Feeling Tired All The Time? Burnout Could Be The Reason

Have you ever felt an immense feeling of exhaustion in your work or school situation? The energy, drive and passion that you once had is gone and you no longer feel the urge to succeed? You may have experienced burnout. According to a Gallup study, 76% of employees experience burnout on the job at least sometimes, and 28% say they are burned out "very often" or "always" at work.

It can often feel frustrating, leaving you feeling anxious and depressed. Fortunately, there are ways to address burnout. Understanding what burnout means and things you can do when experiencing it can help you come out ahead of this slow creeping beast and regain control of your life once again.

What is burnout?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines burnout as the physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others. It results from performing at a high level until stress and tension, especially from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload, take their toll.

“It is often assumed that occupational burnout is caused solely by over-work, but how people experience their workload has a stronger influence on burnout than hours worked. In other words, it's not just the number of hours you work; it's how you're managed and how you experience work during those hours.” Employee Burnout: The Biggest Myth

💡Are you feeling exhausted or overwhelmed at work or school?

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Symptoms of burnout

Burnout can affect anyone at any place, whether at home, work, school or even in your social life. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your work ethic is wanting; it could instead be a result of high stress and burnout. Below are a few signs that you may be experiencing burnout:

You feel exhausted most of the time

Exhaustion can slowly creep in over days or months or it can happen quickly with increasing pressure, making you feel like you’ve depleted your energy reserves and can no longer go on. There are several aspects to exhaustion, including emotional exhaustion, that stems from the feeling of fatigue, making you unable to cope with workloads or meet deadlines. You may also experience fatigue and low energy levels from working for an extended period of time to the point of physical exhaustion.

It can be stressful to feel like your entire life is dependent on expending all your energy to just survive and pay bills. A healthy combination should involve a strong desire to excel and feel fulfilled without sacrificing your energy levels at the end of each day.

Remember that it is absolutely normal to have bad days at work or school. If you find yourself feeling trapped at your work or find the pressure consuming all of your energy, then you are likely experiencing burnout.

You lack the motivation and confidence you once had

Often times many people who are undergoing burnout feel overwhelmed by the thought of getting through a new day or week at work or at school. This feeling can be heart-wrenching, leading to a loss of motivation and, ultimately, absconding of personal and professional duties

This may also cause some people to lose confidence in their skills and abilities, leaving them feeling like they’re not good enough or they’re a failure. This state of mind can lead them to feelings of anxiety and depression.

You struggle to balance between work or school and home

If you find yourself overthinking about work after you have left the building, or constantly bringing work to your home, it could be a sign of burnout. Bringing the worries and misgivings you face at work to your home may cause an increase in stress levels. Higher than usual stress levels could weigh you down, spill over into your home life and eventually harm your relationships.

Your colleagues could also contribute to your burnout. They may treat you unfairly or miss their deadlines, potentially increasing your workload. You could also be expected to work more hours than required, leading to increased pressure that leaves you spending more time at work than at home.

A surefire sign of workplace burnout is having your mind full of thoughts about work when you’re enjoying a weekend or having a vacation with family or friends.

If you find yourself feeling like your life at home is as stressful and consuming as your work and you can never get a break from stress, It may be beneficial to reach out to a mental health therapist.

You’ve stopped taking care of yourself

The exhaustion that comes with burnout may lead you to neglecting care for yourself. Regular self care is vital to helping you overcome burnout. Daily and weekly check-ins will help you evaluate your current situation. Our mobile app “Rafi” has features like daily and weekly check-ins. Download Rafi.

How to cope with burnout

Share your feelings

Many people suppress their emotions, which leads to adverse impacts on their lives and their loved ones. If you find yourself in such a situation, talking to someone else about how you are feeling could help you deal with burnout. Whether it’s your boss, colleague, family or friends, talking to someone who listens can be beneficial.

When you bottle up your emotions, they may blow up at the wrong moment and cause major distress and embarrassment.

Tip: To learn more about the effects of stress and exhaustion, check out this guide on managing work stress

Related: Mental Health Foundation’s tips on regaining motivation.

Participate in activities or hobbies

Doing activities you enjoy outside of work will help keep you balanced and relieve you from stress and anxiety. Physical activities are especially known to improve your mood and replenish your energy levels. If you like physical activities such as going to the gym, It may be worthwhile to check out this upcoming running event by Mint Kenya and Shamiri Health that’s all about balance—mind and body. The event will focus on the powerful link between movement and mental health.

💡Are you showing signs of burnout at work or school?

Seek professional help

If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms, you might benefit from talking to a therapist from Shamiri Health. Our clinic provides a warm and calming environment to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible and professional certified therapists to take you through every step of the journey.  If you are not in Nairobi nor can’t come to our clinic physically, we also provide both virtual and tele-therapy sessions. Book a session now.

Our app Rafi has features like daily and weekly check-ins to help you track your mental and physical health. Download Rafi today.

Next steps

If you’re feeling emotionally or physically exhausted at work or school, you are not alone, and support is available. Acknowledging you’re going through burnout could be the first and most important step towards eradicating these symptoms. Remember, you can always contact our therapists anytime for support and guidance. Book a session now

If you’re an employer and you notice these signs and symptoms amongst your employees, do not panic. Shamiri Health has developed the best in class tools to support your team’s wellness needs. Book a call with us today.

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