What is burnout anyway?
The definition of burnout according to Miriam Webster Dictionary is:
Exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as:
"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, or 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"
While not new, burnout seems to be a modern ailment. It first appeared in a publication written by psychotherapist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974. To this day, however, there is no medical definition for burnout because it appears to be a subjective set of circumstances unique to each individual experiencing burnout.
What does burnout look like?
To the outsider looking at someone experiencing burnout, they may see what looks like apathy, laziness, procrastination. One might see common trends of someone who is overworked, experiencing chronic stress, and has lots of responsibility toward others (caregivers, medical and social workers, service workers, educators, managers etc). These people may not have adequate levels of energy, patience, motivation, resilience during burnout. They may stop participating in things they used to enjoy, or withdraw from friends and family.
What does burnout feel like?
Burnout feels like a tough week on repeat. An ongoing exhaustion that doesn't go away no matter how much sleep you get each night. It feels like the responsibilities are all-consuming but you don't have energy for the fun stuff anymore anyway. Taking care of yourself, your relationships, maybe even your kids or your parents is more than you can handle. You are hanging on by a thread and it is not sustainable. Ultimately, burnout is expressed differently in everyone. Some people may struggle with brain fog, memory problems, sleep disturbances, insufficient self care, inadequate nutrition, communication and boundary challenges that affect relationships and more. Others may be struggling more internally.
What causes burnout?
Just like burnout can look different in each individual, its causes can be unique as well. That's because each person presents with their own nervous system that was wired from a very young age. Our nervous system along with our Vagus nerve is what allows us to move in and out of relaxation (parasympathetic nervous system) and the flight or fight mode(sympathetic nervous system). When the body has been overextended by stress, it starts to lose its resilience and we stay longer in fight or flight before our bodies are able to take us back into our parasympathetic or relaxed state. Simply put, burnout happens when we no longer are able to fully relax between stressful events. The kicker is that these stressful events can be real, or they can be perceived (likely because of past trauma or current conditioning).
Where to start?
As we saw at the beginning, there is no agreed upon definition of burnout due to its individualistic nature. Therefore, no doctor is going to diagnose you as burned out! But what if you identify with all of the signs and symptoms of burnout? From personal experience, I recommend working with a professional who specializes in burnout. This way, you can address your unique causes of burnout and develop a specific plan that you can implement for the rest of your life and ensure lasting results. When you have an expert on your team who has experienced the hell that is burnout, you will be able to cut through all of the general advice out there and implement only what will work for you and your situation so you start to see results fast!
Feeling inspired?
If you’re looking for more inspiring solutions to your burnout, you can follow me on Instagram @the.burnedout.millennial, sign up for email updates, or schedule a discovery call to see if you are a good fit for 1:1 coaching!
-the burned out millennial
P.S. Stay tuned for more about how to heal burnout for good!