Burnout. Recognising the signs & working towards a work-life balance.

As the nights draw in & there is a chill in the air, there is no denying that Autumn is upon us.

After one of the hottest summers on record & heatwaves creating challenges for businesses & employees alike; now is the time to shake out the winter jumpers & start to hunker down for the approaching Autumn/Winter months ahead.

It is also at this time of year that a lot of people may start to feel a little more tired than usual. 2022 has been a challenging year, especially for those living in the UK. With the cost of living rising, an energy crisis creating an enormous strain, a new Prime Minister & the sudden death of Queen Elizabeth II; it is no wonder that some might be feeling a little out of sorts both mentally & physically.

Work related stress & employment related mental health concerns, can be difficult to spot & recognise.

Many employees accept feeling tired, irritable & lacking energy as part of the expectations of modern working patterns & expectations. However, what can be missed all too often, is that an employee could be suffering from work related burnout.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised burnout as an “organisational phenomena” in 2019 & not a medical condition. The WHO cited “burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” (1) making it increasingly difficult for medical professionals to clearly identify that a patients symptoms are as a direct result of their working environment & expectations.

Therefore, how do the symptoms of ‘burn-out’ actually manifest themselves? Every person reacts differently to work related stress & mental illness, but some of the physical & emotional signals are:

Alienation & withdrawal from work-related activities: People experiencing burnout view their employment status as increasingly stressful & frustrating. They may become disaffected about their working conditions & their work colleagues, senior members of staff & even their employers themselves.
Physical symptoms (this list is not exhaustive): Chronic work related stress symptoms may manifest themselves as headaches, stomach aches, feeling dizzy & nauseas or suffering with intestinal issues.
Emotional exhaustion: Burnout causes people to feel mentally & physically drained, often feeling unable to cope & feeling extremely tired, lacking energy to get their work done & often times feeling irrational about otherwise seemingly simple tasks.
Reduction in performance: Burnout can affect everyday tasks at work, with individuals feeling negatively about completing tasks & finding concentrating a challenge & often lack creativity or drive to engage in anything. (2)

These are only a few of the signs & signals that an employee could be suffering from or on the verge of burnout.

Therefore, how can individuals try & prevent these symptoms & strive to find a semblance of work life balance? Virtually Smart Ltd have compiled some ideas to help.

Note: Virtually Smart Ltd are not medical or mental health experts. If you feel unwell, are suffering with mental health issues or feel you are suffering with burnout; please do contact your General Practitioner.

Mindfulness

Practising ‘Mindfulness’ can take on so very many different forms, but the main element which can be beneficial in a stressful environment, is the notion of being mindful & in the moment. Some mindfulness practitioners advocate that even the smallest moments throughout the day, can have the greatest impact.

One such example is the notion of stealing a few moments outside, breathing in the air, being aware of your surroundings, which in turn can give the brain time to ‘re-boot’ helping you to be more proactive & productive upon your return to the work environment.

If you are unable to remove yourself entirely from the working environment, then perhaps creating a thankful list is another mindfulness technique. Consider all of the things you are thankful for in your life & write them down in a diary or notebook.

When you are feeling overwhelmed; access this part of yourself & remind yourself of the life you have beyond work, creating a sense of calm to your overworked mind.

Getting enough sleep & avoiding screen time before bed

It is no great secret that plenty of rest & good quality sleep enables the body & mind to rejuvenate. However, research also proves that being on a phone or having screen time right up to the moment of sleep doesn’t allow the brain to unwind enough & can make the brain too active to be able to produce what is known as ‘good quality sleep’.

Too much screen time directly before sleep, can act a little like having too much alcohol & can cause the same symptoms as an alcohol related hangover the following day. Going to work already feeling befuddled & lethargic; cannot set anyone up well for the day ahead.

Eating plenty of fruits & vegetables, hydration & exercise

Eating well not only fuels the body, but also the mind. Ensuring you strive to ensure you eat a well balanced diet, can for some, be challenge. However, with an ever more mindful focus on eating well & health; the options & availability are endless.

Keeping hydrated & avoiding copious amounts of caffeine throughout a working day, can help body & mind. Your brain needs fluids to remain active & can become dehydrated if not hydrated effectively. Plenty of water, low sugar juices & fruit teas are a refreshing way to remain hydrated. Often when people feel hungry, it is actually that they are thirsty; such is the power of the bodies needs for hydration.

Fitting exercise into the very busy lives we all lead, can be challenge. But there are so many ways to incorporate even small amounts of exercise into a week. Simple things like a brief brisk walk, if you have a dog, taking them for a walk, can make a huge impact on your overall wellbeing.

Phone apps with 5/10/15 minute workouts are readily available & could be incorporated into a morning routine, lunchtime or even before bed.

Many companies are now offering discounted gym membership or even onsite gyms & exercise programmes for employees, often free of charge.

This is no quick fix & with the pressures on the UK workforce being considerable; striving & sometimes fighting for a semblance of a work life balance is a challenge.

But we can find ways of reminding ourselves that there is a life beyond employment & those moments, those memories are what needs to be held on to, if you feel yourself slipping towards burnout.

Written by Katy-Jane Mason on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd.