Burnout is one of the number one topics being discussed both online, at home, and in the workplace today. If you’re reading this, chances are you have already experienced it yourself or are wondering if you are. The thing with burnout is that the longer it goes ignored, the harder it is to bounce back from. Thankfully, if you recognize the early signs of it, you can do something about it before it requires a much larger, more disruptive intervention.
What is Burnout?
According to the World Health Organization and the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases, burnout is defined as a syndrome or phenomenon, not a medical condition. Their definition is as follows:
“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
- feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- increased mental distance from one’s job, feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
- reduced professional efficacy.
Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”
Despite their specification of burnout as purely a workplace hazard, many experts will use burnout to refer to other, non-professional areas of life, too. Perhaps outside of work you hold a volunteer position at an organization that is pushing you over the edge. Maybe you are a stay-at-home parent who is struggling to keep up. Maybe you are someone who has simply taken on too many responsibilities both at work and outside, and you feel yourself losing steam. No matter what, if you’re burning out, you’re burning out.
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