“It can be confusing and disorienting interacting with a colleague who’s reached burnout,” says clinical psychologist Dr Kat Alcock. “They may appear hollow, withdrawn, angry and emotional, and of course we can interpret this as being directed towards us. We may find ourselves working harder to cover tasks that have not been completed, which can lead us to feel frustrated and unsympathetic.” It all adds up to a fairly fraught working environment, but, says Dr Alcock, “compassionate connection” is crucial to helping a colleague who is totally overwhelmed.
The threat of burnout is one all workers need to be alert to – now more than ever. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March, many people across the UK have left offices behind for makeshift workspaces in their homes. Not only does this “new normal” look set to stick around for the foreseeable future, as a consequence of the shift, many employees are putting in even longer hours than usual. A recent study found that the average worker is experiencing career burnout at the age of 32, with one in three people naming working from home – and the longer days that come with it – as part of the problem.
Additionally, a new study found that the feelings of stress and burnout are mutually reinforcing. In short: when someone reaches the point of career burnout their ability to cope with stress dramatically decreases. This, in turn, leads to them struggling to cope with the smallest of tasks in the workplace.
Below, Dr Alcock and Dr Samantha Rennalls explain the signs of burnout we should be looking out for – and how to overcome it.
What are the common signs of career burnout?
“Exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy at work,” says Dr Rennalls. “Someone experiencing burnout might notice that they are feeling physically and/or emotionally exhausted. They could have high levels of fatigue; feel more negative about and withdrawn from their work, their workplace, their colleagues and/or clients; and have low morale and a sense of being unable to cope.”
Feeling burnt out can also lead to a lack of confidence in your own abilities. “People experiencing role-related burnout may become preoccupied with work, become highly cynical about their job (whether paid or unpaid – this could include the role of stay at home parent), and have persistent thoughts about failure, not being good enough, being unappreciated or being unable to cope,” says Dr Alcock. Your sleeping and eating patterns may change, too. “People commonly experience intense fatigue and disruption to their sleeping and/or eating patterns,” she continues. “Blood pressure may increase, those with chronic health problems may experience exacerbations in symptoms, and people may become more susceptible to developing illnesses.”
What are the main risk factors?
Part of the problem with burnout is that many people don’t recognise when they’re headed straight for it. “The main cause is chronic, excessive, unresolved occupational stress,” says Dr Alcock, who explains that risk factors can be both environmental and individual.
“Environmental risk factors relate to the nature of work,” she says listing roles in helping professions or with high levels of responsibility, or jobs that conflict with an employee’s personal values as potentially problematic. A lack of clarity around responsibilities or expectations, job insecurity and long hours can also lead to trouble, as can poor working relationships. “Like bullying, victimisation or unfair working practices,” explains Dr Alcock, “which may be experienced more by those from minority ethnic backgrounds, and women of all ethnicities.”
Individual risk factors, meanwhile, “include conscientiousness and perfectionism, a tendency to want to be everything to everyone, difficulties saying no and establishing and maintaining clear boundaries,” Dr Alcock says. Finally, a “strong investment in work which disrupts the balance between work life and personal life”. Taking pride in your work is a positive thing, but a good work-life balance is essential to avoiding burnout.
What can we do to avoid emotional exhaustion, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic?
“If you’re working from home for the first time, there are boundaries being crossed in a way that they may not have been before, and it is difficult to separate work and leisure,” says Dr Rennalls. “If you’ve been furloughed or are unemployed, there may be new financial pressures, or a reduced sense of purpose. And of course, there is the constant invisible threat to life and ongoing uncertainty about the future which is impacting every area of life right now. A lot is going on.” According to Dr Rennalls, we should “give ourselves permission” to be more tired, be less productive, and feel under pressure, more stressed and more worried. “Taking time when time is needed. Checking in with oneself is key,” she says. “As is setting firm boundaries around your time and space – particularly if work and home has merged into one place for you.”
What are the differences between depression and burnout?
Distinguishing between burnout and depression isn’t actually clear cut. “There is disagreement amongst researchers and clinicians regarding whether depression and burnout are two distinct psychological states, or iterations of the same thing,” explains Dr Rennalls. “They appear to be related, sharing some of the same risk factors and impacting thoughts and mood in a similar way, and research suggests that they could perhaps be thought of as being on a spectrum of depressive conditions. Arguably, the most notable difference is that burnout is specifically work-related, whereas depression is free of a specific context and symptoms are experienced in relation to multiple domains of life, be it home, relationships, or of course, at work.”
What can we do to avoid burnout?
It’s essential to listen to your body, and to establish boundaries. “The very first step is recognising and acknowledging that you are at risk of burnout, or are perhaps already experiencing it,” Dr Alcock says. “This can be a scary thing to acknowledge, as it requires an acceptance of vulnerability, but it can also be liberating, laying the foundations for change.”
A meeting with your manager could be a useful starting point, says Dr Alcock, who suggests “prioritising essential over non-essential tasks, and being realistic with yourself and others – accepting that good enough will have to be good enough, and that some tasks will not get done.” This also applies if you are a stay-at-home parent juggling domestic tasks, childcare and home-schooling. “It is very difficult to carve out time for yourself, but even a little time each week spent on relaxing, enjoyable or satisfying activities – for you and you alone – is likely to help to restore a sense of balance in very challenging times.”
Finally, look to your support system. “Draw on your support structures and develop new ones where needed, whether at work, with friends and family, or therapeutic services,” Dr Alcock continues. “A period of therapeutic input and recuperation, alongside being signed off work is likely to be crucial for some people experiencing burnout.”
How can I help a colleague who’s reached burnout?
Like Dr Alcock, Dr Rennalls believes that showing a colleague who is experiencing burnout compassion is crucial. “Recognise that it’s not a choice, and that anyone living in the same sets of personal and external circumstances could be in exactly the same position,” Rennalls explains. “Support them to lighten their load, perhaps by providing validation to help relieve some pressure. Help them reconnect with their strengths and personal skills, noticing how they bring them to the workplace even when things are hard. Be patient, kind and make space for them when they need it. Maintaining strong relationships and helping to make the work environment a safe place to learn, make mistakes and develop both personally and professionally can help support colleagues under immense pressure and stress.”
That being said, offering your support to a struggling colleague is not guaranteed to go smoothly. “They may be reluctant to talk about what’s going on for them, and may lash out or push you away – but even you letting them know that you’ve noticed that they’re not themselves, that you’re worried about them, and that you want to listen and help, may help your colleague to recognise that they have reached burnout,” Dr Alcock concludes.
How easy is it to recover from burnout?
“People do recover from burnout, and there is always hope,” says Dr Alcock. “Experiencing career burnout can actually help us to learn crucial lessons about ourselves, and how we might work more sustainably and balance it in future. It might also help us to recognise more quickly times when we are at risk of burnout again.”
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