036: Beating Burnout For Good

Symptoms of job burnout (Mayo Clinic) 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642

Job burnout symptoms

Ask yourself:

Have you become cynical or critical at work? Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started? Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers or clients? Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive? Do you find it hard to concentrate? Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements? Do you feel disillusioned about your job? Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel? Have your sleep habits changed? Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?

Possible causes of job burnout

Job burnout can result from various factors, including:

Lack of control. An inability to influence decisions that affect your job — such as your schedule, assignments or workload — could lead to job burnout. So could a lack of the resources you need to do your work. Unclear job expectations. If you're unclear about the degree of authority you have or what your supervisor or others expect from you, you're not likely to feel comfortable at work. Dysfunctional workplace dynamics. Perhaps you work with an office bully, or you feel undermined by colleagues or your boss micromanages your work. This can contribute to job stress. Extremes of activity. When a job is monotonous or chaotic, you need constant energy to remain focused — which can lead to fatigue and job burnout. Lack of social support. If you feel isolated at work and in your personal life, you might feel more stressed. Work-life imbalance. If your work takes up so much of your time and effort that you don't have the energy to spend time with your family and friends, you might burn out quickly.

Job burnout risk factors

You might be more likely to experience job burnout if:

You identify so strongly with work that you lack balance between your work life and your personal life You have a high workload, including overtime work You try to be everything to everyone You work in a helping profession, such as health care You feel you have little or no control over your work Your job is monotonous

Consequences of job burnout

Ignored or unaddressed job burnout can have significant consequences, including:

Excessive stress Fatigue Insomnia Sadness, anger or irritability Alcohol or substance misuse Heart disease High blood pressure Type 2 diabetes Vulnerability to illnesses Cortisol is released during times of stress, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose, respiration, and muscle tension. it also temporarily shuts down the body’s systems that aren’t needed in the face of crisis, such as digestion and reproduction https://www.hormone.org/hormones-and-health/hormones/cortisol If you perpetually stay in a stressed out state where cortisol is frequently being release into the brain, your body is fighting. All, the. time. Cortisol was designed to give you the ability to fight, I’m talking chase, wrestle, fight for you life kind of thing.  All of the organs not getting attention while cortisol is coursing through your body suffer. I firmly believe that much of my own digestive and health issues are related to stress. I don’t really feel stress as it’s happening - I have to look for other physical manifestations and back up to the source.

Handling job burnout

Try to take action. To get started:

Evaluate your options. Discuss specific concerns with your supervisor. Maybe you can work together to change expectations or reach compromises or solutions. Try to set goals for what must get done and what can wait. Seek support. Whether you reach out to co-workers, friends or loved ones, support and collaboration might help you cope. If you have access to an employee assistance program, take advantage of relevant services. Try a relaxing activity. Explore programs that can help with stress such as yoga, meditation or tai chi. Get some exercise. Regular physical activity can help you to better deal with stress. It can also take your mind off work.  Get some sleep. Sleep restores well-being and helps protect your health. Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of focusing on your breath flow and being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling at every moment, without interpretation or judgment. In a job setting, this practice involves facing situations with openness and patience, and without judgment.

Box breathing is a helpful exercise I implement in my own life 

I hope you honestly assess yourself based on what you’ve heard today and implement some of the practices I talked about. I want you to start exuding all the great qualities that make you who you are and begin to live louder.

Life & Business Coaches

Lana Kairos: Episode 15 

Contact Lana

Meredith Turney: Episode 17 https://www.piecesofgrit.com/podcast/episode-17-behind-the-political-curtain-with-meredith-turney

Contact Meredith