What is burnout?
The WHO has defined burnout as a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, and it is characterised by:
• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
• Increased mental distance or feelings of negativism or cynicism from one's job
• Reduced professional efficacy
Why do we see an increase in burnout?
Anne Helen Petersen, the author of “Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation”, attributed the generational phenomenon to a mindset of hyper-productivity at work, which starts in childhood from intensive parenting to the way we interact with digital technologies today.
The mental health impact of burnout
The chronic stress of burnout can result in negative physical and mental health effects such as poor memory and concentration, depression, anxiety, irritability, headaches, insomnia and gastrointestinal infections.
Preventing burnout
Mental burnout is just as serious as a physical illness. If left unchecked, burnout can cause a long-term impact on your physical body and mental health. See a doctor or mental health professional, and take a mental health day off from work, if you need to. Taking the time to regularly check-in on your mental health and assess how you're coping with work will save you more time, stress, anxiety and the chance of burning out in the long-term.