Burnout versus stress

Job or occupational burnout is different from simply feeling stressed at work. Stress, when experienced in small amounts and for short periods of time, can help to increase alertness, motivation, and performance.

However, when stress persists for a long time and is not successfully managed, it can start to have the opposite effect on your physical and mental health, and can result in burnout.

Reasons for job stress include:

Experiencing high pressure to complete large volumes of work or work at a level of difficulty beyond your ability
Not being provided with the resources needed to complete your work
Not receiving recognition or reward for your work
Not having autonomy or control over your work
Not finding your work interesting or challenging enough
Working in a disorganised environment where you lack clarity about your role
Not receiving adequate support in your role

What is Burnout

Burnout is often described as a sense of
feeling worn out or exhausted, physically or
emotionally. It can impact both your work
and personal life.

Common signs of burnout include:

Difficulty performing basic tasks or completing work efficiently
Feeling unmotivated to engage in work and activities that you normally enjoy
Not deriving satisfaction from accomplishments
Feeling cynical or apathetic (not caring) about work or other things
Impaired concentration
Feeling empty
Feeling irritable or impatient
Withdrawing from people in your life, and feeling distanced from colleagues

Managing burnout

Try to change the situation. Talk to your manager about your concerns, and work with them to make changes or solve problems.
If things at your current job are unlikely to change, consider switching jobs.
Seek support from colleagues, friends, and loved ones.
Engage in activities that promote good mental health. These include physical activity such as yoga or tai chi and mindfulness practice.
Work on getting adequate amounts of sleep and maintaining a healthy diet.
Take regular time out from work and set clear boundaries between work and personal time.

You can read more about burnout and how to manage it at https://au.reachout.com/articles/what-is-burnout

What to do

If you think that you are experiencing job burnout and would like further support in managing it, our team of experienced Psychologists are here to help. Contact us by calling 0480 273 939 or sending an email to info@mindinmindpsychology.com.au. You can also visit our website to submit an enquiry: https://www.mindinmindpsychology.com.au/contact-us

Written by Dr Rui Ying Yew, Mind in Mind Psychology

How do I know that I’m experiencing burnout?