EXPERIENCING A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BURNOUT? READ THIS!
Tags: Mental Health, Burnout, Burnout Prevention

EXPERIENCING A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BURNOUT? READ THIS!

First of all, I need to say that burnout isn’t uncommon. You are not out of your mind feeling the way you do. To be honest, it has been a rough year and would be surprising to know if people say they have not felt tired at some point this year. So what can we do about this feeling of exhaustion you feel that is crippling your productivity and stalling work?

Burn out is the state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion which is often caused by prolonged stress. It causes a person to lose interest and motivation while perforating a task or carrying out an activity. In other words, it is that stage you get when people ask “how are you?” And your only response is “Omo” (as a Nigerian) because you lack the words to clearly explain how you’re feeling.

The thing is burnout is not diagnosable psychological disorder which is more reasons why it should be taken seriously. It affects every area of a persons life in the required steps towards rest is not taken.

The most common signs of burnout may include

Detachment from work related activities: persons who are experiencing burnout become stressed and frustrated with their jobs. They are more likely to start distancing themselves emotionally from work and lose the morale to get anything done. 2. Emotion exhaustion- individuals find they they are tired mentally, physically and emotionally and are unable to get anything done from lack of energy. 3. Reduced performance- everyday tasks at work are affected due to the negative feeling regarding the tasks. There is absolutely zero energy and often creativity takes a dive. Yes! It’s real. 4. Change in appetite and sleeping 5. Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment 6. Procrastinating; taking a longer time to get things done than usual.

Now, you may be thinking “isn’t burnout the same thing as stress?” The answer to this is no. They are two different things. Burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress, but it isn’t the same as too much stress. Stress involves too much pressures that demand too much of you physically and mentally. However, when everything is sorted they rest and feel better.

Burnout, on the other hand, is about not enough. Being burned out means feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of energy, and not caring. People experiencing burnout often don’t see any hope of positive change in their situations.

Dealing with burnout

It’s not all bad news here. Burnout can be handled and dealt with by recognising the fast approaching signs of a burnout, seeking support with tasks, activities and managing stress and also taking care of your physical and emotional health.

Reach out to those closest to you and Inform them how you may be feeling and how they can help. You are not burdening them by opening up. Create the time to spend with positive people who care without thinking of focusing on the burden. 2. Try to find some value and importance in your work and balance- it may be easy to say “do a job you love and you will not burnout”. But that is not always the case because it’s also possible to burn out from a job you love. However, finding a work life balance would go a long way and viewing your job in a different light. Pat yourself on the back when you’ve done a good job, make some office friends too. And if you suspect you may be approaching a burnout, it’s okay to take some time off and reenergise. 3. Make exercise a priority: Hmmm…*don’t roll your eyes* but yes now…exercising goes a long way to be honest in burning out the burnout (see what I did there). But for people who may not exactly like exercising, dance is also another option. Just doing something you like that can burn out the burnout. 4. Support your mood with a healthy diet- drink alcohol in moderation, eat more omega-3 fatty acids to increase your mood, minimise sugar and refined carbs. What you eat truly affects your mood. 5. Unplug- get some sleep and adequate rest consciously and intentionally. 6. Talking to a mental health professional- These are professionals will be more equipped to explain what you need to feel your best.

At the end of the day, a discussion with the Human Resource Team on creating a positive work environment and stress management and how it’s implementation will foster a great working environment for everyone. These conversation may not always go as planned in which case you may have to do what is best for you and your health.