"I have a lot on my plate right now, but once this is over, I'll rest." Sound familiar? And have you ever experienced that the long-awaited "once this is over" stage simply never arrived? Kind of like that diet we're going to start tomorrow... every single day it's "tomorrow."
The First Signs The early signs of burnout are not conspicuous. Perhaps it is getting harder to get moving in the morning. Perhaps the same task requires much more energy. We become irritable more easily. Our patience with colleagues or clients diminishes. We care less and less whether what we do is good. Or perhaps we notice that we are constantly working, yet feeling less and less effective.
A Deepening Spiral At first, we are just more tired. Then it becomes harder to muster enthusiasm. It takes more and more energy to complete tasks that previously caused no special difficulty. We find ourselves thinking more and more often, "I just need to survive this week." Then comes the next week. And the next.
At first, we might blame ourselves. "Maybe I'm not persistent enough. Maybe I'm managing my time poorly. Maybe others handle this better," we think.
Meanwhile, we are caught in the hamster wheel and don't know how to step out of it. Expectations are high, and the tasks we do are important. And the hope keeps working inside us all along that "once this is over, I'll rest."
The Most Important Questions for Ourselves It might not be us who notice the first signs of burnout described above; rather, colleagues, friends, or family members warn us about them. It is worth paying attention to them. It is worth stopping for a moment and thinking over where we stand. What is happening to me in this work environment? How realistic is my workload? Do I have a say in how I do my work? Can I ask for help? Do I have the opportunity for real rest? Do I receive feedback and recognition? And perhaps even more importantly: has anything changed compared to how I previously related to my work and myself?
Many workplaces organize stress management trainings for employees to help them better cope with work-related strain, which is a very good and important initiative, but... in preventing burnout, it is not enough for the individual to learn to "cope better." Individual coping is important, but working conditions must also be addressed. No relaxation technique can alleviate stress if there is no time to apply it because every minute of the workday is booked solid, and you even have to tack on 2-3 hours at home, otherwise the paperwork won't get done.
Workplace management often thinks that by providing stress management or time management training to employees, they have done their duty, and applying what was learned is up to the employee. And indeed: sometimes better time management, overcoming procrastination, or occasional breaks during work and a few minutes of evening relaxation help, because they genuinely sort out a few important things, and that was precisely what we needed for better well-being at work.
When Something Must Be Done If that is not the case, however, it is worth realizing that this is likely already the burnout process. When we feel that the exhaustion is chronic, our detachment from work is growing stronger, and our daily functioning is deteriorating, it is time to ask for help.
Not when everything has truly collapsed. Rather, a little bit earlier.
