While we are all well aware of the growing prevalence and negative consequences of burnout, it can be difficult to prevent it. You must first understand what is causing it. This is why most of the literature on the subject has been less specific. Although the World Health Organization’s definition (“poor management chronic stress at work”) is not helpful, it does clarify one of its key components: stress.
Christina Malasch (emeritus Professor at the University of Berkeley, California), who is often referred to as the “mother of Burnout” because of her pioneering efforts to bring academic rigor and rigor to the subject of burnout, says in her research that there “six areas of work life directly connected to it”.
While workload is the main cause of stress at work, research shows that you will be exhausted if you ignore the other five signs.
These are the six main causes of job burnout.
Burnout can be caused by the sheer amount of work, but there are two other reasons why you might feel exhausted. It is possible that you are assigned a job you don’t know how. Emotional work, such as in the medical professions, can be exhausting. This is because you have to display emotions that are not consistent with your environment (e.g. comforting traumatized clients). You can keep your workload in a healthy range by paying attention to the difficulty and emotionality of your work.
Motivation is all about control. If you lower your control below a certain point, you’ll lose the motivation and feeling of accomplishment that comes with completing the job well. When you don’t have the power to manage or modify resources or have the authority to make it happen, control levels can drop to dangerous levels. Keep an eye on your control levels and how motivated you are.
You will feel ineffective and distant from your work if you don’t get rewarded appropriately and frequently enough. While financial compensation is a great reward, recognition is equally important. Nearly 80% of employees who quit their job cite lack of recognition as the reason they leave. However, 60% of those who quit their jobs claim that recognition motivates them better than money.
Sometimes, the work itself is the best reward. It is easy to find out if your reward are sufficient if you are thankful for your work.
A sense of belonging is key to your success. Being part of a group means you have the feeling that someone is there to help you when you are struggling at work. In business relationships, lacking personal depth is often a problem. Unresolved relationships can be dangerous and even deadly. Ask yourself if there is a strong community and if you would enjoy doing something with your colleagues.
You may feel exhausted if you don’t believe your boss, your leaders, or company treats you and your coworkers fairly. Fairness is how employers communicate their appreciation for you. Inequity in workload, pay, cheating, evaluations, promotions, or other factors that are not based on merit are all examples of injustice. Inequity can lead to burnout and emotional stress, as well as a lack of respect for your work. Find out if your feelings of respect are what you need to be fair in your work.
If your company’s values are not aligned with yours or if you act inconsistently with the values your company intends to uphold, you’re more likely to feel exhausted. You will most likely leave your job if your boss or company keeps asking you to do things that are contrary to your values. This factor can be easily assessed by asking yourself if your company is proud of you.
These six factors can help you prevent burnout. Start tracking them all in the easiest way possible.
