How To Spot If You Have Reached Burnout?
With the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, a majority of workers and students have resorted to working and studying from home to avoid getting infected. While Working from Home can create more room for your personal life it could also lead to increased work stress due to obscure boundaries between work & personal life, ultimately leading to unforeseen Mental Burnouts.
Work from Home was considered an ideal situation by many workers, students, teachers & employers. However, this has not been the case. According to a recent survey conducted by LinkedIn on Workforce Confidence Index Mental Health Edition reported that 2 out of every 5 professionals in India are experiencing increasing work stress and anxiety. Another survey of Microsoft Work Index reported that one-third of workers in India are dealing with increased rates of burnout due to unclear boundaries between work and personal life.
In some cases, excessive amounts of work piling up can increase stress over some time and cause Mental Burnout Syndrome. While it may be difficult to deal with chronic mental burnouts & Stress burnouts in later stages, Mental Burnouts can always be prevented by taking early on measures and developing healthy coping mechanisms.
Read on to know more about the Signs & Symptoms of Mental Burnouts and how to avoid burnout when working from home.
What are Mental Burnouts?
According to WHO, Mental Burnout is a syndrome arising from chronic workplace stress that has not been managed properly. A few common characteristics of burnout are mental and physical exhaustion, pessimism towards work, and a drop in the quality of one’s work.
Burnouts include a loss of meaning in work, resulting from long-term, unresolved stress. Affecting anyone including employers, businessmen, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and even students.
Consequences of Mental Burnouts
Mental Burnouts can aggravate particularly when workers perceive there is insufficient time to complete work, insufficient resources, and parallel ongoing personal issues that are still unresolved.
Both individual and organizational risk factors are associated with increased susceptibility to Burnout Syndrome.
| Individual Risk Factors | Organizational Risk Factors |
| Poor Self-Esteem | Excessive Workload |
| Improper Coping Mechanisms | Lack of Adequate Time |
| Unrealistic Expectations | Lack of Resources |
| Personal & Financial Issues | Conflict with Co-workers |
| Changes in Work Schedules | Workplace Hazards |
Mental Burnout manifests initially in the form of high-stress periods and avoidance of work. If unresolved issues aren’t addressed then they could develop into severe disorders such as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Substance Abuse, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation.
Mental Burnout can also result in professionals leaving their profession. Increased costs, diminished work quality, workplace errors, and decreased productivity for companies. Therefore, companies must pay attention to the mental health of their workers and take action accordingly.
Signs & Symptoms of Mental Burnouts can vary from person to person due to their gradual nature.
The 3 Classic Symptoms of Burnout at Work are:
- Mental & Emotional Exhaustion
- Feelings of Negativity towards work
- Reduced Professional Efficacy
Other mild-moderate symptoms include:
- Lack of Motivation
- Avoidance of Work
- Anxiety
- Panic Attacks
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Feelings of Hopelessness
- Chronic Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Social Withdrawal
