Work burnout is officially recognized by World Health Organization as an occupational disease. This is a strange phenomenon having in mind that development of technology allows for remote work and more laid-back atmosphere during work hours. Nevertheless, it has been assessed that one in five Americans is suffering from work burnout. Although unclear why this is happening when workload can be facilitated by so many means nowadays, we cannot but ask ourselves if anything can be done to prevent this phenomenon and how to recognize the stages of burning out.
First and foremost, in order to avoid getting caught up in this dreadful situation, a person should practice letting it all out. When we keep painful feelings inside, we make precondition for development of almost any kind of disease. Try finding your piece of heaven where you can get that well-deserved and needed energy boost. If everything else fails, consider seeking professional help.
So, how do you know that you are experiencing burnout?
Stage #1: Tiredness
The tiredness we are referring to is the type that does not go away. In cases of work burnout, a person feels exhausted all the time, not just at the end of the day. Psychologists say that this tiredness is not related to the lack of good night’s sleep but is rather an expression of the lack of energy. Now, the question is what is sucking up the energy out of our lives.
Stage #2: Lack of Motivation
Most of us experience this symptom at one point in our careers. It is the time when you feel that no matter what you are doing and how dedicated you are, the results are not worthy enough. Your accomplishments are not seen as accomplishments, but as a result of your obligations. Even if you are not experiencing stages #1 and #2 combined, lack of motivation will eventually make your job look uninteresting, unattractive, dull and will estrange you from something that once might have been your passion.
Stage #3: Developing Disrespect
When approaching this stage, the situation may become more complex. If you have developed disrespect towards your work, your boss and the job generally, the chances are you passed the previous two stages. This is where the plot thickens. It can happen to the best of professionals. It starts with the feeling of tiredness and continues through periods of lack of motivation for different reasons: the tasks are way below your abilities, or way above them; the tasks are not intellectually demanding enough, or you are constantly being punished for things that have no real influence on your performance. Eventually, a person feels helpless to change anything and, in a way, – blackmailed. This is the point when disrespect shows its ugly head. And after that, there is rarely a way up.
Stage#4: Becoming a Low Performer
The above-mentioned stages are a highway to “I do not give a damn” attitude. Even if you are highly skilled worker, a trained professional, you may not be immune to described situations. We are all humans. We react to both praise and punishment. However, if a person is both – well aware of its worth as well as of the importance of keeping a job, he or she will react to praise better. If not, then it is disputable whether that person should have been employed in such a company at the first place. Forcing someone to give their best and punishing that person for not delivering results is usually a downward path. It influences a person’s psyche and in majority of cases, will form resistance. In the long run, the resources invested in that employee are thrown out of the window.
Stage #5: Developing a serious disease
I have seen people getting extremely sick. They were scared to stand up for themselves because their self-esteem was too low, or because they were taught not to contradict the authority – without ever realizing that constructive talks are the only way to move forward.
Jobs form a large part of our lives. Working environment is where we spend the most part of our day. So, everything that is going on there influences us significantly. Jobs are important. They can secure existence. However, we should all question ourselves what is the price which we are willing to pay.
Editor’s note: The views and advices expressed in this text are author’ s personal views and do not constitute the official views of the casino nor medical doctors’ opinions.
You can also check out how to spot a manipulator at work. It could be very helpfull.
