Written by Rena Zhu and Edited by Catherine Zhang
Burnout, a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, is a common feeling experienced by many individuals in all walks of life. Due to prolonged exposure to stressors in the environment, many individuals are in a constant state of agitation— ultimately resulting in demotivation, lack of energy and commitment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), being in good health does not only pertain to being disease-free, but also to having an undisturbed state of mental and emotional wellbeing [1].
Burnout is characterized by three stages: effects of environmental stressors, individual tolerance, and coping [2]. The first stage emerges when there is an imbalance between professional life and personal life. Individuals may take on larger workloads, which in return takes up more time. In order to compensate for the workload, more time from an individual’s personal life is allocated towards their professional life– resulting in a decrease in time that could be spent practising self-care. This eventually creates exhaustion in response to the high demands, then that affects the emotional, physical, and mental states of an individual. Constantly overworking is a taxing feeling. As this continues, feelings of cynicism towards coworkers and work-related events are produced, leading an individual to feel negatively towards their professional lifestyle. This may evoke feelings of unproductivity, changes in attitudes and a neglection of personal life [2].
In order to cope, an individual may turn towards instant reliefs that could negatively affect their health, categorized as negative coping [3]. The difference between positive coping and negative coping is that, with positive coping, individuals engage in activities that will benefit their health, such as meditating and exercising. On the other hand, negative coping deals with harmful activities, such as abnormal amounts of alcohol consumption, irregular sleep patterns, and increased risk of heart disease or obesity [3].
Although burnout is a relatively common experience, researchers are still in the process of understanding burnout on a deeper level. However, a key deduction from a 2011 study is that burnout affects men and women differently. Negative life events, such as the death of a loved one or termination from employment, are correlated with increased cynicism and exhaustion, especially in women. Compared to men, women not only have to work, but also have to typically take on the role of nurturing and motherhood within the home, where the first signs of burnout usually appear [4]. When individuals experience the first symptoms of burnout, they try to fix the problem within a space that they are comfortable in, usually their very own homes. But when the problem is not solved, it can strain relationships with family and significant others, which may lead to an increased frequency of arguments and neglect.
To combat burnout, researchers in a 2019 study have tested several methods to see if these methods decrease burnout. Several prominent methods that helped decrease overall burnout in the study included meditation, yoga, exercise, healthy eating habits, and wellness programs. Participants who meditated and did yoga had more improvements in stress reduction. These particular strategies focus on the perception of stress, allowing the individual to practice mindfulness and deal with stress easier. Researchers in the study have also implemented a program for physical activities and healthy eating, which was effective in combating the prevalence of obesity among the participants. Overall, researchers have concluded that the strategies mentioned above are effective in lowering burnout levels [5].
References:
- “Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/.
- Maslach, C., Leiter, M. P. (2016) Understanding the burnout experience : recent research and its implications on psychiatry. World Psychiatry. 15:103–111.
- Salvagioni, D.A.J., Melanda, F.N., Mesas, A.E., González, A.D., Gabani, F.L., Andrade SM (2017) Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. PLoS ONE. 12:1–29.
- “What 40 years of Research Can Teach Us About Burnout” ThriveGlobal, Lorman, Shelby, 30 June 2017, thriveglobal.com/stories/what-40-years-of-research-can-teach-us-about-burnout%20/.
- Oliveira, S.M., Sousa, L.V.A., Gadelha, M.S.V., Nascimento, V.B. (2019). Prevention Actions of Burnout Syndrome in Nurses: An Integrating Literature Review. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 15:64–73.