Work-Related Stress
According to the Health Safety and environment formal definition, work-related stress is: “The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work.”
What is Burnout
According to the world health Organisation; burnout is defined in ICD-11( International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). It is defined as a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
1. feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
2. increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
3. reduced professional efficacy.
Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.
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Why People Burnout
According to a recent ResumeLab survey, 88% of American workers have experienced burnout at some point in their careers, and 67% are currently experiencing burnout, 40% have experienced signs of burnout multiple times in their career, and 69% of those who have experienced burnout said it has led them to quit their jobs.
57% indicated that the leading causes of burnout are too much work, 34 said it was as a result of toxic work culture, 31% said it was due to constant interruptions, 30% said their burnout was due to having to work overtime and on the weekends regularly, and 30% indicated burnout was because of unrealistic deadlines or expectations from management.
How to Mitigate Bornout.
These are external factors that we have mentioned, But there are things one can do to stop burnout before one breaks down. Especially working from home.
1. Create Boundaries
David Magnani, president of consulting services at M&A Executive Search; said “The key to avoiding work burnout is all about creating boundaries,”
Magnani talked about the advantage of the traditional work setting in helping to create a boundary, there is an opening hour, closing hour, it’s easier to separate work life from home life.
“The key to working virtually and avoiding work burnout is to re-establish boundaries using similar mechanisms.”
Magnani advised that just like a traditional setting, a space at home also should be dedicated to working. Dress up in the morning, and maintain strict work hours. “Let most phone calls outside of those hours go to voicemail,” he said. “Only follow up on business calls during your business hours.”
2. Take Short Breaks Throughout the Day
Dr. Lisa M. Webb, a licensed clinical psychologist and entrepreneur mentioned “Our brains work best when we have periodic breaks,” Webb recommends you take a 10-15 minutes break for every 90 minutes of work. “Time between focused chunks of work is part of the recharge our brains need and is necessary to avoid burnout,” she said.
3. Schedule Downtime for relaxation
Swati Chalumuri, a personal finance blogger at HearMeFolks.com. advised.
“Schedule time to spend away from tech and your house [or office], refresh your mind by taking walks, going to the gym, or doing any other activity that has nothing to do with work or family.”
4. Get Enough Sleep
Taylor Morgan, a high-performance coach and founder of The Captain’s Lifestyle Program has advised that depriving the brain of recovery and repair declines performance.
“This leaves you feeling tired in the mornings and sluggish throughout your day. Brain fog kicks in and steals your productivity. You’re more irritable and easily stressed out. Because you’re physically and mentally drained,…, So get more sleep”
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5. Reach Out To Your Manager and Co-Workers If You Are Struggling.
The ResumeLab found that 37% of employees who have dealt with burnout did not want to talk about it with their employer for embarrassment, fear of losing their jobs, or fear of a poor relationship with their employer. Talk to someone, ask for help.
Tony Giacobbe, senior talent acquisition consultant at Marsh McLennan said:
“You should stay in regular contact with your manager and colleagues during the working week, Don’t be afraid of reaching out if you’re struggling with a particular project and/or feel that your mental health is in jeopardy. Your co-workers are likely to appreciate the contact and take measures to reduce the burden, hopefully before it becomes too large a problem.”
