The warning signs of burnout and how to avoid it

Burnout is becoming an increasing problem in the workplace, costing 15.4 million working days a year, and it has even been recognised as a medical condition.

Research by HSE said that 23% of full-time employees felt burned out at work all the time – while collectively, this group of burned out staff are 63% more likely to be off sick.

Accounting is a particularly stressful industry and it’s important to identify the early signs of burnout to avoid hitting rock bottom. “Stress and exhaustion at work impacts employees of all ages around the world, and at every level of the career ladder,” said Lucinda Pullinger, Global Head of HR at Instant Offices.

“While January is one of the toughest times of the year for career blues in the UK, it is especially important to look out for signs of burnout later in the year as well. Similar to imposter syndrome, high achievers and perfectionists are particularly susceptible to burning themselves out,” she added.

Factors which lead to burnout

Pullinger said that there were six key factors which led to burnout at work:

1. High Workload: In the UK, 44% of stress or depression at work is caused by a high workload.
2. Unclear Job Expectations: In America, only 60% of employees say they know what is expected.
3. Conflict: One of the main work-related factors causing burnout.
4. Lack of Managerial Support: Those with a strong support system are 70% less likely to experience burnout.
5. No Work/Life Balance: The inability to manage work and personal life can have a snowball effect.
6. Stressful Working Environment: There is a correlation between stressful jobs and burnout.

Career burnout symptoms

Pullinger added that it was important to look out for burnout symptoms to prevent them spiralling out of control. The most important symptoms were disengagement, when you start to ignore or avoid work or personal problems, a feeling of helplessness, and having blunted emotions, where you lose the energy to react emotionally to situations.

“If your work and family life are consistently stressful, you’re almost certainly at risk of burnout. Most people only realise that they are truly burnt out when it’s too late and then they need to work towards eliminating the symptoms, often while still having to deal with the stresses that caused it in the first place,” she said.

How to deal with burnout

While it can be worrying if you start to exhibit any of these symptoms, it is important to act now to prevent them from getting worse. Pullinger gave a list of techniques which can help deal with the feeling of burnout.

1. Acknowledge your problems: It’s easy to ignore or downplay other issues in your life that may be contributing to your burnout. Make a list of all things you worry about daily, including the things you feel that you have no power to change. By ordering these by a level of importance, you’ll know which issues you need to address first.

2. Seek support: Whether it’s from a co-worker or manager, talking about the problem and seeking advice is a critical step into addressing the causes of your burnout.

3. Book time off: In some cases, merely having some time away from work helps re-evaluate your priorities and enables you to get to the root of your stresses.

5. Slow it down: It’s vitally important to learn to create a mental divide between work and your life outside it, as it’s extremely unhealthy and unproductive to be thinking about work during ‘off time’.
6. Ask for more flexibility: With a huge shift towards businesses becoming more agile, the growth of remote working, and an increasing amount of co-working and flexible workspace options around the world, more companies are starting to introduce flexible working hours to reduce commuting time and increase happiness.

Overall, Pullinger said it was important to “take a few minutes each day to acknowledge your anxieties for what they are; irrational and exaggerated, and prioritise things like spending time with friends and family and outdoor activities.”

“It’s important to be honest with yourself during the onset of burnout. Remember, these are simply tips to help you improve your situation in the short term. Burnout has genuine health implications, and we strongly recommend that you seek professional help in overcoming it,” she added.