Do you suffer from "burnout"? Take this quiz (and learn what to do)

"Is it burnout or am I just a baby?"

Burnout is recognized in the world of work and wellness. This makes sense as self-reported stress levels are higher than ever.1 (And in a global pandemic, they really don't help.2)

But as with many health conditions, especially those related to mental health, there is still some stigma surrounding the burnout issue.

Some people hear the term "burnout" and say:

“It wasn't a thing when I was growing up. When did people become allergic to hard work ?! ”(As they take a long sip of their bourbon in the morning.)

The truth is, burnout is nothing new.

It has been around as a clinical concept since the 1970s and it certainly existed before we gave it a formal name

But in 2019 the World Health Organization officially recognized it as a workplace phenomenon and is currently working on the development of tools to help identify, treat and most importantly prevent burnout in the workplace

This is good news because knowing you are burned out also means you can recover sooner and better.

In addition, preventing burnout usually means improving general wellbeing.

In this article, we've put together a handy quiz to help you spot the signs of burnout – either in yourself or in clients. (If you want to jump there, click here.)

Then we share three ways in which you can counteract burnout – even if you cannot “leave out” stress.

Ready? Let's dig in.

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What is burnout?

Burnout, also known as burnout syndrome, is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion that can occur when the demands of our life consistently and chronically outweigh what we can do or produce

There's not a single bad day – or even a week – at work. Rather, it is a persistent, longstanding pattern of feeling like you are trying and failing, with no success, support, approval, or recovery.

In most countries burnout is not considered a disease, but a professional (work) phenomenon.

However, in some places (hi, Sweden and the Netherlands) burnout is recognized as a medical diagnosis that requires time off from work.

People at greatest risk of burnout have jobs in which:

• The actual requirements are high (fast work, high stakes, many decisions, significant consequences for errors)
• The perceived requirements are high (it feels rushed, overwhelming, urgent and busy – especially for people who care about "doing a good job" or "being a team player")
• Ideals are high (people have high personal standards and firmly believe in the value and importance of their work)
• Resources are low (such as time, money, support and peace of mind)

When you think of this combination, you may already be thinking of who is feeling it the most: Service professions such as healthcare, first response, apprenticeship or coaching are prime examples of professions with high burnout rates.

But burnout can affect people in any career. And although it comes from work, the shock waves from burnout can affect all areas of your life.

Fortunately, recovery can occur in many areas of your life as well. We'll get to that part in a minute.

Burnout Test: Are You Showing Signs of Burnout?

Tick ​​for each statement that sounds like something that you experience relatively often.

You will receive a score at the end of the quiz.

In general, the more signs you experience, the more likely you are on the path to burnout. (Check out the tips we offer at the end of this article.)

Important: this is not a clinical diagnostic test.

If you notice more than a few of the following, even if it doesn't feel like a "big deal," consider consulting a doctor.

Sleep, fatigue and energy levels

• Problems falling or staying asleep – 1 point
• Poor quality of sleep (e.g. restless, waking up often) – 1 point
• Tired (so, so tired); shut down and exhausted – 1 point
• Wired … can't sleep! Running on an invisible hamster wheel! – 1 point
• Rely on caffeine to keep you awake all day (e.g. coffee, black tea, energy drinks, caffeine tablets) – 1 point
• Body feels heavy or sluggish – 1 point

Physical symptoms

• Palpitation, racing heart – 1 point
• Chest tightness or difficulty breathing – 1 point
• Upset stomach, digestive problems (e.g. heartburn, gas, irritable bowel syndrome) – 1 point
• Headache, migraine – 1 point
• Jaw pain / tightness; Grinding your teeth (the dentist might notice if you don't) – 1 point
• Jerky, easily startled – 1 point
• Chronic discomfort and pain (e.g. muscle pain, inflamed joints, back or neck pain) – 1 point
• Irregular, painful and / or absent menstrual cycles (if you have a uterus and you menstruate normally) – 1 point
• Feeling distant or dizzy – 1 point
• Hunger and cravings; emotional eating – 1 point
• Loss of appetite – 1 point
• Poor immunity – you seem to be circulating every bug or feeling kind of "off" most of the time – 1 point
• Poor recovery – takes longer to recover from exercise, injuries don't heal as well, seems difficult to recover – 1 point
• Inflamed (e.g., flare-up allergies, skin problems, joint pain, sinusitis) – 1 point
• Hair loss – 1 point

Cognitive / psychological symptoms

• Forgetful or often afraid of forgetting things – 1 point
• Difficult to concentrate or focus – 1 point
• Do you feel anxious and / or worry a lot – 1 point
• Do you feel overwhelmed and / or exhausted – so much to do / juggle! – 1 point
• Postponing and / or avoiding tasks – 1 point
• To prioritize difficult tasks or choose what is important next – 1 point

One or more of these thoughts sound familiar:

• “Everyone else is the problem. You are so unmotivated / stubborn / lazy / crazy. ”- 1 point
• "My boss / workplace is the problem." – 1 point
• “Everything around me is broken. Nothing works right. I hate ____. "- 1 point
• “It's all out of my control. There are so many things to fix, but that's not my job. ”- 1 point
• “I just try and keep trying, but it's like a hamster wheel. I'm not getting anywhere. ”- 1 point
• "I'm fine. That's okay. Everything is fine. I'll just handle it as I always do. Fine. Fine. I'm totally fine." – 1 point
• “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH !!!!” – 1 point

Emotional symptoms

• Feel "empty", emotionless, numb – 1 point
• Feeling sad or “down” – 1 point
• Feel trapped and stuck, no more options – 1 point
• Feel pessimistic, discouraged, hopeless, "what's the point" – 1 point
• Feeling angry, irritable, quick-tempered – 1 point
• Feel chronically frustrated; Everything around you sucks and people are idiots – 1 point
• Feel separate, alienated, alone – 1 point
• Feel as if nobody recognizes or appreciates you and / or your work – 1 point
• Feels like nothing you do or are good enough – 1 point
• Seems like a tough day almost every day – 1 point
• Feels like you need something to deal with (e.g. drugs, alcohol, eating / not eating, shopping) – 1 point
• Often focuses on your shortcomings (e.g. not fit enough, not good enough, not smart enough, not organized enough) – 1 point
• Feel out of control – 1 point
• Try hard to control other things – like your body, other people, your routine – but it feels like you are failing – 1 point

Relationship symptoms

• Cannot connect to other people such as family, friends, co-workers, customers, etc. – 1 point
• Avoid others (e.g., hesitate to contact customers, keep the office door closed to other people such as family, friends, colleagues or customers) – 1 point
• Feeling like you cannot rely on or trust others (they screw things up or let you down) – 1 point
• Active conflicts with others at work, at home, at school, etc. – 1 point

Your burnout score:

Score: 3 or less

Sounds like you're fine. You may have a bad day on occasion, but you recover from it and move on.

Score: 4 to 8

Hmm You could benefit from a little more rest and self-care. Consider consulting a qualified psychologist, even for an interview.

Score: 9 to 13

Be careful – there is a risk of burnout, especially if you experience several of these symptoms intensely and frequently. Consider consulting a qualified psychologist.

Score: 14 to 18

You are at high risk of burnout. Do something about it urgently. Seek help and support from a qualified professional.

Score: 19 or more

You are exposed to a very high risk of burnout. It is time to take action and seek help and assistance from a qualified professional.

3 ways to counteract burnout syndrome

Whether you've got a high score and are looking for a solution or are curious about what to do if you are worried about burnout creeping in on you in the future, here is what can help you.

(And if you're working with a client who is showing symptoms of burnout, you'll definitely want to share these strategies with them.)

# 1: Protect your time, space, and emotional investment with good boundaries.

Limits or lack of them are a key factor in burnout. 8

These can be boundaries between:

• At home and at work (e.g. problems working remotely, working outside of working hours … or in your bed)
• Personal and professional identities (accidentally revealing personal information to a customer or being asked to do work that is not your responsibility)

Conversely, clear, strong and well-defined boundaries can alleviate burnout by:

• Helps you to switch the "work mode" on and off.
• Protect time with friends and loved ones.
• Reduce the amount of emotional work you do.

(Emotional work means dealing with other people's feelings and controlling your own emotional response to them. Learn More: Invisible Stressors: Are They Sucking Life Out of Your Health?)

How do you keep good boundaries? Here are a few ideas.

▶ Identify what you can and cannot control. Try our control panel worksheet.

▶ Implement a "focus filter". Be consciously saying, “This is my focus right now.” This applies to work – you don't do housework or counsel your mother-in-law while you try to get your job done – but you, too, may look like you do Spending time with your partner without thinking about work while looking over a candle-lit table.

▶ Be aware of your surroundings. If working remotely upsets your work-life boundaries, set up a separate room for work-related tasks – even if it's a specific corner of your kitchen table or the center seat of your couch.

Because as much fun as it is to take conference calls in a dressing gown from bed, the separation between “work” and “home” makes switching off “work mode” and entering “sleep mode” at the end of the day much easier.

(Also, if you can go somewhere and close a door, this could – easily – reduce your readiness for other family members. Keyword: "Mom !! Billy touches my Tonka truck with his Lego !!")

▶ Clarify your limits – to which you say “yes” and “no” at a certain point in time. You may be telling yourself that you want to say “yes” to family time (or just the old days of sanity for yourself) so that you stop checking email after 6pm.

You can keep this limit up by muting your phone so you don't hear incoming emails.

▶ Communicate your limits clearly and enforce them as needed. Tell others what your limits are. Be explicit and clear. Don't expect people to "just know". (As Brené Brown says, "Sure is friendly.")

It can be uncomfortable to stand up for your needs, but it is kinder to yourself – and the other person – to be honest about what you can and cannot endure. In our business email situation, this can mean setting up an autoresponder that lists your office hours so people know when to expect feedback.

▶ Remember, it's not just about saying “no”. It's also about the "yes". What did you consciously choose, is it worth your time, energy and attention?

Which activities correspond to your values? What more do you want to do and feel? What needs to be clarified, restricted or revised so that you can better prioritize and refill your tank more effectively?

# 2: Maintain engagement by spending more time doing what you enjoy doing, with people you enjoy working with.

The downside of burnout is commitment.9,10

Commitment means that you are successful in your job role. You are driven by your work, and the people around you support you and respect your limits.

Burnout rates are lower in workplaces that focus on the following six engagement components: 11

• Appropriate workloads
• Control over work (at least a little)
• Rewards, including simple appreciation and recognition
• Community and real, supportive social connections
• Fairness and justice
• Values ​​that make sense

Of course, if you're an employee, you have no control over whether or not your job includes all of these components. Yes you can:

▶ Talk to your manager about the workload, what you would like to work on and how you would like to receive feedback. Instead of trying to do all the things like a hero, ask for help prioritizing when necessary.

▶ Build strong connections. Invest time in relationships that feel genuine and supportive. If possible, connect with co-workers … and also have non-work-related relationships.

▶ Take your values ​​into account. What is important to you? Think about what your personal values ​​are and how they align with your work. Have your values ​​changed? Or do you just need more help finding a match between job requirements and what is really important to you?

▶ Model productive, collegial and growth-oriented behavior. Many teams bond through a shared hatred of workloads, customers, supervisors, or general day-to-day practice.12 In some ways, this is practical and realistic. However, research suggests that just draining – without productive and positive action – does not make us feel better.13,14 In fact, focusing all of our attention on the terrible makes us feel worse. So if your coworker was having a shitty day instead of complaining about how awful the job is, buy him some coffee or suggest that the two of you sneak in for a walk in the park.

▶ Consider limiting the symptoms. Some psychologists suggest using a "complaints window" in which you spend time and energy on complaints. Not outside of this time. For example, "I'm going to spend the next ten minutes saying all the things I hate about work, and that's it for the day." (The same principle works for a "worry window" – setting a certain amount of time to take care of things.)

▶ Practice compassion. Sure, some customers might just suck, and some bosses are just grumpy tyrants. But many people are under pressure themselves or struggle with stress that they cannot handle. If it's not clear that you are working with a sadistic sociopath, try to find the person below and think about what they might be going through. If you cannot find compassion, it can be a sign of compassion fatigue. Try our Compassionate Coaching Worksheet.

If you don't have a boss or manager (maybe you are a self-employed coach or you are caring for a family member), consider how you can implement these ideas in your work situation.

This can mean delegating or outsourcing tasks to manage your workload, saying no to things that you really don't have time for or do not have time for, or finding a mentor to offer advice and socializing. (A mentor can increase your potential. See: How To Find A Mentor And Why Mentoring Is So Important To You – And Your Customers.)

# 3: Focus on deep rest.

There will be times when you cannot lower your demands.

What happens then?

Improved recovery can help offset increased stress.

By improving your recovery practices, you may be better able to cope with stress at work (and in everyday life).

Rest isn't just about sleeping and days off in the gym. The best mode of recovery deals with several aspects of your health – your physical health, yes, but also your emotional health, social health, and more.

We call this "deep recovery. "

In burnout, the mental, emotional and existential pieces are particularly important. However, many people may perceive these as physical problems as well. For example, you may not be consciously feeling angry … but your jaw muscles grind like a wood chopper. Maybe you don't consciously feel hopeless … you just feel exhausted.

When you have a professional ally working in these areas – especially one you like and believe will understand you – you can get better results and feel less alone.

Consider reaching out to your GP or therapist (or encouraging clients who are having difficulty doing so).

And remember:

Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. (Even The Rock needs a spotter to put £ 900 on the bench.)

References

Click here to view the resources referenced in this article.

1. Heinemann LV, Heinemann T. Burnout research: Development and scientific investigation of a controversial diagnosis. SAY Open. January 1, 2017; 7 (1): 2158244017697154.
2. American Psychological Association (2017). Stress in America: Coping with Change. Survey on Stress in America
3. American Psychological Association (2021). Stress in America: A New Wave of Pandemic Health Problems One Year Later. Survey on Stress in America
4. Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International classification of diseases (Internet). (cited September 29, 2021).
5. Danhof-Pont MB, van Veen T, Zitman FG. Burnout Biomarkers: A Systematic Review. – PubMed – NCBI. J Psychosom Res. 2011; 70: 505-24.
6. Sabo B. Reflecting on the concept of compassion fatigue. Online J issues nurses. 2011 Jan; 16 (1): 1.
7. Gazelle G, Liebschutz JM, Riess H. Burnout at the doctor: Coaching a way out. J. Gen. Intern Med. 2015 Apr; 30 (4): 508-13.
8. Demerouti E. Strategies Used by Individuals to Prevent Burnout. Eur J Clin Invest. 2015 Oct; 45 (10): 1106-12.
9. Head of MP, Maslach C. Burnout and Engagement: Contributions to a New Vision. Burnout research. 2017 Apr; 5: 55-7.
10. Head of MP. Evaluation of social encounters in the workplace: social profiles, burnout and engagement. Int J Environ Res Public Health (Internet). 2021 March 29; 18 (7).
11. Maslach C, Head of MP. The Truth About Burnout: How Businesses Cause Personal Stress and What To Do About It. John Wiley & Sons; 2008. 202 pp.
12. Pouthier, Vanessa. 2017. Grasping and joking as identification rituals and tools for engagement in cross-border team meetings. Organizational Studies 38 (6): 753-74.
13. Bushman, Brad J., Roy F. Baumeister, and Angela D. Stack. 1999. Catharsis, Aggression, and Persuasion: Self-Fulfilling or Self-Destructive Prophecies? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 76 (3): 367–76.
14. Bastin, Margot, Patricia Bijttebier, Filip Raes and Michael W. Vasey. 2014. Brooding and reflecting in an interpersonal context. Personality and Individual Differences 63 (June): 100–105.

If you are a health and fitness trainer …

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Would you like to know more?