Are You Suffering From Office Burnout?

For those of us who are suffering from what they think is office burnout, you may be in luck. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently classified burnout as an official clinical syndrome.

According to WHO, burnout is ‘exhaustion to chronic workplace stress’. For the first time, workers will be able to understand their feelings and emotions when faced with personal challenges in the office.

Symptoms of burnout vary on the individual, which may pose problems defining it for millions of people. Some high-stress professionals state a constant headache, lack of sleep, or inability to concentrate. For others, they might self-diagnose burnout as overtired, hungover, or upset.

What is it?

The WHO has outlined the three main reasons that can be classified as official workplace burnout:

• Feelings of tiredness or exhaustion.
• Increased mental distance from your job or raised cynicism for projects
• Reduction in overall efficiency.

For older readers or workers, this idea might seem like a fairly new phenomenon. However, psychologists have been studying the cause and effects of burnout for more than 40 years.

Since 1974, there have been countless studies that explain the effects that these elements can have on our mental and physical health. For some, it can lead to nervous breakdowns, redundancy, or even fatal health issues.

The study states that doctors are twice as likely to suffer from burnout than other professionals. Between 2016 and 2017 alone, more than 12 million workdays were lost due to it around the world.

The feelings and consequences of burnout can be avoided by monitoring your mental health overtime and taking regular vacations. Even an extended weekend away can help recharge and gain perspective on life.

Alternatively, spending more time on personal hobbies outside of work hours can help blow off steam and relax.

Fortunately for workers, this new classification will force employers to care for employees who claim to be burnt out. Unfortunately for companies, they will need to accommodate the vague feelings of tiredness or cynicism.

If you think you might be suffering from workplace burnout, it is essential to tackle this problem and seek the appropriate time off work.