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Burnout is a state in which the work done so far with a feeling of satisfaction does not bring pleasure, it becomes more and more tiring, discouraging and causes physical and mental exhaustion.
The causes of occupational burnout
Cause occupational burnout there is prolonged stress that results in mental and physical exhaustion. Work can be fun at first, but the excess of duties, improper diet and a sedentary lifestyle, as well as the permanent lack of time to rest, make us nervous and stressed. Prolonged stress, in the absence of the ability to discharge it and alleviate its effects, overload the nervous system. The body defends itself against a repeated stressful situation, including causing it somatic symptoms (headaches, malaise, abdominal pain), which do not allow you to continue working at the current size and pace.
Cause occupational burnout there is also an inability to regenerate the emotional, intellectual and physical forces that exhaust themselves during difficult work-related tasks.
Burnout symptoms
Burnout it manifests differently in each case. The most common symptoms are sleep problems (insomnia, frequent waking up, nightmares, waking up very early in the morning), increased blood pressure, problems with the digestive system, headaches, decreased immunity and chronic fatigue, which is not helped by a short-term rest. for example, over a weekend or even a week’s vacation. There are emotional problems such as irritability, irritation, depression, a sense of powerlessness and difficulty concentrating. Affected person professional burnout she is reluctant to go to work, does not perform her duties with the previous commitment, and her relations with her colleagues are deteriorating.
There are three phases occupational burnout:
- The stage of emotional exhaustion. The employee experiences constant tiredness and mental and physical exhaustion. He feels that the performance of his professional duties uses up his strength, but he does not see the possibility of their regeneration.
- Stage of depersonalization and cynicism. The employee begins to distance himself from colleagues, clients or patients, he does not feel any emotional bond with them. He performs his duties “half-heartedly”, he does not get involved in the work he does, his attitude towards his colleagues becomes reluctant and indifferent.
- The stage of the lack of a sense of personal achievements and competences in the performed work. The employee begins to negatively assess his / her own competences and achievements at work, believes that he / she is “not suitable”, ceases to control the performance of professional duties.
Which occupations are most at risk of burnout?
Na burnout The most vulnerable are people working in professions related to contact with people, education and helping people, mainly teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers and psychologists. These professions require from people who perform them, constant readiness to take up duties, continuous training and passing subsequent exams, making sometimes very difficult decisions and participating in other people’s lives full of problems. After some time, if it is not possible to effectively regenerate and relieve the effects of emotional tension, long-term stress turns into occupational burnout.
Burnout can happen in any profession. The age at which such a state arises continues to decline. There are even talks today about 20-year-olds with the syndrome occupational burnout.
How to prevent burnout and how to deal with it if it occurs?
Professional burnout it is worth preventing before it occurs. The best method is to work out the effective ones combat methods with stress. It can be meditation, a hobby, or regular participation in activities completely different from those you do in your work. Dancing, singing and doing some sport work well. The point is to forget about your professional problems for some time during the day and just enjoy life.
If burnout shows up, it is worth visiting a psychologist and talking to him about it. Psychotherapy or active learning techniques to relax and relieve stress may be helpful. In some cases, a temporary change of occupation is beneficial. It is worth using natural preparations as a support. We recommend, for example, Motivation – the Panaseus dietary supplement, which you can buy at a promotional price on Medonet Market.