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Picture this scenario: you arrive late for work then days because you hardly get enough sleep. Less sleep means a dull and drowsy wake and all you remember is dragging yourself to work.
Job burnout is what happens when job stress is unattended to. Everything in you has simply had it when it comes to this job.
It's not just about the physical exhaustion but also the psychological and emotional exhaustion. So apart from dealing with heavy workloads and long hours of work the frustration of not being able to "get a grip” is also an issue. You just feel like a "tool” been used, no one gives you the opportunity to make meaningful contributions or suggestions, you just "do as you are told".
Before we go any further let's do a quick check on the common causes of job burnout. How do you know if your lights are totally off and need a break, new challenge or job?
Causes of Job Burnout
- Overwork
- Little or no control over your job
- Too many constraints on how to do your job
- Compulsory overtime
- Random wage deductions
- Frequent layoffs /job insecurity
- Inadequate breaks
- Long working hours
- Exclusion in decision making
- Dangerous or unpleasant working conditions
So what signs or symptoms should you look out for to know if you or anyone in your workplace is burnt out?
- Fatigue
- Highly irritable
- Frequent anxiety attacks
- Loss of appetite or overeating
- Weight gain
- Teeth clenching /grinding
- Drug/alcohol abuse
- Insomnia
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Overly emotional
- Head aches
- Low sex drive
- Feelings of emptiness
- Absenteeism
These signs and symptoms are not to be overlooked as anyone manifesting majority of the above may need to see a Mental health professional (psychologist, psychotherapist).
It's important for managers to note that the best staff are mostly the ones that get burnt out and overwork is the main culprit in this case. Human beings can get "overheated "is just like any machine being overused. The "overwork" situation can also be that the worker is unable to "meet up” with the workload and becomes depressed that he's always "falling short ".
What can be done to nip job stress, and eventually burn out, in the bud?
Short breaks from work (vacation) can be beneficial especially in situations where the issue is about being overworked. But if there is an issue with the work situation or working conditions, it would have to be addressed; no amount of breaks would resolve that.
Sometimes taking on something more challenging (mentally) like a professional course will be the therapy.
As a manager, supervisor or business owner don't be too rigid to listen to your employees. There may be better or more flexible ways of carrying out certain tasks. Give your workers the liberty to suggest methods they think they can incorporate to make their work less stressful. As long as it boosts productivity there's no harm in adopting new methods.
Motivational speaker, Mike Murdock, has always said, "go where you are celebrated "is so don't be afraid to take a work if you feel you are being underutilized or not appreciated.
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