Our last post - 'Am I At Risk of Burnout', brought up a few questions for some readers that might be useful for others to ponder.
What is the single major cause of burnout - according to the Harvard Business Review, the biggest contributor of burnout is feelings of chronic overloading. For me, I would remove the word feelings and simply say, chronic overloading. There are limitless examples of people carrying the workload of others due to low staff numbers or through job creep. Job creep occurs when we are asked (told) to take on tasks outside the scope of the job description we were appointed under.
The three key dimensions of burnout is overwhelming exhaustion stemming (mainly) from a mentally demanding role. This is followed by feelings of cynicism and detachment from the job, then a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment. If you are operating outside of the scope of your agreed role, it's time to talk with your supervisor or boss.
Something to keep at the back of mind, additional money doesn't equate to a reduced risk of burnout, it is the redistribution of workload that is more important. Receiving additional remuneration is great, yet if the high workload remains so does the risk.
Can I remain working while recovering from burnout - yes, is the simple answer. Then comes the depends, something needs changing if you are to recover. An intervention strategy of changing our workload or pattern and relaxation habits is a great start. Simple changes do make a big difference - 30-minutes of exercise at the end of the day to reduce cortisol levels, regular breaks across the day, a power nap of no more than 30 minutes, drinking less caffeine, or introducing a form of breathing/mediation/relaxation technique is a fantastic start.
Personally, I alternate the type of work I am doing to activate a different part of the brain. Work on a blog post, then write a couple of emails, then connect with a client or two, then.... When I'm feeling overwhelmed, it's time to stop and take the dog for a walk or have a cuppa. Labouring through tasks until they are fully completed often ends with being stuck in the mud. Mixing it up brings variety, excitement, replenishment, and satisfaction.
I love my job but not my boss, is that a factor to consider in burnout - yes, a toxic relationship with your boss often leads to anxiety, stress, and fatigue. These are key factors associated with burnout. There are plenty of resources available online to help with managing a poor relationship with a supervisor, speaking with human resources is a good start. If you enjoy your job and want to remain then the relationship with your boss must change.
Can I get burnout if I hate my job? - while hating your job may be a contributing factor, it is highly unlikely that simply hating your job would lead to burnout. As referenced earlier, burnout is caused from an overload of work, burnt out! It is therefore important to distinguish between the two, hating your job and burnout. In her blog for the website HIRED, Lauren Hoffman suggests four questions to ask yourself to distinguish between the two:
Are your symptoms physical - if the answer is yes, it is more likely you have burnout. Symptoms of burnout include headaches, backaches, panic attacks, or stomach problems.
Does your work monopolise too much time - working 60+ hours a week is way too much, although you can get burnout when working part-time, it is more about the demand placed on you when at work. If the demand of the part-time role necessitates that you to work additional hours outside of your contracted hours, then it may be burnout.
Can you see yourself being happy in another job - Hoffman suggests writing a list of alternative jobs that you could do. If the list comes easily to mind and/or you feel better after writing the list, it might be time to leave your current role.
Does a mini-break help - when you take a week away from work do you feel yourself start to recover? If so, it is more likely to be burnout, or the start of burnout. If not, you probably just hate your job.
If you have a job you hate, you can leave or you can find alternate ways of doing your work to bring variety. Hating your job is a stressor that we can all do without.
What is the number one strategy for recovering from burnout - rest, without a doubt. Taking a week off completely free of all connection with work to allow our brain to rest, process what is going on, and recover. A brain needs time to sit as still as possible, just like any other injury would.
Rest also means reducing or keeping away altogether from social media. I cannot count the number of people who have found reducing their social media use the most beneficial thing to do for reducing stress. Research shows that smart technology is addictive due to the release of dopamine (it's how we learn) and too much dopamine is linked to being more competitive, aggressive, and having poor impulse control.
Thanks to those who sent these wonderful questions through, I hope they are helpful for others.
Let's talk!