{"id":4843,"date":"2020-05-11T10:13:35","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T07:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/?p=4843"},"modified":"2020-05-11T10:17:29","modified_gmt":"2020-05-11T07:17:29","slug":"are-you-dealing-with-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/are-you-dealing-with-burnout\/","title":{"rendered":"ARE YOU DEALING WITH BURNOUT?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">On average, a work week can take up to thirty-four hours. And in an effort to excel and climb up the corporate ladder it is easy to stretch yourself thin. The term \u2018burnout\u2019 was coined in 1974 by a psychologist named Herbert J. Freudenberger who used the term to describe his colleagues state of wellbeing after tending to patients in a free health clinic. He noticed that many of the doctors, nurses and social workers became lethargic,<em> <a href=\"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/how-to-keep-your-employees-motivated\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"less motivated  (opens in a new tab)\"><strong>less motivated<\/strong><\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/how-to-keep-your-employees-motivated\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"less motivated  (opens in a new tab)\"> <\/a>and didn\u2019t do a good job overall even though they deeply cared about their work.<a href=\"#_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> Even if you like your job, it\u2019s not unusual to feel burned out. In this article, we\u2019ll look at some of the causes and symptoms of burnout and how you can manage them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>CAUSES OF BURNOUT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/embed\/4Z5xa7Y9RWlXfaFb5o\" width=\"480\" height=\"460\" frameBorder=\"0\" class=\"giphy-embed\" allowFullScreen><\/iframe><p><a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/yeah-its-chill-yeahitschill-4Z5xa7Y9RWlXfaFb5o\">via GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">Before\nwe can talk about the symptoms of burnout, it is important to first look at a\nfew of its main causes so that you can clearly understand what you\u2019re dealing\nwith. And maybe even prevent yourself from dealing with burnout by avoiding\nsome of these situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>UNCLEAR\nJOB EXPECTATIONS<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">Understandably,\none of the causes of burnout is working in a job with unclear expectations.\nWhere you\u2019re really unsure of what you\u2019re supposed to be doing. Where you go\ninto work and are constantly wondering what you\u2019re expected to be working on; What\nare your work goals or what does your employer expect from you. Having these\nthoughts daily can be very taxing and can greatly increase your stress levels.<a href=\"#_ftn2\">[2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\"><li><strong>HIGH AND UNREASONABLE JOB EXPECTATIONS<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">Sometimes, employees are expected to go over and above their limits to produce great results in their work. The burden of these high expectations then results in employees overworking themselves and wearing themselves out in an effort to attain these unreasonable standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\"><li><strong>NO TIME OFF<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">If\nyou find that you\u2019re working all day and then proceed to take your work home\nwith you, you\u2019re headed straight for burnout. Constantly working, dealing with\nphone calls, emails and, failing to have a distinct boundary between you and\nyour work, will make you too accessible and will eventually blur the line\nbetween who you are as a person and who you are as an employee. Living this way\ncan be extremely depleting and draining.<a href=\"#_ftn3\">[3]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/embed\/VIKOfvqJHcVDrdVivT\" width=\"480\" height=\"470\" frameBorder=\"0\" class=\"giphy-embed\" allowFullScreen><\/iframe><p><a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/work-freelance-overwork-VIKOfvqJHcVDrdVivT\">via GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">After\ndealing with these high stress situations and others, how can you tell you\u2019re not\njust overwhelmed but burned out?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>EXHAUSTION<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">Feeling\nextremely tired and drained is one of the symptoms of burnout. Essentially,\nafter giving your all for a while you don\u2019t have much left to give. When you\u2019re\nexhausted you generally don\u2019t have enough energy to carry out various\nactivities throughout the day. This is then accompanied by mental exhaustion where\nyou lack the fortitude to actively participate in the present moment. You\u2019ll\nnotice that your mind keeps wandering off and you find it difficult to focus on\nspecific tasks.<a href=\"#_ftn4\">[4]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\"><li><strong>DECENTRALISATION AND CYNICISM<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">This\nhappens when you detach yourself from your work and your colleagues and have a\nnegative attitude towards everything. You lose interest in your work and may\neven begin to get existential about it and ask questions like \u201cWhat\u2019s the point\nof it all?\u201d. You also notice that you can\u2019t focus or concentrate on your work\nand what was once a source of meaning and purpose now becomes an agonising\ndrag.<a href=\"#_ftn5\">[5]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\"><li><strong>A SENSE OF LACK OF ACCOMPLISHMENT<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">At\nthis point, you begin to doubt that you are doing your job well and are\ndissatisfied with your work. You become more self-critical and this can\neventually lead to depression. Feelings of hopelessness may begin to creep in\nand lead you to a downward spiral.<a href=\"#_ftn6\">[6]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\"><li><strong>WEAKENED IMMUNITY<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">When\nyou\u2019re burned out, you generally forget to take care of your wellbeing. This\nmeans that you\u2019re not getting enough sleep and you\u2019re also not eating well.\nThis weakens your immunity and makes your body susceptible to a host of illnesses\nsuch as the common cold. Lack of sleep also results in headaches and heightened\nanxiety.<a href=\"#_ftn7\">[7]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>MANAGING AND AVOIDING BURNOUT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/embed\/3o6fJ7t9bStc0lZfws\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" frameBorder=\"0\" class=\"giphy-embed\" allowFullScreen><\/iframe><p><a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/animation-illustration-3o6fJ7t9bStc0lZfws\">via GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>EAT\nWELL AND GET SOME SLEEP<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">In\norder to ensure that your mind is able to deal with the demands of your work\nyou must begin by taking care of yourself. Eating the right foods and getting\nenough sleep is important for your physical and mental health. Sometimes you\u2019ll\nfind yourself in a bind and you\u2019ll have to skip the occasional healthy meal or\npull an all-nighter. Be sure to make up for this as soon as you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\"><li><strong>TAKE SOME TIME OFF<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">After a while, the routine of your work can get a bit boring. Take some time off to recharge and reset. Even the greatest artists take time off to gather new and fresh ideas and inspiration. Make use of your leave days to mentally recover from the stress and completely <a href=\"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/striking-a-healthy-work-life-balance\/\"><em><strong>detach from your work environment. <\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\"><li><strong>TALK TO SOMEONE<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">Another way to relieve a little pressure is to share your problems, thoughts, and concerns with someone who genuinely cares about your well-being. It could be a spouse, your best friend, a neighbour, or a trusted co-worker to release some of that bottled-up frustration and despair. Believe it or not, a therapist would be the best person to listen and guide you through your struggles. Lose the misconception that professional help is shameful or for \u2018professional problems\u2019. Just like you fuel yourself with healthy food and exercise your body, your mind needs maintenance too. \u00a0At the end of the day, you are not Atlas [Greek Titan who held the sky up] and you cannot carry the weight of the world on your shoulders all by yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can visit <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindgarden.com\/117-maslach-burnout-inventory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">https:\/\/www.mindgarden.com\/117-maslach-burnout-inventory<\/a> <\/em>to take the Maslach Burnout Inventory and find out whether you\u2019re \u00a0suffering from burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">Burnout happens because we&#8217;re not often aware of where our boundaries and limits are until we&#8217;ve surpassed them. We often let things go on too long while the stress piles up and leaves us feeling crushed under all the pressure. No matter what kind of job you have and how much you love and enjoy it, without a pit stop you are likely to suffer from burnout. Take time to rest and unwind. Recharge your batteries by doing something that calms you down and brings you joy and you\u2019ll find that your stress and exhaustion will slowly become a thing of the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color\">Mshimba Michelle<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmarschaufeli.nl\/publications\/Schaufeli\/481.pdf\">https:\/\/www.wilmarschaufeli.nl\/publications\/Schaufeli\/481.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/job-factors-that-contribute-to-employee-burnout-3144512\">https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/job-factors-that-contribute-to-employee-burnout-3144512<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref3\">[3]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wgu.edu\/blog\/workplace-burnout-causes-effects-solutions1906.html\">https:\/\/www.wgu.edu\/blog\/workplace-burnout-causes-effects-solutions1906.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/stress-and-burnout-symptoms-and-causes-3144516\">https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/stress-and-burnout-symptoms-and-causes-3144516<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref5\">[5]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/learnvest\/2013\/04\/01\/10-signs-youre-burning-out-and-what-to-do-about-it\/#7514855d625b\">https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/learnvest\/2013\/04\/01\/10-signs-youre-burning-out-and-what-to-do-about-it\/#7514855d625b<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref6\">[6]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/high-octane-women\/201311\/the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them\">https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/high-octane-women\/201311\/the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref7\">[7]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ada.com\/signs-of-burnout\/\">https:\/\/ada.com\/signs-of-burnout\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On average, a work week can take up to thirty-four hours. And in an effort to excel and climb up the corporate ladder it is easy to stretch yourself thin. The term \u2018burnout\u2019 was coined in 1974 by a psychologist named Herbert J. Freudenberger who used the term to describe his colleagues state of wellbeing after tending to patients in a free health clinic. He noticed that many of the doctors, nurses and social workers became lethargic, less motivated and didn\u2019t do a good job overall even though they deeply cared about their work.[1] Even if you like your job,\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[102],"tags":[],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":5}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4843"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4843"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4853,"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4843\/revisions\/4853"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmc.ke\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}