Battling Burnout

Sep 26

You know that saying “burning the candlestick at both ends?” That’s what comes to mind when trying to describe burn-out. Burnout is the result of chronic stressors. When we make a habit of overextending ourselves, our mental health can take a hit. Whether it be ongoing stress from work, parenthood, family dynamics, or something else, burnout can begin to develop. While burnout isn’t a clinical diagnosis, it is classified in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an “occupational phenomenon.” Christina Maslach describes three key dimensions to burn-out:

Emotional exhaustion
Depersonalization
A sense of reduced personal accomplishment

So, how might these dimensions show up in your life? Marshfield Clinic states that emotional exhaustion is often considered a precursor to the other two dimensions. This exhaustion could look like emotional or physical fatigue as a result of too much responsibility at home, work, or other areas in life. When thinking about this dimension, ask yourself to what degree is it impacting your daily functioning?

Depersonalization can be described as a sense of detachment from yourself. It is common to hear depersonalization be described as feeling “like an outsider looking in” on your life. Maybe you feel apathetic or even numb. With the absence of positive emotions paired with chronic stressors, it makes sense as to why an individual could fall into adopting a more cynical, detached outlook.

The ability to function effectively and accomplish tasks (at work, home, or wherever else) will be impacted when you are experiencing burnout. Emotional energy and emotional availability have diminished to lead you to feel tired, checked out, and have lost the ability to care. Without your energy and motivation zapped, of course your efforts decline.

Curious to see how burned out you are? Take this assessment.

What are some ways you can alleviate burnout?