
Worry burnout is a term coined to describe a state of emotional exhaustion where a person feels worn out and overwhelmed by worry – and even experiences heightened feelings of anger.
Signs:
- Feeling unmotivated
- Increased anxiety;
- Feeling sensitive and irritable;
- Avoiding the news;
- Feeling exhausted.
Everyone gets worried from time to time. However, left untreated, it can have effects on both your physical and mental wellbeing.
While there is no way to get rid of worrying completely, there are methods to help you get stress and worry under control.
- Write down your worries;
- Practice meditation;
- Share your worries;
- Stay active.
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