Diagnosing burnout – the questions you need to ask

Burnout

Emotional, physical and mental exhaustion – it takes a lot for someone to get true burnout, and, as with many things in life, it’s often easier to notice the signs in others than it is in yourself.

Are you just having a bad week or are you approaching burnout? The following questions are designed to get you thinking about where you – or someone you’re concerned about – sits on the scale, so that you can deal with the problem accordingly.

 

What is my body telling me right now?

Find a quiet spot; somewhere you can relax, uninterrupted. Close your eyes and mentally scan your body, noticing how it’s feeling.

Some of the symptoms of burnout include:

  • exhaustion
  • feeling drained
  • unexplained aches and pains
  • feelings of misalignment
  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • loss of appetite
  • changes to bodily function.

Having one or two of these symptoms needn’t necessarily mean you are burned out, but it is something you should explore and seek help for if necessary. Physicians classify medical conditions as acute (sudden and major), chronic (on-going) and preventative (needed before you hit the first two states).

So, if you think you’re on the road to burnout, act now to put strategies in place to help you cope, and if you think you might already be there, it’s time to seek help.

 

What are my indicators of stress?

Stress is a complicated and often misunderstood condition. It can impact your mental, emotional or physical health long after the catalyst, and there’s often a cumulative effect too – sometimes a minor stressor is simply the last straw.

Before you dismiss your symptoms or feelings, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. How do you yourself define ‘stress’? Do you have any known ‘stressors’ – things that are guaranteed to get your blood pumping, and, if so, what are your coping strategies? What major events, upsets or challenges have occurred over the last year?

Our Avoiding Burnout workbook contains a diagnostic for checking off various different types of stressful activities – from falling out with the boss to moving residences. Work through it to get an indication of what sort of stress levels you might be currently grappling with.

 

Have I changed how I interact with those around me?

Have you started opting out of your monthly team lunch or social evening even though you were free to attend? Are you snappy with colleagues for no reason? Have you avoided sharing feelings with your nearest and dearest, brushing off their concerns about your wellbeing?

Pushing away others and isolating yourself are signs of burnout. If you think you might have shut yourself off, find a quiet and safe space in which you can explore how you’re feeling with someone you trust, or even a professional.

Once you’ve said out loud what’s going on for you, you might find that the coping strategies – and the people who can support you along the way – open up before you.

 

How do I feel about myself?

Whether you’re feeling alone, unsupported, demotivated, negative, unwilling to engage, wanting to retreat or experiencing a sense of failure, the key is in understanding how this relates to the usual you.

If these feelings seem to have come out of nowhere, or have been weighing you down for some time, it’s crucial you get help.

Talk to someone with a sympathetic ear, agree a best course of action, and, if necessary, give them your permission to hold you accountable for following through on getting further help.

 

How am I managing my energy levels?

On the path to burnout, you might naturally begin to conserve your energy so that you can best manage your stress levels.

This might involve taking lots of early nights, gentle exercise and eating wholesome food, finding ways to delegate tasks at work and saying “no” to projects you don’t have the time or resources to take on.

However, during periods of stress, you might find that you rely on less healthy strategies for maintaining your energy levels – being late for work, turning down invitations to events you’d enjoy or benefit from, procrastination, overreliance on caffeine to stimulate or alcohol to relax, becoming apathetic, overly cynical or negative.

If any of this rings true, look at ways you can better manage your energy reserves in a way that supports your mental and physical wellbeing.

 

Uncover more symptoms of burnout – and the tools for coping with stress – in the everywomanNetwork workbook Avoiding Burnout.

Even if you’re not stressed right now, it’s important to maintain your emotional health. You’ll find lots of guidance in the everywomanNetwork workbook 60 minutes to wellbeing.

 

More like this on the everywomanNetwork

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