Burnt out? Is it your career or your job?

It is normal to feel stressed or overwhelmed occasionally at work, but when that stress becomes frequent, it is time to examine what can be changed. This article will explore burnout and help you to take steps to reduce the stress you experience.

What is burnout?

Though burnout has no set diagnostic criteria, it is commonly characterized as an occupational phenomenon consisting of three factors: energy depletion and exhaustion (feeling that one’s mental and emotional resources have been drained), mental distance from one’s job (negative attitudes or detachment from one’s job), and reduced professional efficacy (a sense of low personal accomplishment when examining one’s work). Additionally, it is important to note that burnout differs from depression because it is in the context of experiencing symptoms in one’s work environment. 

How do I know if I’m experiencing burnout?

If you relate to any of the domains described above, then you could be experiencing burnout. Other symptoms of burnout as it relates to the context of work include the following: 

• Psychological symptoms

  • Frustration, anger, and irritability

  • Anxiety and a sense of being overwhelmed

  • Hopelessness and disillusionment with one’s career

  • Inability to feel happy or satisfied

  • Sleep disturbances (insomnia or non-restorative sleep)

  • Intrusive thoughts regarding work frustrations

• Physical symptoms

  • Chronic fatigue and exhaustion

  • Headaches and/or muscle tension

  • Gastrointestinal disturbances

  • Appetite changes

  • Increased susceptibility to illnesses

• Occupational/behavioral markers

  • Presenteeism (being physically present but psychologically absent)

  • Increased absenteeism or tardiness

  • Decreased job performance and quality of work

  • Interpersonal conflict with colleagues

Keep in mind that many of these symptoms are also present in everyday functioning, yet they must be specific to one’s work context in order to be considered burnout. 

What caused my burnout?

Burnout is often caused by decreased satisfaction with one’s career choice (career disillusionment), and responsibilities which feel overbearing on the individual. It is also important to keep in mind the increasing impact which technology has on our lives. We live in a culture in which we are expected to be “always accessible” via our technology, blurring the boundaries that separate our work hours from our leisure hours. Additionally, we are often overloaded with so much information from social media that it can feel impossible to relax. While it is important to stay informed, social media tends to sensationalize news, creating a false sense of alarm that can contribute to the anxiety which workplace stressors have created. 

Vocations: what are they?

A vocation is a job which an individual feels was “made for them”, something they experience as intrinsic to who they are, that they feel like “calls” to them. The individuals who would describe their occupations as vocations are often motivated by the internal mental rewards of their work rather than the external rewards. These individuals often have high self-discipline, and the tendency to commit even when their job is difficult because it feels interesting to them.

It’s been found that people who are in jobs that they consider to be vocations are not as likely to experience burnout. Finding a job you enjoy might be the key to limiting your burnout.

So what can I do?

For readers who are actively searching for career options, one recommendation could be cultivating conscientiousness and finding a career area which you have an active interest in. Make sure you clearly define what your values are and make goals based on them, and afterwards keep track of where you are on those goals, plotting them in smaller steps if you have to. If you have hobbies that you feel could be made into a sustainable career, take advantage of your interests. 

For readers who are already on a certain career path, attempt to re-frame how you view your career. Evaluate your goals and examine where they can be applied in your everyday tasks. Find the parts of your job that are meaningful to you and, if you can, try to increase the frequency at which they occur. Try to decrease tasks that feel like “busy work”, and change your environment. If none of these approaches work, then re-evaluate where you want to be and consider a career switch, if it is feasible for you, but only when the other options have been exhausted.

Sometimes the factors which cause burnout, such as long working hours, or performance demands, are out of your control. It is important to advocate for yourself by talking to higher-ups about potential organizational changes. Additionally, if you are a manager or executive, consider how your demands may affect the mental states of your employees and adjust accordingly.

If you are having thoughts of harming or killing yourself, you can access the suicide hotline at 988 and/or call 911 or bring yourself to the nearest emergency room. 

While workplace stress is an average part of life, it isn’t as frequent as in burnout. If you are experiencing burnout, make sure to re-evaluate your goals and what you can do to change your conditions in order to make the most of your occupation.