We’ve added some quick answers here for anyone that just wants some straight to the point information. If you are more curious please read on for the full blog post below!
Quick answers about burnout
What are the early signs of burnout?
Early signs of burnout often include ongoing fatigue, irritability, reduced motivation, and difficulty recovering after work.
Is burnout different from stress?
Yes. Stress is usually short-term. Burnout tends to develop when stress continues for too long without adequate recovery.
Can therapy help with burnout?
Yes. Therapy can help identify the causes of burnout and develop healthier strategies for managing work and stress.
Understanding burnout
Burnout often develops gradually through prolonged exposure to chronic stress. Most commonly we think about this as paired with our working lives, but it can also be known to occur in other areas such as parenting or familial responsibilities (like caring for a sick relative).
It is typically characterised by emotional exhaustion, reduced motivation, and a growing sense of detachment from work or responsibilities. For professionals working in fast-paced environments like Sydney’s inner city, these symptoms can easily be overlooked.
Early signs many people miss
Burnout often begins with subtle changes such as:
- ongoing fatigue
- difficulty concentrating
- feeling emotionally flat
- irritability
- loss of enthusiasm for work
Because these changes develop slowly, many people initially assume they simply need a holiday or more motivation.
Why pushing through can worsen burnout
Many professionals respond to stress by working harder or extending their hours. We may do this out of fear of falling behind, fear of being recognised in our burnout or even trying to ‘earn’ a break. Trying to push through the initial phases is very normal, and often can be seen in individuals with a strong tendency to criticise themselves around their work capacity (i.e. “It is my fault I’m falling behind, if I was more efficient I would not feel like this) or those with significant anxiety (i.e. Social Anxiety: “If I take a break my boss will think poorly of me and won’t like me” or Generalised Anxiety: “If I slow down I will get in trouble”)
While this may temporarily improve productivity, it often also reinforces burnout. Persistent activation of stress systems can affect mood, sleep, concentration, and overall wellbeing.
Therapy approaches for burnout
Therapy can help people understand the factors contributing to burnout and develop more sustainable coping strategies.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is often the first line treatment for burnout. It is used to target unhelpful thinking patterns (the ‘Cognitive’ part of therapy – like those thoughts mentioned above) and then acting on our adjusted Cognitive patterns with behavioural follow-up.
An example would look like: “If I slow down I will get in trouble” – shifting this thought to “It is human to need to slow down, if I let the team know appropriately it will all be okay” – then behaviourally taking steps as if we believe the changed thoughts, such as committing to talking to your manager about need to slow down, handing over workplace tasks or even taking some time off/booking a holiday.
Other therapies such as ACT, Schema Therapy, or DBT skills may also be helpful depending on the individual.
When to seek support
It may be worth speaking with a psychologist if burnout symptoms have persisted for several weeks or months and are affecting work performance or quality of life.
If you this it would be a helpful time to seek some help you can always get started by taking a look at the Psychologists on the Team and giving us a call at Darlinghurst Psychologists or sending us an email – Our contact information can be found here.
References
Awa, W. L., Plaumann, M., & Walter, U. (2010). Burnout prevention: A review of intervention programs. Patient Education and Counseling, 78(2), 184–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2009.04.008
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20311
McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain. Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873–904. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00041.2006
Schaufeli, W. B., & Taris, T. W. (2014). A critical review of the Job Demands–Resources model: Implications for improving work and health. In G. F. Bauer & O. Hämmig (Eds.), Bridging occupational, organizational and public health: A transdisciplinary approach (pp. 43–68). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5640-3_4