What is burnout syndrome and how to recognize it?

Most professionals nowadays keep a very demanding working style. Perhaps, from the moment you arrive to the office or connect from your home office, you are overwhelmed by emails, requests, calls, scheduled tasks, unexpected tasks, asap assignments, etc. All this ritual repeats daily from Monday to Friday and even happens out of your working hours. As a consequence, this working pace disrupts people’s life. 

Is here when the burnout syndrome usually appears, which is not a minor issue. In fact, this is such an important subject that many companies take into account through the Human Resources area. Do you know what is burnout syndrome? At T2W we have a wide experience in talent management and we can help you. In this article we will delve into the burnout syndrome and how to recognize it. 

What is burnout syndrome? 

The burnout syndrome is a psychological condition that occurs when there are high levels of stress at work. While stress is a standard element in today’s work world, it can cause the burnout syndrome when it becomes a chronic issue and extends for a long period of time. The increasingly demanding workloads require the active participation of companies to resolve this and other similar problems.  

Actions such as creating employee wellness programs and respecting the digital disconnection can be very helpful. It’s also worth noticing that this isn’t a problem related just to the work environment. This syndrome also can happen as a consequence of a particularly intense academic routine. 

Symptoms of the burnout syndrome 

While the burnout syndrome at work causes different consequences, there are 3 main signs that can help you identify this problem: 

1. Work exhaustion 

This usually happens when you assign too much time and energy in a task or project. Making an excessive effort at work can be detrimental since it could end up affecting the regular performance at work. You can identify if you have work exhaustion by performing a quick self-assessment. Ask yourself the following questions: What are your energy levels once your working hours are over? Do you usually have energy for some other activities such as going to the gym or gathering with friends? How easy is it for you to get up in the morning during a regular workday?  

Symptoms of physical exhaustion  

Physical symptoms of exhaustion usually include body aches of muscular origin, generally caused by stress. Also, having headaches can become normal. Additionally, the impact of work over the person can cause fatigue and negative changes in eating habits. Finally, it’s important to notice that some women can experience changes in their regular menstrual cycle. 

Symptoms of mental exhaustion  

In terms of mental exhaustion, the burnout syndrome usually causes irritability and depression. This can have a significant effect on your regular habits. In general, there could be cases of insomnia that repeat constantly. Another clear sign of exhaustion is a decrease in the concentration spam. 

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2. Personality changes 

The burnout syndrome usually causes changes in personality. There is usually a sense of detachment and disconnection from the work. The person feels isolated from the rest of people, especially the ones inside the work environment. Therefore, there is an attitude of indifference and lack of empathy towards the rest, which frequently causes conflicts with coworkers. 

3. Lack of self-steam 

The last and most visible of the symptoms is the loss of self-steam at work. The person perceives negatively the professional performance he or she has. There is a sense of insufficiency and uselessness for the position. In the eyes of that person, it’s never possible to successfully complete the work. As a result, the performance falls drastically. 

Difference between stress and burnout 

Since stress is now part of the working style of the 21 century, how can we tell that we are experiencing the burnout syndrome and not just stress? What are the differences between stress and burnout? In general, stress causes problems with physical consequences while the burnout syndrome has physical and emotional consequences on people. 

Additionally, stress tends to make employees spend more time than healthy on the job and it gives a sense of urgency and anxiety. However, the burnout syndrome causes people to lose the will to keep working, motivation fades completely and there are cases of depression. These are the signs that will help you distinguish stress from burnout. 

Now you know what is burnout at work and how it can affect you. Learn to recognize these symptoms and make the necessary actions to deal with this problem. Nothing is as important as your physical and mental health. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.