What is burnout at work: symptoms, how to cope

The fashionable term "burnout" is familiar to Russians due to emotional, physical and psychological fatigue. The causes of this condition are considered to be prolonged stress, excessive workload and endless routine. Who is susceptible to burnout, how to prevent emotional exhaustion and regain interest in life — in the material of Izvestia.

Is it good to be a perfectionist

When it comes to burnout, first of all, this condition is usually associated with fatigue from work. According to a study by the NAFI analytical center and the Roscongress Foundation, 45% of Russians have ever experienced professional burnout, and 15% are currently experiencing it. Those who have to interact with people for a long time are most often affected — doctors, nurses, teachers, psychologists, representatives of the service sector. Public Relations Manager "Salaries.<url>" Tatiana Starostina notes that work related to communication is always accompanied by emotional costs. Monotonous, routine activities also become the cause of burnout, especially if they do not bring financial satisfaction. Employees are also mentally and physically exhausted by strict deadlines, a wide variety of tasks, ineffective leadership, and conflict situations in the team.

Daria Serebryakova, a senior psychologist at the rehabilitation center of Dr. Isaev's "Double Diagnosis" clinic, names the fanatical expectation that everything should be perfect at work as one of the reasons for the unpleasant condition. This trait, on the one hand, actually contributes to high results in some cases, and on the other hand, it leads to unrealistic dreams and unjustified hopes. Perfectionists often feel disappointed, especially if they receive low financial rewards. High expectations from work, according to the psychologist, lead to the emergence of the so-called God complex, when it seems to a person that he can do anything. In the absence of high results, such an employee falls into despair.

— It is also bad if people are focused only on high results at work, ignoring other areas of life. In this case, they are misallocating their strength and energy," says Serebryakova.

The data from the Salary study.<url>", based on estimates from company representatives, indicate that many employees experience symptoms of burnout about once every six months or a year. The main symptoms of burnout at work are sleep disorders, changes in appetite, cravings for psychoactive substances, and irritability. People's ability to work decreases, interest in the profession decreases, and chronic fatigue appears. As a result, they make a lot of mistakes and delay completing tasks.

Working moment

Eventually, both employees and employers suffer from burnout. Some people have to endure boring jobs or quit, while others face constant staff turnover.

Company executives try to protect valuable subordinates. First of all, psychologists work with specialists who are tired of work. Sometimes such a service is even included in the LCA. One-on-one meetings with superiors for a heart-to-heart conversation are also effective. "Burned out" employees, by agreement with their supervisors, are allowed to take unplanned days off for 1-2 days. In large organizations, attention is paid to corporate sports — it is believed that such a hobby provides the necessary relaxation and unites the team. They discuss financial motivation options with desperate people and, if necessary, transfer them to another position or department.

— Sometimes, even if an employee has already received an invitation to a new job, they may be offered a so—called supervisor in their home organization - a profitable option with more tempting conditions. This tool for retaining good specialists is used regardless of the position level. According to our data, employers manage to retain 21% of their employees in this way," says Starostina.

If the specialist has not been able to find a common language with the team and the management, does not maintain the working pace, then it simply does not make sense to keep him so that the production process does not suffer.

Tatiana Starostina notes that, despite temporary emotional difficulties, office workers and knowledge workers try to hold on to their places. The stability and reliability of the employer is important to them. The situation with blue—collar workers — representatives of working professions - is different. The demand for such workers has been consistently high in recent years, and they find good jobs without much difficulty.

To avoid burnout at work, experts advise taking care of yourself and your health first. It is necessary to adhere to the regime, go to bed on time, eat a balanced diet and lead an active lifestyle. Walking in the fresh air helps a workaholic to recharge and relieve mild tension.

— Avoid overworking. Don't stay late at work. Working 24/7 will not be effective — sooner or later you will start making mistakes due to overwork. And do not forget that the quality of work directly depends on the quality of rest. It is important to have a good rest on weekends, completely disconnecting from what is happening at work, the psychologist suggests.

According to the expert, ideally, spending time on weekends is the opposite of what you do at work. That is, to have hobbies and hobbies that are not related to the profession.

A child's question

Russians put fatigue, which is caused by parental responsibilities, in the second place in terms of burnout.

— Parenting is often taken for granted in our society - an activity devoid of increased value. But moms and dads often face physical and emotional exhaustion, which leads to burnout, warns Daria Serebryakova.

First of all, we are talking about young mothers, especially if they take their duties with increased responsibility. Tired and exhausted women experience frequent mood swings. They are characterized by constant fatigue and irritability, and sometimes they feel hopeless. All this leads to a loss of interest in everyday life, it becomes difficult to find joy in familiar things.

— Burnout sometimes leads to nervous breakdowns and extreme child abuse. Most often, women who commit irreparable acts are in a state of psychosis at this moment and do not realize the actual nature of their actions and consequences," the psychologist continues.

Daria Serebryakova emphasizes that it is especially important for loved ones to pay attention to mothers, who sometimes find it difficult to cope with parental tasks. This is especially true for women who are on maternity leave. You can't devalue their lives with common phrases.: "When I was your age, I didn't consider such worries to be hard work," or "You're sitting at home doing nothing." The psychologist advises women themselves to defend their boundaries.

— It is important that your loved ones realize the value of your work, and your children do not take care of them as something they take for granted. Let your family give you the opportunity to relax. Choose your priorities, don't take on all the tasks. You're not a superhero, so identify what's really important and focus on it," the psychologist comments.

In order not to bring burnout to a critical point, you should seek help and support from family, friends or specialists.

It's also important to find time for relaxation and hobbies, and to maintain social connections, even if it's just a short phone conversation with a friend. Socializing can be found in the yard on the playground or in the park for a walk. Sometimes, in order to get rid of anxiety, it's enough to find out that other moms have problems that seem overwhelming. Communication helps to get out of a vicious circle and not lose faith in yourself.

— Teach children independence. Yes, it takes time, but it will eventually make your daily life easier," Serebryakova urges.

Psychiatrist and sexologist Alexey Vilkov links the causes of parental burnout to work fatigue, external stress, as well as the problems and contradictions that are inevitable in the relationship between fathers and children during adolescence.

— It is important for parents to find time for personal recreation and for spending time together — family communication, hiking and trips. This will allow you to relieve tension and effectively solve accumulated problems," says the expert.

Burnout with cooling

Marital relationships can also come to naught if people get tired of each other. In any family, there is a period when there is fatigue from living together, Alexey Vilkov emphasizes.

— There are three types of crises — mild, medium and protracted. Any crisis is usually temporary, and then a quiet period begins, and life returns to its usual measured course. If the partners have unsolvable domestic problems, as well as obvious differences in characters, worldviews and habits, then the contradictions can drag on. Then the relationship deteriorates significantly and may end in separation," the expert warns.

According to Daria Serebryakova, misunderstandings and disagreements can overshadow even the very beginning of a life together, when the spouses are just getting used to each other. Over time, when questions arise about having children, career changes, or other important life steps, new-level conflicts arise. Further disagreements may be caused by the adolescence of children — this creates additional pressures on the relationship of partners.

— When sons and daughters grow up and leave home, spouses are left alone with each other. It is often at this stage that the greatest number of disagreements arise. And if the parents have nothing to fill the void, then a crack may form in the relationship. By this point, everyone in a couple needs to have their own hobbies, hobbies, jobs, and fill their lives with interesting moments so that marital relationships can last for a long time," says Daria Serebryakova.

In the case of emotional burnout in family relationships, even the most minor quarrels can inflame the situation. That is why it is so important to resolve all issues in a timely manner, experts emphasize. To avoid a crisis in a relationship, it is recommended that you regularly discuss your feelings, expectations, and worries with your partner.

In order for the crisis to be short-lived, and disagreements to arise as rarely as possible, the sexologist advises partners to find time to relax together. At the same time, it is important to respect the feelings, opinions and needs of the other half. It doesn't hurt for spouses to have a few common goals. Then it's easier to reach a compromise and there will always be something to talk about. Positive emotions together will help to get rid of stress and fatigue. In critical situations, experts advise seeking help from family therapists or psychologists.

— It is important that the spouses learn to work on their own with anxiety and stress, which are associated with external factors. This means that you do not need to bring negative things into your home and pour them out on your loved ones, for example, at work and on public transport," advises Alexey Vilkov.

Globally, if there are more pluses and positives than minuses, then the family will remain united and strong, achieve harmony in the relationship no matter what, the sexologist encourages.