Workplace burnout is a common and serious issue around the world. Burnout symptoms can affect professionals in a variety of age groups and professions. Work-related stress, long hours, strict deadlines, a competitive workplace, toxic cultures, etc., are warning indicators of burnout and can lead to mental and physical disorders.
A person’s daily functioning is greatly hindered by burnout, which also has a negative impact on their mental health and well-being. To effectively fight burnout, it is crucial to know more about its effects as well as learn how to fight it.
In this article learn more about the ways workplace burnout can affect you and how you should fight burnout in order to stay productive and happy.
Burnout Side Effects
There are side effects to burnout that can seriously impact one’s health. Let’s learn what they are before seeing the ways to fight burnout.
Anxiety throughout the day
Number one side effect of burnout is anxiety. We can all at times feel anxious at our workplaces for different reasons. Feeling a little stressed before an upcoming project or presentation once in a while can be totally normal. The problems begin at the point where your everyday work life is led by anxiety.
As many other mental health issues, anxiety too can lead to physical effects. One that experiences anxiety can start being on the edge, get snappy at other people, feel paranoid, experience abrupt sweating, heart racing etc.
Depression and lack of motivation
Another commonly seen side effect of workplace burnout is depression. Many studies show that work related stress and anxiety can lead to depression and therefore affect one’s work.Â
Depression is a serious cause because it does not stay at work. It comes home with you and affects a variety of your personal life’s aspects such as relationships, friendships, both mental and physical health etc.
Weakened Immunity – prone to getting sick
The previously mentioned symptoms of burnout can also affect your physical health and damage your immune system. For example, if you experience a lot of anxiety at work, your body’s inflammatory response is very likely to damage your immunity system.
The body feels all the stress and in the end the body goes into fight mode and tries to defend itself. Low immunity can make you prone to getting infected more easily. With time it can lead to such diseases as heart problems, diabetes and high blood sugar.
Insomnia – hard time falling asleep
And another common side effect of burnout can be sleeplessness. One of the most common signs of burnout is not being able to stop thinking about your work – even when you’re home or trying to perform any other out of work activities. That often leads to sleepless nights, having trouble falling asleep and ‘’turning off’’ your mind.
After one too many sleepless nights this routine can become a disorder that is called insomnia. That leads to difficulty falling asleep, in the worst cases for days and days on end.
There are many other burnout side effects however you can find ways to deal with your state.
5 Ways How to Deal With Burnout
Here are some things that you can change in your life in order to minimize your burnout. The most important part is trying to start with a few things, not necessarily changing out your life drastically all at once.
1. Speak out
The first thing to do is to speak out about what you’re experiencing. Being overwhelmed at times is expected, especially if you’re starting a new job preposition or making some changes in your career. However if you’re experiencing any of the burnout symptoms, it is a reasonable excuse to talk to your colleagues and bosses.
Another way to cope with burnout is to explain what you’re feeling to people in your life. Since burnout has the tendency to affect not only you, but other people in your life too, you would both benefit if they knew what you’re coping with.
2. Take a break
When work gets a little too much, a well deserved break is needed. After you talk to your superiors at your workplace, there should be a decision made on how to cope with the burnout. One good way is to step back from work responsibilities and take a break.
It differs for everybody how long the break should be. It could be enough to take a few days off and relax – visit a SPA salon and go for a relaxing massage. In other cases it would be beneficial to go on vacation and turn your mind to something else completely.
3. Find a way to cope
After taking some time off the anxiety about burnout can still come back. The work schedule keeps going and piling on, therefore it is needed to find a way to cope.
It could be very simple yet effective things:
- remembering to drink enough water,
- taking breaks between tasks,
- making sure your work is organized,
- taking a walk to breathe fresh air,
- eating healthy and trying to get enough sleep.
4. Seek help if needed
If burnout gets back and that is just your new reality again after the break, then it is necessary to seek help. One way could be trying to be informed about burnout – what it is and how to cope with it. Since you’ve found this article already, we recommend looking at a blog on how to fight burnout.
Hearing others talk about the same thing you’re experiencing can be very valuable.
5. Quit job if necessary
And if nothing helps at the end, you might be at the wrong place in your career. No job is worth your mental health and well being.
Burnout is a serious issue that many people struggle with in this day and age. The fast pace of work is very common these days but there are ways to cope and still manage your sanity.