It is easy to find out that you are tired physically if you are running. You can rest a little and you will feel when are ready to run again. It is very easy to miss the moment when you already burnout.
Burnout symptoms
- Irritable
- Indifferent
- Not motivated
- Still tired after weekend or vacation
- Senselessness of life
Burnout compensation
People are searching for compensation of missing pleasure from work.
- Social media (chaotic browsing on facebook, youtube etc)
- Shopoholism
- Extreme sport
- Gaming addiction
- Excessive eating (especially heavy on sugar processed food)
- Cofee
- Netflix
- Alcoholism
- Drugs addiction
- And surprise: overtimes at the same work
You need to check if any of the activity you are doing still gives you pleasure or it is just a habit. If you don't receive pleasure from one of those activities anymore then you need to stop doing it for some period of time.
Burnout stages (by Matthias Burisch)
1. Warning Phase
Excessive participation:
- excessive activity;
- rejection of needs not related to work;
- restriction of social contacts;
Exhaustion:
- Depletion; feeling tired;
- insomnia;
- the threat of accidents;
2. Decrease in own participation
In relation to employees or clients:
- loss of positive perception of colleagues;
- transition from help to supervision and control;
- attributing blame for one’s own failures to other people;
- the dominance of stereotypes in behavior towards employees and clients; The manifestation of inhumane approach to people.
In relation to the others:
- lack of empathy;
- indifference;
- cynical evaluation;
In relation to professional activities:
- unwillingness to perform their duties;
- artificial extension of breaks in work, late arrival, leaving work ahead of time;
- emphasis on the material aspect while simultaneously dissatisfied with the work;
Increasing requirements:
- loss of a vital ideal, concentration on own needs;
- feeling that other people are using you;
- envy;
3. Emotional reactions
Depression:
- constant guilt, reduced self-esteem;
- groundless fears, lability of mood, apathy;
Aggression:
- defenses, blaming others, ignoring their participation in failures;
- lack of tolerance and ability to compromise;
- suspicion, conflicts with the environment;
4. Phase of destructive behavior
Intelligence area:
- reduced concentration, lack of ability to perform complex tasks;
- rigidity of thinking, lack of imagination;
Motivational area:
- lack of own initiative;
- reduced efficiency;
- performance of tasks strictly according to the instructions;
Emotional-social area:
- indifference, avoidance of informal contacts;
- lack of participation in the lives of other people or excessive attachment to a specific person;
- avoidance of work related topics;
- self-sufficiency, loneliness, rejection of a hobby, boredom;
5. Psychosomatic reactions and reduced immunity
- inability to relax during free time;
- insomnia, sexual dysfunction;
- increased pressure, tachycardia, headaches;
- back pain, indigestion;
- addiction to nicotine, caffeine, alcohol;
6. Disappointment and negative life attitude;
- a sense of helplessness and meaninglessness of life;
- existential despair;
Burnout treatment
- Work 40 hours per week at most. Try to reduce this amount as much as possible.
- Travel more
- Do not work outside of working hours
Burnout facts
- Routine цwork is boring and does not lead to burnout.
- The most involved people burnout first.
5 hormones of happiness
- Dopamine - you need a good rest and find a new target.
- Adrenaline - periodically participate in any exciting activities: bungee jumping, some quests, etc.
- Serotonin - fresh air, walks, sleep, healthy food, physical activity.
- Endorphin - physical exercises, sex.
- Oxytocin - meeting with old colleagues, friends.
The best way is to balance all of those hormones.
In real life it works differently. During interesting project you got a lot of Dopamine and it become exciting. However, the sensitivity of dopamine receptors decreases - the body adapts. At this point, we either begin to work harder, trying to “catch up” with the pleasure that has gone. Or we begin to compensate for its activities that bring dopamine faster and easier (facebook, coffee, shopping, alcohol).
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