Burnout in the Corporate Sector

The symptoms of Burnout can be debilitating & overwhelming, although there is a level of assurance that many of us are suffering from parallel symptoms; we can learn to manage these more effectively if we learn to recognise the early signs of feeling ‘Burnt out’ & endeavour to make positive changes or seek help if we need. 

 

 

Being overwhelmed can paralyse us to inaction, cause us feelings of lethargy & lack of enthusiasm 

Consider your outlook on your current situation & address what it is, you would like to achieve & ask yourself is it realistic? 

 

Make a list of the things you can control & what is needed in the change of performance, actions, perception to make the situation more appeasable to your expectations. 

 

Take a holiday/break. Adapt your daily routine to include some form of exercise before work, e.g., walking or even a workout. 

 

 

We may find we are feeling uninspired/unexcited about our work. 

 

Try & set yourself a new challenge or goal outside of work; something outside your comfort zone, maybe you’ve never done before & have zero experience in. e.g., completing a marathon, sky Diving, volunteering for a charity. 

 

Accomplishing a challenge or something outside our comfort zone will renew your self confidence, renergise & refocuses your creativity. 

 

 

 

Disengaging from people contact, withdrawing from activities, groups & situations you enjoy 

This happens as a result of ‘fatigue’ which can be physical, mental, or cognitive, causing inaction & loss of confidence in one’s abilities. 

 

All of us need to be aware of the need to rest & allow our body/mind to recover, do things you find relaxing & fun, focus on timeout on you, meet some friends, exercise, cook or do some gardening.  

 

Get to know what situations & scenarios you find to be ‘draining.’ Learn to balance these accordingly & set boundaries which will allow you the time to refresh & re-energise. 

 

 

 

Experiencing anxiety, negative outlook & feelings. Having a sense there is an endless number of tasks/things to do can lead to feelings of exhaustion & brain fog. 

 

Taking yourself out of your present situation can alleviate some of the feelings; take a break for a few days to a place you love, implement going for a walk into your daily routine, meditate, enjoy a day being around nature, a spa break, take a social media break. Highlight your work/home tasks completing in order of priority. 

 

 

Initially you are tired all the time whilst working, even falling asleep at your desk. Lack of concentration on your current task & even making mistakes. As Burnout takes its grip you then suffer insomnia, which in turn causes headaches & can even cause increase in weight. 

 

Many have opted for sit-stand desks especially with the prevalence of WFH where there can be little in person human interaction causing onset of fatigue & Burnout.  

 

Taking regular breaks away from your desk & take a walk around the office space or home space. Regularly opt for standing positions. Many experts state that you should stand at a standing desk anywhere between 15-60 minutes at a time. 

 

 

You may be taking more leave through sickness, struggle with the motivation to get out of bed for work or could be repetitively saying things like “work is too stressful.” 

 

Have an open conversation with your line manager; explaining how things are getting overwhelming whilst keeping the level of personal confidence that you want to maintain.  

 

Explain the desire to be successful in your role but highlight the stressors that are prohibiting your progress & causing the feelings of being swamped with the things you need to do within that role. 

 

Work with your manager to address these feelings as they are possibly not even aware that you have any issues. 

 

 

 

 

Burnout can manifest itself to cause short temper, frustration, unable to manage your anger, prolonged anxiety & depression, Insomnia. 

 

Acting out of your normal character; sending the unprofessional angry email when you normally never would have been so impulsive, snap at a colleague or client. You begin to let people down; colleagues & clients without feeling any conscience when again you never would have reacted like before. You have turned to alcohol or food to help manage your feelings. 

 

Take Action talk to a spouse, family, trusted friend with how you are feeling, seek out professional help. Take-up a positive activity, work out. We know what we put into our body’s manifests into how we feel so work on your nutrition, drink more water, avoid any kind of stimulants or alcohol.