Burnout has been defined by The American Psychological Association as mental, emotional and physical exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes toward oneself and others. It is often caused by excessive stress and an inability to cope with it.  This can commonly occur in high functioning people.  High functioning people naturally have learned the skills to cope with stress, so burnout often can be missed in the early stages.  Herbert Frudenberger, German Psychologist, was the first person to coin the phrase “burnout”.  In collaboration with Gail North, they created the 12 stages of burnout which was later simplified to 5 stages of burnout.  

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Signs of burnout can vary person to person.  This is not an exhaustive list, but some examples are:

1. Feeling powerless and stuck.  You may feel that you are at your limit and something that used to feel like a small task may feel like it is impossible to manage now.  

2. Increased difficulty with focusing on the task at hand.  You might find yourself having more escape fantasies or resorting to self-medicating.  It is natural to daydream or get distracted throughout the day.  One example of how burnout can surface in this way is when your frequency of escape fantasties increase beyond your normal frequency and impede your ability to function. 

3. Performance has decreased.  You may find it harder to start AND finish a task.   It is becoming more difficult to care about your projects and assignments. 

4. Deterioration in physical health.  When your body is under extreme stress, it can cause an increase in cortisol levels.  When cortisol levels remain high for a prolonged period of time, this can cause a disruption to other body processes that will put you at an increased risk of various health problems. A couple common symptoms are being in a constant state of fatigue and getting sick more frequently or easily.

5. Mood changes negatively affecting your interactions.  You may notice yourself being more pessimistic and/or irritable.  This may also result in an increased feeling of disconnection from your loved ones, colleagues or school mates.

Some solutions

There are many different layers of how to deal with burnout.  The following video is a great testimony of the deep changes Dr. Oma Agbai which helped restore her life by reducing and/or preventing future burnouts.  

Here are some additional tips not covered in the video:

Nourishment:  If you think of yourself like a battery, it is important to understand how your battery works.  You need to understand what drains, sustains, and charges your battery.  It is vital to focus on the latter and invest in what nourishes and recharges your body and spirit.

Regular Self Check-Ins: Everyone moves at a different pace. If you have a fast, on the go, pace you may be missing natural cues from your body signaling something may be wrong. Regularly tuning in and listening to your body can help you avoid burnout. When you pick up on a cue you can recalibrate and adjust accordingly before you drain your battery completely.

Critically look at how you put meaning into your identity. The words we use to describe ourselves carry a lot of weight and we often make decisions that align with our perception of ourselves. Take time to reflect on what drives the way you function. Are there some things you’ve accepted because you assume it is status quo or because it meets an expectation for yourself? This part may be more complex and where a Therapist may be helpful.