Work burnout can be debilitating and frustrating, and it’s on the rise in the American workforce. A new Gallup-Workhuman report found that 25% of employees describe being burned out at work “very often” or “always”—meaning that, for a quarter of the workforce, energy, motivation and productivity are declining. The more severe your burnout, the more difficult it is to fulfill your professional obligations. So it’s important to recognize the symptoms and know how to recover.
Four Symptoms Of Burnout
Many people treat burnout as stress and try to push through it, but stress and burnout are not the same. The fatigue that comes with burnout is different from the stress you might have after a long day or week’s work. The fatigue can be so severe that it’s crippling. And although there’s controversy over the incidences of burnout, it’s real. You can’t cure burnout by taking an extended vacation, slowing down or working fewer hours. Once burnout takes hold, you’re out of gas, and you’ve given up all hope of surmounting your obstacles.
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially classified burnout as a medical diagnosis, including the condition in the International Classification of Diseases: “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Burnout is diagnosed by four symptoms:
- Feelings of energy depletion, exhaustion and fatigue
- Increased mental distance from your job
- Feelings of negativism or cynicism related to your job
- Reduced professional efficacy
As the workplace headed into 2022—the third year of the pandemic—the rise of job burnout jumped to an all-time high. The American Psychological Association’s Work and Well-Being survey found that 79% of the 1,501 employees experienced work-related stress in the month before the survey. Three in five workers said work-related stress caused them to have a lack of interest, motivation and energy at work. A total of 36% had cognitive weariness, 32% emotional exhaustion and 44% physical fatigue—a 38% jump from 2019.
Strategies To Recover From Job Burnout
“Burnout can have a major impact on the overall well-being of people, causing a strain on their lives inside and outside of the workplace,” said Dr. Meisha-ann Martin, senior director of people analytics at Workhuman. “When a workplace culture doesn’t feel psychologically safe for employees, they don’t have the support they need to bring their whole selves to work, increasing the risk of vulnerability being met by negative consequences. A psychologically safe workplace is one that recognizes the whole human and celebrates its humans for moments that go beyond the workplace.” But work performance and well-being don’t have to come at the expense of sweat equity, burnout or loss of mental and physical health. Here are strategies to recover from burnout:
Strategies To Recover From Job Burnout
“Burnout can have a major impact on the overall well-being of people, causing a strain on their lives inside and outside of the workplace,” said Dr. Meisha-ann Martin, senior director of people analytics at Workhuman. “When a workplace culture doesn’t feel psychologically safe for employees, they don’t have the support they need to bring their whole selves to work, increasing the risk of vulnerability being met by negative consequences. A psychologically safe workplace is one that recognizes the whole human and celebrates its humans for moments that go beyond the workplace.” But work performance and well-being don’t have to come at the expense of sweat equity, burnout or loss of mental and physical health. Here are strategies to recover from burnout:
