Combating workplace burnout
Burnout is a state of complete mental, physical and emotional fatigue or exhaustion that often is a result of a growing, stressful workload. It can exacerbate other health conditions if ignored, but it is preventable. A Baylor College of Medicine psychiatrist explains burnout and how to maintain feelings of stress.
“Symptoms of burnout include insomnia, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, changes in mood, irritability, difficulty focusing, changes in appetite or not enjoying things,” said Dr. Asim Shah, professor and executive vice chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor.
Physical symptoms like nausea and diarrhea might present in burnout. Behavioral changes can also occur, including withdrawing from things and neglecting yourself. Burnout also may lead people to use substances. When untreated, burnout can worsen existing medical or behavioral issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression.
Shah emphasized the importance of self-care with any sort of burnout: eat whole foods and limit processed foods, sleep seven to nine hours each night, exercise, try to enjoy things you like, take regular breaks, relax and spend time with others. Everyone needs time to recharge and destress. He also stressed the idea of work-life balance.
“This is different for everyone, and it changes and is individualized based on their lifestyle,” Shah said. “The individual must define their work-life balance based on what is going on in their life at that particular time. Set boundaries based on surrounding environments.”
People often feel burnout and immense stress because they fail to delegate tasks to others. Employees should delegate work when necessary to avoid a pile-up of work. Time management and setting boundaries are key in the workplace.
“If you start to feel burnout, it’s a good time to talk to someone to de-load,” Shah said.
Employers should keep open communication with all employees and implement actions to minimize burnout, such as small breaks, retreats and time to recharge, destress and de-load. Distributing work equally among employees is essential.
“Sometimes, those who accept workloads easily tend to get more work and become victim of burnout. Be cognizant of this with employees,” he said.
Look out for your employees to understand how they may experience burnout. Signs include withdrawing from social activities, showing up to work visibly lacking self-care, poor time management, disconnecting from work, questioning their own abilities, a sense of failure / hopelessness, complaints of headaches / muscle tension or frequently calling in sick. Check in with them if they seem burned out, he recommended.
Some workplaces give employees a certain amount of vacation, allowing employees to “use it or lose it” each year. This encourages and forces employees to take time off, which is a great way to destress from work. Other employers might give incentives to save their vacation time to be paid out for the days they did not use, which fails to encourage rest and relaxation for hardworking employees.
Self-care and taking breaks is crucial to maintain a solid work-life balance. If you feel burnout, talk to your primary care provider or a mental health specialist for an assessment.
Learn more about Baylor Medicine Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
By Homa Warren
