The Anatomy of Burnout
By: Kristen Tally
Tags: Health, Productivity, Work Life Balance, Wellness, Life

What is burnout? Besides sounding like a very ominous buzzword, burnout has become a real issue facing remote and office workers alike. Anyone can burn out and anyone is susceptible to it, from interns to CEOs. The more you carry unresolved stress, the more you play a waiting game of exhaustion and burnout.

“A-players” might brag on social media about how hard they’re #hustling all day. Or so-called “gurus” might be bragging about their tried-and-true method to get rich quick. But social media is the smallest window into someone’s life, full of posturing and outright fakery at times. Burnout is a real threat and it’s not a sign of weakness. In fact, admitting you’ve burnt out and then doing something about it are signs of strength and courage. You just need to know when you’re burning out.

The Onset of Burnout

Burnout, as defined by the World Health Organization, is an occupational phenomenon. Burnout is classified as a syndrome caused by workplace stress. It has three main aspects:

Feelings of exhaustion or depleted energy

Mental distancing, or cynicism and negativity towards a person’s job

Reduced professional performance

Burnout doesn’t appear out of nowhere. Chronic stress has real health implications in the long term. If you’re burning out and burning out hard, then you can walk backwards from when you first noticed your burnout and try to find its source.

The current state of the world has obviously made it harder to avoid chronic stress, but burnout has been a looming issue for years. If you’re working remotely and juggling work, family life, and your own personal health, you can certainly be at risk for emotional exhaustion and burnout.

The 12 Stages

If you suspect you’re about to burn out or you already are, then pinpointing what stage of burnout you’re in can help you confront or get in front of it. Traditionally, experts have identified 12 different stages of burnout:

Obsessive need to prove worth

Inability to stop working

Erratic or neglected care, leading to disrupted sleep or eating habits

Skewed values or priorities

Dismissal of problems or issues

Denial

Withdrawal or detachment from social circles

Changes in behavior towards friends, family, or loved ones

Depersonalization and failure to perceive one’s own needs

Feelings of inner emptiness

Depression

Physical and mental collapse

At the last stage, total collapse, you may need medical attention. These are all serious symptoms of a larger issue. You might feel compelled to deny the issue all together, (it’s a stage on the list, after all) but the further you get down the list, the more you could be risking your health.

Physical Signs You’ve Burned Out

Burnout isn’t just an emotional or mental issue. It can have profound physical impacts. Poor sleeping, erratic eating habits, and neglecting physical exercise can stack up and have serious implications for your health.

Reactions to stress are natural. Adrenaline, cortisol and a cornucopia of chemicals all work to tell us that we need to fight or fly away from something dangerous. This reaction would be natural if, for instance, a bear was running at you. But too much cortisol and stress can impact your physical health. Cortisol triggers glucose and inhibits insulin production, so a constant flow of cortisol can lead to elevated blood sugar levels, weight gain, digestive issues, a suppressed immune system, and even heart disease.

Since cortisol is a stress hormone, being under pressure every day can take a physical toll. Before long, you could begin to suffer from irritability, poor sleeping habits, headaches, fatigue, and a myriad of other issues. Taking notice of these early signs can keep you off the road to burnout. And if you can’t totally eliminate the source of your stress, regularly taking time to re-center and recover can be the solution to chronic stress.

Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash

Mental Health Is As Important as Physical Health

Your mental health can have a huge effect on your physical health. With cortisol being so hugely important in our response to stress, constantly fighting it off can lead to larger health risks. If you can, take time for yourself or make time if you have to. Comparison is a thief of joy and social media can easily convince we should all be out there #hustling harder instead of sitting back and unplugging. But the price of that hustle every day is burnout. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is just a platitude and it’s definitely not one that should be taken literally.

Even small breaks for a few minutes a day where you’re not beholden to anyone can be hugely beneficial. Just getting outside for a walk can improve your mood, along with helping with conditions like high cholesterol and hypertension.

Self-care, balance, and a break now again can have huge impacts beyond just a few hours of “me time.” They have measurable benefits for your health. Taking whatever small steps you can to keep your sanity and stress levels to a manageable level are the weapons you need to fight the burnout beast.