To understand the nature of emotional burnout, it’s important to understand the essence of how our body reacts to stress. It’s a reaction that nature has evolutionarily developed as a defense mechanism against danger. When a threat appears and the stress mechanism is activated, the endocrine system produces adrenaline/noradrenaline and mobilizes itself for action. As a result, the following happens to the body:
- Blood pressure rises, which is necessary to supply blood and oxygen to the muscles.
- Natural reflexes and reactions are sharpened.
- The heartbeat speeds up.
- Pupils dilate.
- Respiration increases and deepens.
- Nervous excitement.
What does emotional burnout syndrome have to do with it, and what does it have to do with the life of a modern person who doesn’t face danger every day? We may not feel fear for our lives and health, but any conflict situation, chronic fatigue, increased mental or physical tension provokes a stressful state with all the consequences for the body. And constant stress leads to emotional burnout.
Other causes of emotional burnout are frustration, i.e., unsatisfied desires, repressed anger, and other negative psychological factors. In the absence of proper work on this condition, complete nervous exhaustion, depression, and various somatic diseases are possible.
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Signs of Emotional Burnout
So, how to understand that you have emotional burnout? The main symptoms are as follows:
- Your efficiency at work has fallen dramatically; you cannot cope with the usual load.
- You feel apathy, you are no longer interested in your favorite hobbies, even if it’s betting via 20 Bet or cooking your favorite meals, and communication with loved ones doesn’t bring any joy.
- You don’t want to communicate with colleagues; if possible, isolate yourself from them.
- You have mood swings; moodiness alternates with anger. People around you have begun to notice that it isn’t as comfortable to communicate with you as it used to be.
Which Professions Are at Risk
People who are most susceptible to burnout include:
- People who interact a lot with other people for work. For example, doctors, teachers, psychologists, salespeople, sales managers, etc. Especially if a person is introverted by nature. An overabundance of communication leads to nervous overstrain and emotional exhaustion.
- Workaholics. People for whom work is the meaning of life. They work late, without weekends, take extra work, and have no interest in other areas of life. As a result, fatigue accumulates, and work ceases to bring pleasure.
- People who hit a ceiling and don’t know what to do next. It can be both a financial ceiling and a ceiling in career and self-development. The meaning of work and even life is lost, self-esteem may drop, apathy and chronic stress may appear.
- Residents of big cities. They already live in constant stress and nervous tension.
- People who have more responsibility than others. For example, directors, managers, and entrepreneurs. They have to live in a mode of multitasking and constant stress due to changing external circumstances, as well as consider the interests of other people and their subordinates.
- People who don’t see what they are working for. When there is no purpose, no motivation from management, just monotonously doing your job. This leads to a feeling of uselessness and indifference to work tasks.
- People are under constant pressure from rigid deadlines. Such conditions lead to constant stress and burnout.
How to Cope With Emotional Burnout at Work
There are several answers to the question of how to cope with emotional burnout for a woman or man who experiences constant stress at work. The most common techniques are as follows:
- Meditation. These don’t have to be Eastern-oriented practices with appropriate music. It can be your own way of meditating: a walk in the woods, a few minutes in silence by the window, or playing musical instruments. The main thing is that this activity completely distracts you from pressing problems and makes you immerse yourself in the process.
- Physical activity. Exercise is an excellent way to provide an outlet for accumulated stress. Even a half-hour jog in the park is a great way to tone up your nervous system and relieve stress. A popular way for men to cope with emotional burnout is to use strength-training exercises in their workouts.
- Time management. A man suffering from emotional burnout should learn to leave work problems at work. To do this, you need to properly distribute your time, find a few hours a day for your favorite hobbies, and communicate with family and friends. Try not to take home unfinished work and not to leave it for the weekend.