How to Overcome Burnout Syndrome

"It's not something you notice all of a sudden. It is a process that develops little by little. It starts with the bewilderment of not knowing what is happening to him, this difficulty getting out of bed and going to work. You don't rest at night because your head gets tangled up with work problems. Start being pessimistic. He sees things worse than they really are, and what was once mere inconveniences have become major problems. All this puts you in a bad mood, and the people around you pay. Little by little, you isolate yourself, your personal self-esteem collapses, and you begin to doubt even your own professional abilities."

With these words, a person affected by burnout syndrome (word in English that could be translated as "total burnout") describes the process he goes through. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined it as chronic stress associated with work, with three clear consequences: the feeling of profound exhaustion, a negative attitude towards work, and a reduction in professional effectiveness. Covid-19 accentuated these symptoms. "We started to feel more vulnerable by the events, and we were more prone to exhaust ourselves in our work," reflects Antonio Pamos, Ph.D. in Psychology and professor at the Universidad Camilo José Cela, in Madrid.

Burnout is not just a problem for those who suffer from it, but for the organization and society as a whole. According to Jennifer Moss, author of The Burnout Epidemic("The Burnout Epidemic," book not yet translated into Brazil), this syndrome results in the loss of almost 100 billion dollars in world productivity per year, an expenditure of 190 billion in medical care and the death of 120,000 people per year. Only in the United States because of exhaustion. We are talking about a severe problem that harms many people, transcends the work environment, and affects not only those within an organization but all types of professionals, such as freelancers and entrepreneurs. It even affects relatives and friends who live with someone in this state of chronic tension.

Against this, both corporations and those affected need to take action. "Falling into this syndrome takes time; get out of it, too. In some cases, we need to rely on specialists. In others, we can self-regulate if we act on different levels: physiological, emotional and mental", explains Pamos.

The first step is to recognize that we are exhausted. We can all suffer from this syndrome, but it seems that there are more prone people. For example, located or highly dedicated people can suffer the consequences more intensely. This is the case with teachers, nurses, or third sector professionals. According to the study by Sharon Maylor of Walden University, some traits make us more vulnerable to burnout. For example, perfectionists, introverts, and overly analytical individuals are more sensitive to possible risks, not impulsive, take too much responsibility for what happens, and are more likely to suffer. Therefore, to reduce the impact of burnout in our life, we need to improve our self-knowledge learning to identify what happens to us.

One of the levels you need to work on is the physiological one. "We should try to eliminate anxiety through relaxation techniques, improving breathing or mindfulness, for example," suggests Pamos. In addition, it's essential to take time to take care of yourself, as one study showed. According to an analysis by Yu Tse Heng and Kira Schabram of the University of Washington, people who devoted 10 minutes a day to self-care, using relaxation techniques, cooking healthy foods, or even taking a nap, reduced their perception of burnout the next day. . In addition, practicing compassion helped to reduce the cynicism derived from burnout.

Another symptom of this syndrome is the perception of isolation. The way to avoid it is to act on the emotional level – open up to new conversations with loved ones, ask for help to get out of the mental loop we are in and remember how we were before we were like this. Not out of nostalgia, but to understand that this is a temporary state, not something inherent. That we can get out of this. As one person who has had burnout recognizes: "You turn into someone toxic because you are in a bad way and surround yourself with equally toxic people, who complain about everything that happens." The goal is to know how to say no to these relationships and start surrounding yourself with more positive people, with more loving conversations.

Finally, the mental level consists of broadening our personal perspective. We dedicate many hours to work, but this is only a part of ourselves. Valuing what we already have, such as our family, health, and friends helps to relativize and put professional problems and the burnout associated with them in their proper place. Of course, achieving this attitude takes time. Sometimes outside help is needed; at other times, decisions have to be made, such as changing jobs or friendships, but the important thing is to act to get out of this exhaustion, for yourself and the people who love us.

Thanks for reading. Have a great day!