Fighting end of year burnout
AS discussed in previous articles, mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a meaningful contribution to their community.
With three weeks left to the end of 2023, many of us are probably feeling a little drained or tired, waiting for a well-earned break.
For some of us, however, this fatigue may be part of end of year burnout and may need more deliberate steps to recover and maintain mental wellbeing.
What is end of year burnout and what causes it?
Burnout is a syndrome of fatigue, cynicism and inefficiency:
1. Fatigue: can be physical and emotional. It is a sense of being tired that doesn’t improve even with extra sleep or a day or two off. Burnout can cause challenges with sleep, exacerbating the fatigue. Burnout can also cause decreased pain tolerance resulting in multiple aches and pains as well as poor immunity resulting in multiple minor ailments.
2. Cynicism: is a cold, detached attitude towards life, work and relationships. One can become irritable and intolerant of others. One can struggle with demotivation and morale. One may feel helpless and trapped.
3. Inefficiency: burnout can cause us to become unproductive and ineffective in what we do. We may forget meetings, deadlines and we may make unnecessary mistakes or errors. We may struggle to communicate effectively and we may struggle with interpersonal relationships. End of year burnout can result from:
1. Accumulation of poorly managed chronic stress over the year.
2. Increasing work demands as the year ends, projects that need to be finalised, budgets that need to be met and pressure to produce results before the year ends
3. Chronic neglect of self-care
4. Frustration due to unfulfilled goals and expectations for the year
5. Financial pressure
6. Poor support systems
What puts us at risk of end of year burnout?
1. Having poor psychological support at work , at home or both at home and at work
2. Feeling as if one has little autonomy at work
3. Difficult, or vague expectations of what one is supposed to achieve
4. Disrespect and lack of civility
5. Poor fit between one’s personality and the work expectations or poor psychological fit
6. Lack of personal growth or development, feeling stuck or stagnant in life
7. Feeling unappreciated or undervalued
8. Being overloaded with multiple tasks or feeling as if one is not of much use
9. Poor connectedness to the work being done
10. Poor work life balance, work family conflict
How can I recover from end of year burnout?
1. Get back to the basics of physical self-care. Get enough sleep, at least 7 to 8 hours a day; eat regular healthy meals; try to exercise a few times a week especially if your work is sedentary
2. Take a break from work, take some time off to disconnect, re-evaluate, gain better perspective and realign yourself with one’s values. Burnout may mean you need a change of jobs but many times, it may mean you need time to reflect and rediscover why you love your current work.
3. Talk about your challenges with trusted friends or reach out for professional help
4. Find balance in life, protect your work-life balance, set firm boundaries to allow yourself to work effectively but to also build a life with family, friends and loved ones.
If you think that you or someone that you know may be struggling with burnout, please contact your nearest health care provider and get help.
◆ Dr. Chido Rwafa Madzvamutse Whatsapp+263714987729) (www. ahfoz.org ; ahfoz@ahfoz.co.zw)