What is “Burnout”?

In the fast-paced modern world that we live in, stress has become such an inevitable part of our daily lives. From demandingg work schedules, personal responsibilities and pressure to perform and succeed, we can feel overwhelmed. When stress reaches a tipping point, it can become something even worse: burnout.

Burn out is real more than just a feeling of tiredness or stress, its is the accumulation of chronic stress that can tear effects on the body, especially if it does not ease up after some time. The World Health Organization describes as burnout as a “workplace phenomenon characterised by feelings of exhaustion, cynicism and diminished efficacy.”

When people are under stress, their bodies undergo changes that include higher levels of stress hormones (including cortisol, adrenaline, epinephrine and norepinephrine) When triggers arise, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) signals the “fight or flight response,” which mobilizes you to take action and avoid danger. These stress hormones will give us the energy to face difficult situations, but over time if they are over used, they start harming the body, causing a hormonal imbalance. In summary, if your body is constantly getting stress signals for everyday issues (such as work-related anxiety), you’ll burn out over time.

Stages of Burnout

The Alarm Stage: When stress kicks in. The sympathetic nervous system jumps into action, triggering the release of stress hormones. The rest of your body is then alerted to these symptoms, equipping you with emergency fuel and energy in reaction to the stress levels rising.
The Adaptive/Resistance Stage: After the initial stress response, your body tries to return to its stable stage (homeostasis). However, if your stress reactions are too strong or triggered too ofter, you will maintain in alertness. As a result, your body builds resistance and tolerance in order to coexist with these high levels of stressors. So, this extended release of constant stress affects your body in any ways. Lowering you immunity, mental clarity, insomnia, digestive problems, anxiety, fatigue, headache, and so many more symptoms.
The Exhaustion Stage: When your body is in this continuous state, our bodies reach to its breaking point. This final state leads to physical and mental exhaustion due to the body’s inability to cope with these high demands. After all, it is not natural to constantly feel like you are being chased by a bear.

suggestions if you are struggling with BurnOut

Talk to a therapist or person you trust

Burnout can be overwhelming and a trusted love one or professional can help you feel supported and less alone. They might offer some solutions or feedback in order to navigate it.

Take back control

Prioritise the things you have to get done and decide which tasks are most important. Less important tasks should be set aside for a while.
Set some boundaries. Setting limits can help you manage stress. Consider taking a walk after getting something done and leave work at work.

Pay attention to your needs

Practicing good self-care can help you recharge.

Make enough time for a good night sleep
Spend time with friends and family, don’t overdo it, spend some time alone too.
Eat healthy and stay hydrated for energy and mental clarity
Do some exercise or move your body to direct your energy somewhere else.

Practice mindfulness

Try meditation, yoga, journaling, or other mindfulness practices that will promote relaxation.
Read a book.

It is important to remember that you are not alone if you are facing burnout. So many people face with similar struggles and have found ways to overcome them.

The first step is recognising and being aware of what you are feeling (recognising what stage you are in), the second is to seek support, and the third is to implement some self-care and self-compassion through healthy habits. Prioritise your mental and physical health for a more balanced and happy life.

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