Burnout is a state of chronic workplace stress and exhaustion that is not effectively managed.
The feelings of burnout occur when you’re overwhelmed at work and your work-life balance is out of sync.
You feel as if you can’t manage the demands of your job. It affects your mentally, physically and emotionally. It can impact your energy, sleep, eating, motivation, self doubt, engagement with others, productivity & performance and other wellness problems.
Burnout can lead to an increased consumption of alcohol and narcotics substances to help people cope with the impact and effects of burnout.
Burnout and stress are everywhere
As in 2020, American workers across the board saw heightened rates of burnout in 2021, and according to APA’s 2021 Work and Well-being Survey of 1,501 U.S. adult workers, 79% of employees had experienced work-related stress in the month before the survey. Nearly 3 in 5 employees reported negative impacts of work-related stress, including lack of interest, motivation, or energy (26%) and lack of effort at work (19%). Meanwhile, 36% reported cognitive weariness, 32% reported emotional exhaustion, and an astounding 44% reported physical fatigue—a 38% increase since 2019. Burnout and stress are everywhere (apa.org)
We can assume the incidence is similar in South Africa.
Simple shifts to tame burnout.
- Learn to say “NO”, pleasantly and politely.
- Rest when you feel tired as much as possible.
- Sleep 8-10 hour per night. Avoid staying up late. and keep a regular sleep cycle — ideally, in bed before 10 p.m.
- Deep breathing.
- Eat nutritious food, 5 eating moments/day. Reduce your caffeine, sugar, soft drinks, alcohol and smoking.
- Moderate exercise 3/week to improve quality of life and reduce stress responses.eg walking, swimming, yoga.
- Minimize work and relational stress however possible.
- Limit your cell phone and social media time.
- Surround yourself with people who talk about vision and ideas, not other people and avoid negative self-talk.
- Work towards a heathy work/life balance.
- Take time for yourself (do something you find fun, relaxing and enjoyable).
- Be proactive, have a plan and to get the best results, do it superbly well and consistently to get the results you want.
Need some help with burnout or helping your employees manage theirs’, (as revealed above, the incidence amongst employees is alarming), … Give me a call. Now’s the time. Let’s go to work!
Therapeutic Reflexology or Craniosacral therapy are safe & drug-free and will de-stress & de-clutter your life physically & emotionally.
Call Arthur 0824560155. I’m about Simple| Flexible |Sustainable – not about doing ALL THINGS RIGHT ALL THE TIME (Because that’s impossible.) My aim is for participants to experience that winning feeling.
“Don’t tie yourself to your history. Tie yourself to your potential.”