COOL OFF BURNOUT
It’s harder than ever to unplug in today’s “always-on” culture – but what’s the true cost of never logging off? We chart your route from career burnout to a mental and physical reboot
The UK’S competitive jobs market and alwayson culture can make switching off impossible. Learn to power down with our practical guide
01 HIT BOILING POINT
According to the American Institute of Stress, absenteeism related to burnout costs the US economy $300bn per year, a situation likely mirrored on this side of the Atlantic. Burnout is typically defined as a syndrome characterised by cynicism, low efficacy and tiredness. It enlarges your amygdala, a part of your brain crucial to emotional reactions, causing you to feel a general malaise, not to mention the desire to hand in your notice by 9.05am.
02 WATCH THE CLOCK
This general funk starts to lower your productivity, and it can get worse the longer you stay in the office. Burnout causes your prefrontal cortex to grow thinner, reducing the brain’s cognitive ability. This occurs normally with ageing but it happens sooner in people who are stressed for prolonged periods. UK workers are in the office longer but achieve less than their European counterparts.* In this case, more means less, so try to clock off at 5pm.
03 GET THE GREEN LIGHT
Over time, your system becomes flooded with the stress hormones adrenalin, noradrenaline and epinephrine. With its prefrontal cortex compromised, your brain struggles to regulate your limbic system and control your emotions. Cue a spike in anxiety. But there’s a simple fix: adding a plant to your workspace has been proven to cut office anxiety by 15% and help keep your limbic system in check.
04 DRIFT OFF FASTER
Finally, exhaustion hits you. As your endocrine system pumps out cortisol, your heart rate and brain activity soar, making sleep more difficult. The NHS warns that several nights of sleeping five hours or less can cause the depressive symptoms of exhaustion. A regular pre-bed routine will help. Switch off the TV, open a book and bed down at a set time. Yes, it sounds dull, but your body will come to expect sleep, and you’ll drift off more easily.
05 PRESS RESET
If you’re after a cure rather than preventative measures, book a week off work, now. You need a physiological overhaul. Burnout has altered your body on a cellular level, with your physical, emotional and cognitive systems adapting to accommodate a hormone overload and inflammatory response. Rest is the only medicine. It takes seven days for your neuroendocrine system to return to normal. So, schedule a staycation and return a new man.