Professional Burnout

Professional burnout is much more than just work.

Based on my personal experience with burnout, I think that professional burnout is more of a conflict with oneself than just a work-related state. Work becomes more of a trigger. If burnout comes from work, it may be a situation where the person uses their profession too much as a source of self-worth, which can disrupt balance, or maybe they demand too much of themselves, or are no longer happy in their profession. I agree that, in some fields, there are people who experience overwhelming pressure and who, at some point, can no longer handle it; it's a reality. In fact, no two people are alike, but when you get to that point, I think you've "forgotten yourself" and need to find yourself again to recreate harmony or build it once and for all.

Who runs this risk?

• People who carry the weight of others on their shoulders;
• Those who accept responsibilities beyond their limits and availability without taking

enough time to refocus and relax;

• Those who are too emotionally involved in what they do or experience;
• People who are afraid of displeasing or being judged;
• Those who have trouble saying no;
• Perfectionists;
• Those who don't dare to delegate;
• Those who believe they are irreplaceable and are afraid of displeasing;
• Those who lack balance between leisure, work and family and let frustration reach

the highest levels;

• Those who forget themselves for others;
• Those who suffer in silence.

We could lengthen the list, but the goal is not to perform an autopsy of the phenomenon, but to understand the main points and take care of ourselves.

More generally, here are some examples of elements that can harm mental health:

• Financial difficulties
• Accumulation of frustrations
• Conflicts within the family
• Conflicts in the workplace
• A bereavement
• A lack of self-confidence
• Violence
• Abuse
• Waiting for others to validate us instead of doing it ourselves
• Heartbreak
• Exhaustion
• Neglecting to allow enough time for oneself
• Fear of displeasing others by saying no, etc.

Here are also some other indicators to detect burnout or depression

• Lack of motivation
• Lack of interest in life in general
• Weight gain or loss, both extremes can be seen. (Weight loss is frequent, but weight gain can also occur, because the person eats their emotions and can gain several kilos in a short time.)
• Agitation or slowing down. (Here too, both extremes can be seen. Wanting to do everything at the same time or wanting to do nothing. Fatigue, forgetfulness and lack of follow-through in ideas.)
• Suicidal thoughts may appear.

The word itself says de-pression. It is often mentioned when we take a break, we say that we decompress. When the pressure becomes too strong and we don't listen to the signals, the body finds a way to protect itself and that's when depression, illness and burnout appear.

Preventing burnout is therefore about recognizing the warning signs and reacting in time by seeking help if necessary and resting more.


Line Bolduc.

Lasolutionestenvous.com

Published November 18, 2014.

Posted online March 19, 2015.