Are You Heading for Burnout?
Our hectic schedules, long working hours, incessant multi-tasking, lack of self-care and often negligible downtime all lead to one rock-bottom consequence; burnout. Add to this the demands of our digital age and the general wear and tear that comes from living through a global pandemic… and perhaps it’s no surprise that this subject seems so relevant to so many.
Let’s start at the beginning and consider what burnout actually is.
Burnout is a state of exhaustion - emotional, physical and mental - caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained and unable to meet the demands of day to day living. In its most simple terms, it is the car crash we don’t see coming.
Burnout is a recognised psychological disorder caused by chronic stress. Chronic stress refers to the stress that is experienced consistently over a long period of time. Acute stress, on the other hand, refers to the stress we experience in the short term – preparing for an exam, being stuck in traffic or anticipating a first date for example!
Chronic stress actually alters the structure of the brain, so it isn’t something that occurs and then ends. Burnout can have long-term effects on memory, creativity and levels of concentration. Sufferers also tend to have less control over their emotions so they become stressed more quickly and easily than others.
When stress arises in our bodies, our sympathetic nervous system signals a “fight or flight” response and our bodies release a surge of hormones, the main ones being cortisol and adrenaline. This is considered the natural stress response and when the perceived threat has passed, our hormone levels return to normal. The problem occurs when the body is constantly under stress, so the “fight or flight” reaction remains switched on. Long term and consistent activation of this “fight or flight” response and the resulting overexposure to stress hormones, sends our bodies into a pro-inflammatory state and puts us at risk of a whole host of health problems including depression, anxiety, weight gain, digestive issues, heart disease and amongst others, burnout.
Burnout can so easily go unnoticed. It doesn’t just happen overnight. Rather, stress levels creep up and up, becoming chronic by nature and eventually lead to burnout… so the difference between stress and burnout is simply a matter of degree. It goes without saying then that the earlier you can recognise the signs, the more likely you will be able to avoid burnout.
Common signs of burnout:
Fatigue – A feeling of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion
Insomnia – Difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep and / or frequent nightmares.
Addiction – Leaning into vices, whether smoking, drugs, drinking and overeating.
Loneliness – Feeling alone even if you’re not.
Feelings of Inadequacy – Feeling unqualified for your job and inadequate as a spouse, parent, child or friend.
Anger – Infuriation at fairly inconsequential things and frequent arguments with others.
Cynicism – Over and unjust criticism of yourself and others.
Numbness – An absence of joy in opportunities for celebration or accomplishment.
Illness – Headaches, shortness of breath or feelings of anxiety at the prospect of going to work.
Short Attention Span – Difficulties getting started on tasks, missing deadlines or procrastinating more than usual.
Recovery from burnout isn’t a quick process. It takes time to get there… and weeks, months or sometimes years to heal. So it really does pay to be aware of the signs and be ready to make adjustments in your lifestyle when necessary.
It also pays to understand the three main stages of the stress response:
1. The Alarm Stage
This is when the Sympathetic Nervous System is first activated. The brain triggers the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol and adrenaline. The rest of the body is alerted and other normal bodily functions are put on hold. A host of other physiological changes occur as detailed below:
2. The Adaptive / Resistance Stage
After the initial response, the body attempts to return to homeostasis (its normal, steady state), but when stress reactions are either too strong or too frequent, the body remains on high alert. Stress hormones continue to be released, which lowers immunity and makes the body more susceptible to illness.
3. The Exhaustion Stage
The body at this stage is continuously wired. Emergency resources are depleted and the body begins to shut down. A panic mode occurs before a breakdown aka burnout.
In our next article, we’ll be sharing tried and tested tools and techniques to help break the destructive cycle of stress and avoid getting to this final stage. In the meantime, if you feel sick and tired of ongoing overwhelm and stress in your life, please get in touch to arrange a complimentary call. I work with clients in all four corners, helping them to avoid or overcome burnout and regain balance in their lives.
Call: +49 176 43403836
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Email: anne@petersen-costa.com
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