Avoiding Burnout

You may be familiar with the phrase if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life, and while that may be true for some, the stark reality is that job fatigue and burnout—regardless of passion or job function—affects many people at some point in their lives.

If you feel physically or emotionally exhausted, unmotivated, increasingly cynical, or detached from coworkers, you may be experiencing some form of burnout.

Although it is yet to be considered an actual medical diagnosis, burnout is now classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a syndrome that is caused by chronic and unmitigated stress. Considering burnout manifests in various ways and is not yet a formal diagnosis, it can be difficult to track prevalence. Increasing awareness, however, helps to educate people on what to look for in themselves or others in order to seek appropriate interventions when necessary.

We’ve asked Mount Sinai Psychologist Dr. Anna Hickner, to answer our most burning questions about burnout.

Q: What are the symptoms of burnout and how will I know when I am on the verge of burnout?

A: Experts don’t always agree on the symptoms of burnout, but there are three hallmark signs I call The Three E’s:

• Lost energy: overwhelming exhaustion
• Lost enthusiasm: cynicism and detachment
• Lost efficacy: a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment

Burnout can look different for different people but will include one or several of the following:

1. Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
2. Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feeling increasingly pessimistic or cynical about one’s job
3. Reduced professional efficacy, (or personal efficacy if the work is related to caregiving, volunteering, or a relationship/struggle in your personal life)

 If you or someone you know is experiencing one or several of these hallmark signs, it’s probably time to consider what changes you can make before becoming so burnt out that doing anything additional or different feels overwhelming and unimaginable. As with any problem, the sooner you catch and address burnout, the less likely it will snowball into a bigger issue.

Q: I am on the verge of burnout but have too much on my plate to take my paid time off. How do you advise that I go about protecting my mental health and work performance from burnout?

 A: The answer to this question depends on the type of burnout you are experiencing. There are three main categories and the type of burnout you experience will determine the intervention. 

1. Frenetic burnout: If you feel as though your demands outpace the resources you have to meet your responsibilities (for instance, you’re involved in an ambitious project, that requires sacrificing your health and personal life), I would encourage you to think about setting boundaries, even if it’s for small pockets of time, to decompress and do activities that rejuvenate you, as well as talk to someone at work or seek professional help if you feel your situation is unsustainable.
2. Under-challenged burnout: If you feel underwhelmed by your day-to-day, perhaps brainstorm and/or talk to colleagues about how to make your responsibilities more interesting. Research indicates that a diversity of tasks can increase job satisfaction as opposed to doing the same thing over and over.
3. Worn-out burnout: If you feel lackluster as a result of your efforts going unacknowledged, find little ways to celebrate your hard work and successes. Unfortunately, we cannot always elicit our desired responses from those around us, so rather than becoming discouraged by factors outside of your control, be your own cheerleader and treat yourself. If you feel dissatisfied with what you’re doing or the recognition you get, it may be worthwhile to be more vocal about your contributions. You may also consider looking for ways to champion a culture that is more supportive of its employees or looking for an employer whose values better align with your own.

Q: I feel depleted from work and am no longer motivated to take care of myself by cooking healthy dinners, exercising, or spending time with friends and family. How do I reclaim a work-life balance?

A: I think about emotional resources as a finite quantity. Once we begin to feel depleted, like with any resource, we must find a way to replenish our reserves. Oftentimes, this only happens when one prioritizes their needs. 

A metaphor I like to use is the “emotional canister.” Visualize your emotional bandwidth as a container. On any given day, we might expect our emotional canisters to fill halfway when faced with common stressors, such as work, commuting, or tasks around the house, which for many is manageable or manageable enough.

 However, when faced with conflict, a bad night’s sleep, or an unexpected situation that needs our time and attention, our metaphorical emotional canisters fill up, sometimes to the point of overflowing. When this happens, we spill in the form of tears, outbursts, overwhelming anxiety, or withdrawal into unhealthy habits. These signs are worth paying attention to and require self-reflection on what needs to be adjusted in order to recalibrate. It’s important to keep in mind that you didn’t become depleted in one day, and therefore feeling refreshed also won’t happen overnight. No single change will be a silver bullet, but gradual adjustments over time can have a considerable impact, akin to how draining a canister slowly and steadily creates notable space.

 We create space by 

• Drawing boundaries
• Saying no when possible
• Making time for personal interests
• Finding activities that rejuvenate (including both active and relaxing exercises)
• Seeking support as needed

Q: If I am experiencing work-related anxiety or feeling the effects of chronic burnout, would you suggest that I begin to seek behavioral health treatment? Or would you suggest other avenues first before seeking mental health help?

 A: I rarely think seeking behavioral health treatment is counterproductive, but there are many pathways to healing and chronic burnout is likely the result of a confluence of factors. It is important to keep in mind that therapy, while life-changing for some people, isn’t a magic fix. Whether it’s before or in tandem with seeking treatment, adequate rest, nutrition, hydration, and movement are fundamental elements of combatting or recovering from burnout, and imperative for maintaining an overall sense of mental and physical wellbeing.

Additionally, you should consider the factors in your job that are contributing to burnout and inquire if something can be adjusted. You can also try making time for a hobby or seeing friends or family to encourage a better work/life balance. It’s worth noting, however, that burnout is not simply a result of working long hours or juggling too many tasks, although these often both play a role. Burnout can also occur when a person does not feel in control of what they’re doing, is asked to complete tasks that conflict with their sense of self or integrity, or is working toward a goal that doesn’t resonate with their interests or lacks sufficient resources.

Another important distinction to make is that while there can be an overlap between burnout and depression, they are not the same. Burnout results from an extended period of unrelenting stress that feels unsustainable, which may or may not lead to a mental health diagnosis, and is often tied to one area of life (work/volunteering/caregiving/etc). However, if you are experiencing negative thoughts and feelings in all areas of life, low self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal tendencies, you should absolutely seek mental health treatment first in addition to considering other outlets. And again, the sooner you seek help, the better.

Q: How can I help another coworker if I see them on the verge of burnout?

 A: It is difficult to see someone that we care about struggling, but it is also very hard to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. If you notice signs of burnout—which can range from physical to emotional to psychological—you might try to talk to them about how they’re doing and note some of your concerns, particularly if you’re in a managerial or supervisory position.

At the same time, it is important for people to have autonomy, and sometimes the most you can do is voice your concern and offer resources, knowing that if someone isn’t receptive in the moment, there might be a chance for a future conversation.

If specific areas of performance or interpersonal relationships are concerning, speaking with the person while using concrete examples could be an opportunity to broach the subject of possibly needing support or time away, but this of course needs to be balanced with a person’s right to their own privacy. Sometimes planting seeds is the best approach so that when the individual is ready, they can revisit the conversation and utilize the resources available to them.

For more tailored information, schedule an appointment with our care team. Personal Health Navigators are available by chat through the portal, by calling +1 646 605 3900, or by emailing barhcsupport@mountsinai.org.