Job Burnout: Symptoms and Remedies
Posted in Health & Safety
Burnout is that state where you are physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted due to long-term exposure to arduous work conditions. Put simply, burnout is the collective result of stress.
Causes of job burnout
As stated above, job burnout is the cumulative result of stress. Below are the causes of your job burnout:
Lack of control
Lack of control over your work hours, assignments and workload can contribute to job burnout. Your inability to have some bearing on decisions that affect your job adds to the stress.
Unclear job expectations
Vague job expectations include the extent of authority that you have, and lacking the necessary resource to do your job.
Dysfunctional workplace dynamics
Working with distracting colleagues, working with an office bully, having a boss who micromanages your work, being dejected by your boss or colleagues.
Mismatch in values
If your company values clash with your personal values, it will wear you down.
Poor job fit
Doing something that doesn't fit your skills and interests will become more draining eventually.
Extremes of activity
A job that is either always tedious or always frantic requires constant energy for you to remain focused - eventually leading to energy drain and job burnout.
Job burnout symptoms
Job burnout symptoms include:
- Being more sardonic, critical and sarcastic at work
- Inability to experience joy
- Dragging oneself to work
- Trouble getting started upon arriving
- Impatience towards officemates, customers, etc
- Feelings of tackling impossible hurdles at work
- Inability to feel satisfaction from accomplishments
- Inability to laugh at oneself
- Disillusionment (in your job)
- Self-medication (use of food, drugs, alcohol to feel better)
- Changes in sleeping habits and appetite
- Experiencing unexplained headaches, lower-back pain or neck pain
If you experience any of the above symptoms, visit your doctor. It is important to have yourself checked since other health conditions such as depression share similar symptoms.
If left unchecked, job burnout can develop cause:
- Excessive stress
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Unhealthy weight changes
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Substance abuse
- Negative spillover into your personal life
Job burnout remedy
If you think you're at risk of a job burnout or are experiencing it, talk to your immediate supervisor and your doctor.
Some companies offer employee assistance programs to help you evaluate your interests and skills. This can help you decide if you should consider switching jobs - one that's a lot less taxing on your health, or one that matches your skills and interests better.
Recovery from a job burnout is possible, but you may need to make huge changes, so it will take some time. Be more open, tolerant and flexible - don't let your job upset affect health.
