How to recognise and manage burnout

In today’s fast-paced world, more and more people are affected by burnout. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume of tasks, deadlines and expectations, both at work and in your personal life. And, while we all have periods of stress or tiredness, burnout goes far beyond occasional fatigue.

What is burnout?

Burnout isn’t simply feeling tired after a long day or a tough week. It’s a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by chronic, work-related stress. People experiencing burnout often feel totally consumed by their jobs, that their efforts aren’t recognised or that they’re not reaching their goals. This wears down motivation and frequently reduces work performance.

How to recognise burnout

Recognising burnout at an early stage helps prevent more serious consequences. Symptoms can be subtle at first, so pay close attention to the signals your body and mind are sending. These are some of the most common symptoms you may experience:

• Extreme fatigue: if you feel exhausted even after a full night’s sleep, or struggle to get up and face the day, your energy may be at its limit. This tiredness is emotional as well as physical.
• Emotional detachment: you may feel disconnected from your work and colleagues. Maybe, you used to enjoy your everyday tasks, but now you feel like you’re just doing the bare minimum. This emotional detachment may lead to apathy of indifference when having to face tasks and projects that used to be motivating and challenging.
• Lack of motivation and low productivity: Burnout affects your performance directly. If you’ve ever noticed that, even working more hours or making a great effort, you see poor results, you may be experiencing burnout. This fatigue and lack of motivation may lead you to procrastinate and feel that nothing you do makes sense.
• Concentration problems: burnout affects focus and decision-making. People feeling burnout may feel scattered, have difficulties focusing on tasks and make errors due to inattention. As if your minds were elsewhere, unable to focus on the present.
• Feelings of ineffectiveness or failure: When you’re burnout, it’s common to feel you’re not good enough or competent at your job. Besides, you may feel a knock-on effect on self-esteem and confidence, as you think your efforts are not enough, in spite of your hard work.
• Physical problems: headaches, muscle tension, insomnia and digestive issues are some of the problems you suffer when you’re burnout. These symptoms are clear signs that your body is dealing with ongoing stress.

6 tips to manage burnout

If you’re noticing these signs, it’s important to act before it gets worse.

1. Acknowledge and accept the problem
   The first step is accepting what’s happening. It’s easy to ignore symptoms or justify them with tight deadlines. Accepting you’re burnout is key to making the necessary choices.
   
   
2. Prioritise self-care
   It’s easy to forget to look after yourself when you’re too focused on your job. Self-care is essential to fight burnout. This includes get some “me time”, rest, do sport, have a balanced diet and practise relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation or yoga.
   
   
3. Set clear boundaries
   Work never ends and, if you don’t set boundaries, you will end up burnout. Learn to say no when necessary and delegate where you can. Boundaries will help you to prevent feeling overwhelmed and to focus on what really matters.
   
   
4. Talk about how you feel
   Talking with a trusted person or a therapist can bring relief. Sometimes, sharing what you’re experiencing helps you to put the situation in perspective and find solutions. Don’t be afraid of asking for help when needed.
   
   
5. Take regular breaks
   If your workload feels so overwhelming that you’re on the brink of collapse, it’s very important to take regular breaks. This doesn’t mean taking a holiday, but brief pauses during the working day. Go for a walk, breathe deeply or do something to switch off for a few minutes.
   
   
6. Review your goals and expectations
   Burnout can also be caused by having unrealistic expectations – of yourself or of others. Take a moment to reflect on your objectives and adjust them if necessary. Are they achievable? Are they aligned with what really matters to you? Setting realistic, attainable goals will help reduce stress and anxiety.

Burnout can affect anyone, especially in a professional environment that demands a great deal of you. Detecting it early and taking appropriate measures is key to preventing exhaustion from becoming a bigger problem. With self-care, setting boundaries and seeking support, you can regain your energy. Remember that your wellbeing should always be a priority.