Are you at risk of burning out?
Burnout is being increasingly talked about across the community, and particularly in the health professions. Research shows that 1 in 4 dental practitioners have symptoms consistent with burnout. It’s common to hear people now talking about how they have burned out or are feeling burnt out. So we need understand what burnout is, and what it is not.
Firstly, it’s important to note that burnout is not a synonym for exhaustion, as many people believe. Whilst emotional exhaustion is a key component of burnout, it encompasses a broader range of symptoms. So if we only think of burnout as being exhausted, we risk not being able to adequately manage it. Because if we are exhausted, we can usually recharge our batteries with a short break, but managing burnout is not quite as simple.
Burnout encompasses a wide range of symptoms, including low energy, motivation or mood; feeling isolated or trapped; feeling cynical or disengaged from work; decreased life satisfaction; procrastination; irritability; feeling exhausted or drained; disrupted sleep; and physical responses like headaches and body pain. Burnout can also result in impaired cognition, which might compromise work performance and the potential risk of medical errors.
You don’t need to exhibit all of these symptoms to be experiencing burnout. Conversely, if you’re exhibiting some of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily experiencing burnout. Burnout usually occurs when you experience some/all of these symptoms in combination with feeling emotionally overloaded.
Red flags
Burnout often manifests in three stages:
Work related stress, with an imbalance between the demands of work and the resources to achieve them
Individual stress related to the emotional response to exhaustion and anxiety
Defensive coping as a sense of cynicism to work becomes more evident
How do I know if I have burnout?
One issue with burnout is that there are no clear diagnostic criteria to assign burnout clinical ‘case’ status. No burnout measure has established a replicated cut-off score for caseness. However, if you are feeling symptoms of burnout such as physical exhaustion, poor judgment, cynicism, guilt, feelings of ineffectiveness or a sense of disconnection with co-workers or patients, take the Sydney Burnout Measure self-test here to give you an understanding of the likelihood that you might have burnout.
Or you can take the Black Dog Institute’s free online mental health assessment which screens for up to 10 different mental health conditions (including depression) and provides a personal report with resources and recommendations to get help.
Strategies to manage burnout
Connecting with others: Talking about your feelings can also help you alleviate the strong emotions associated with burnout, so consider confiding in a trusted colleague, friend or family member.
Managing your time: Planning important tasks ahead of time can provide structure in your day-to-day life and prevent you from overextending yourself. Stick to working on these tasks only during the periods you’ve allocated to complete them and use any personal time to pursue activities that you enjoy.
Tackling unrealistic expectations: The dilemma for perfectionists is that they have a tendency to set the bar so high that it creates unrealistic expectations. When expectation and reality clash, that causes us distress.
Setting boundaries: Trying to be all things to all people can leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Set some boundaries by talking to colleagues, friends and family members about what you can do on your own and what help you might need help with. As well as helping you manage your workload, this process can help the people around you understand your limits.
Planning self care: Self-care are the things we deliberately choose to engage in on a regular basis to maintain and enhance our health and wellbeing, such as going for a walk or socialising with friends. It is important to help give your body and mind time to rest, reset, and rejuvenate.
Seeking professional help: A mental health professional can help you to understand and manage your feelings of burnout.
If you are feeling stressed, tired and emotionally exhausted, don’t bottle it up. Talk to a friend or colleague, and take steps to look after your wellbeing.