According to multiple studies, the majority of Americans experience stress in the workplace – from a few stressful hours during the workday to several weeks at a time. But how do you know when your stressful period has surpassed the typical experience into a condition that’s known as burnout?
ITJobsWeb.com has compiled a list of symptoms to help you identify and treat your workplace burnout. But first, lets take a better look at what we’re dealing with.
What is Job Burnout?
Job burnout is described as a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion caused by extended periods of excessive stress that compound together, creating feelings of cynicism, resentment and doubts about your job performance.
What Does Job Burnout Look Like?
Ask yourself the following questions to determine if you suffer from job burnout.
Are you tired all the time?
Do you feel exhausted regardless or how much sleep you get?
Do you lack energy?
Do you feel emotionally drained?
Do you lack any motivation?
Have you lost the general enthusiasm you once held for your job?
Do you find it difficult to wake up in the morning or settle into work once you’ve arrive at the office?
Have you lost the ability to concentrate or focus your attention for extended periods of time?
Do you feel as though your effort or contribution goes unnoticed?
Has your job performance changed or suffered?
Has your attitude changed?
Do you experience feelings of disillusionment, cynicism or frustration?
Do your anxiety levels rise the moment you walk into work?
Do you find yourself often feeling irritable and impatient?
Has your behavior towards your loved ones changed recently?
Do you feel different?
Do you feel like something is off?
Do you experience unexplained headaches and/or body aches?
Do you get sick frequently?
Do you have trouble sleeping?
What causes Job Burnout?
While job burnout can be caused by a number of things, it typically results from the following:
Poor Job Fit – your job doesn’t fit your interests.
Work-life imbalance – your job takes up a lot of time, leaving very little for friends or family, often causing resentment and strained personal relationships.
A lack of control or responsibility – the inability to influence decisions that affect your job, such as a schedule, assignments or workload
Treating Job Burnout
Treating job burnout involves finding ways to reduce stress.
Get enough sleep – your body requires an adequate amount of sleep to reduce the high levels of cortisol in your system accrued during the day. Proper sleep helps replenish your resources so you can face another day at work with fresh eyes.
Find a stress-relieving activity that works for you – be it yoga, running or reading a new book, find a way to relieve your daily stress so that it doesn’t build-up over time.
Use your vacation time – don’t let your vacation expire! Use your saved-up vacation time to regenerate yourself and reinvigorate your passion for your work.
Ask for help when you need it – people often feel stressed at work because they’re overwhelmed. Ask for help from your co-workers or your boss. Schedule a meeting with your Human Resources department to learn about the support services your company has to offer, including mental health benefits or stress management training.
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Understand when it’s time to move on – sometimes burnout is caused by forces beyond your control, such as hiring freezes and cost-cutting by your company. Perhaps personal changes have altered the workplace community, leaving you feeling like an outsider. Whatever the reason, its important to understand when it’s time to seek new employment opportunities.
If you’re still unsure, try a workplace stress test to see if you’re burnt out, or visit www.stress.org.
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