How to spot the signs of burnout
Feeling stressed is a normal part of life, and we all have days, weeks or even months when things are just more stressful.
So, how can we tell when we’re moving beyond ‘normal’ stress and heading for burnout?
“Stress can manifest in many forms, but we have all felt it,” says Dr Seb Thompson, consultant clinical psychologist at Cygnet Health Care (cygnethealth.co.uk).
“Sometimes stress creeps up on us, sometimes it is more sudden and seems like it comes out of nowhere. Sometimes it overwhelms us and incapacitates us. Sometimes our minds just shut down because they cannot cope with yet another stressrelated thought.”
While it may not look the same for all of us, it’s this tipping point that’s important. We’re designed to experience stress – but as Dr Thompson adds: “Too much stress, like too much of anything, is not a good thing.
“Too much stress leads to burnout, and burnout if left unchecked, could be a risk factor for developing further physical and mental health difficulties.”
WHAT ARE THE EARLY SIGNS OF BURNOUT TO LOOK OUT FOR?
You find it hard to get perspective – According to Gosia Bowling, national lead for mental health at Nuffield Health (nuffieldhealth.com): “People on the road to burnout often feel a mounting sense of helplessness. Your mind can feel like it is in ‘overload’ as you struggle to process the endless thoughts running through your head.”
You struggle to delegate – As Gosia puts it: “Even though you’re lacking energy, you find it difficult to delegate tasks. The thought of not having complete control at this moment in time fills you with dread.”
You can’t switch off – “From the moment you open your eyes in the morning, to when you close them at night, your job is all you can think about.
“When you’re not working, you’re constantly thinking about what you could be getting done, instead of taking time to relax,” says Gosia.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
If you’ve evaluated things and realised stress is mounting too much at work, opening up a dialogue with your line manager could be helpful.
“If you feel like there are individual factors – like unrealistic deadlines, unmanageable workload or the company culture is not providing enough support – make a list of these issues and schedule time for a call with your manager to address concerns,” suggests Gosia.
SWITCHING OFF
Managing stress often requires conscious effort, which includes getting into the habit of switching off and relaxing. This can be a challenge, especially if you are used to going at a million miles an hour – but practical and psychological techniques can help.
Take up a hobby, catch up with friends on the phone, or learn to relax with stress management techniques like meditation.
BE FIRM WITH WORK BOUNDARIES
If you are working from home or have an erratic working pattern, prioritising what needs to be done and maintaining you time is all the more important.