Job Burnout

If you are physically or emotionally exhausted, often feel like you are not accomplishing what you want, feel different and not enjoying being social or doing the fun activities you normally do, it is possible you have job burnout. 

Stress and burnout are two very different things. Stress is a normal part of life and sometimes a bit of stress is good, but burnout is a much bigger problem. It is not something diagnosed by a doctor and you could see a doctor about it but you can identify and treat it yourself. You will definitely know if what you are feeling is burnout. 

The symptoms of job burn out are : 

• Decreased productivity and concentration
• Dragging yourself to work and feeling stuck there
• Regular procrastination, leaving tasks to the last minute
• Constantly worrying and feeling stressed  
• Lack of sleep
• Weight gain or loss
• Headaches
• Constipation
• High heart rate
• Panic attacks

It can be hard to recognize the symptoms and they come and go. Identifying what is causing it will help manage your mental health at work. The most common causes of job burnout are:

• Lack of control. Not having a say in your schedule, tasks and things in the workplace. 
• Unclear expectations. Not understanding what your role is, what your manager and colleagues are expecting from you.
• Unreasonable workload - Having too little to do that it is boring or having so much that it is overwhelming, heavy and tiring. 

Other things happening in our lives can sometimes lead or contribute to work burnout. Every situation is different and asking yourself if your workload really is unreasonable or if something else is going on can help identify and solve problems. 

So what can you do if you are burnt out? 

• Practice mindfulness, exercise, eat healthy and get plenty of sleep. 
• Take time off. It is okay to do that. Call in sick, take a mental health day or take a few days off. You could even go on a short trip somewhere. It will be a short break to tempoarily forget things and the issues and stress will still be there when you return, but sometimes being away from the office, in a new setting can help you relax, enjoy some activities you may have been missing, and give you time to think about things and explore options. 
• Identify the job stressors such as lack of support or difficult colleagues.
• Speak to your manager and be honest about how you are feeling. He or she can help you find solutions and make changes, like removing some tasks or getting extra help. 
• Talk to a family member or someone you trust. Even if they can't help, they will care and listen to you. 

If you are feeling burnt out or not well, you won't be able to take care of others or do your job well. The most important thing is your health and happiness.