Are you suffering from “burnout”?
Take this quiz (and learn what to do)
Plus, 3 ways to feel better when you’re exhausted and weary.
Originally Written By Krista Scott-Dixon, PhD, Julia Malacoff, PN1, CPT
“Is it burnout, or am I just being a baby?”
Burnout is gaining recognition in the work and wellness worlds. This makes sense, as self-reported stress levels are higher than ever.1 (And global pandemic, you’re really not helping.2)
But, like many health conditions, especially those related to mental health, there’s still a fair bit of stigma around burnout.
Some people hear the term “burnout” and say:
“This wasn’t a thing when I grew up. When did people become allergic to hard work?!” (As they take a big gulp of their mid-morning bourbon.)
Truth is, burnout is nothing new.
It’s been around as a clinical concept since the 1970s, and it surely existed before we slapped a formal name on it.3
But in 2019, the World Health Organization officially recognized it as a workplace phenomenon, and are currently working on developing tools to help recognize, treat, and most importantly, prevent burnout in workplaces.4
That’s good news because: Knowing you’re burned out also means you can recover from it sooner—and better.
Plus, preventing burnout usually means improving overall wellbeing.
In this article, we put together a handy quiz to help you spot the signs of burnout.
After that, we’ll share three ways to counteract burnout—even if you can’t make stress “go away.”
Ready? Let’s dig in.
What is burnout?
Burnout, also known as burnout syndrome, is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion that can happen when the demands in our lives consistently and chronically outweigh what we’re able to do or produce.5,6,7
It’s not a single bad day—or even week—at work. Rather, it’s an ongoing, long standing pattern of feeling like you’re trying and failing, without success, support, recognition, or recovery.
In most countries, burnout isn’t considered a medical condition, but rather an occupational (workplace) phenomenon.
That said, some places (hi, Sweden and the Netherlands), do recognize burnout as a medical diagnosis that requires time off from work.
Folks most at risk for burnout have jobs where:
- Actual demands are high (fast-paced work, high stakes, lots of decisions, significant consequences for mistakes)
- Perceived demands are high (it feels rushed, overwhelming, urgent, and busy—especially for people who care about “doing a good job” or “being a team player”)
- Ideals are high (people have high personal standards and strongly believe in the value and importance of their work)
- Resources are low (such as time, money, support, and rest)
When you think of this combination, you might already be imagining who feels it most: service jobs like health care, first response, teaching, or coaching are prime examples of occupations with high rates of burnout.
But burnout can affect people in any career. And even though it stems from work, burnout’s shockwaves can impact all areas of your life.
Luckily, recovery can also come from many areas of your life. We’ll get to that part in just a minute.
Your Score
Score: 3 or less
Sounds like you’re doing alright. You may have an occasional bad day, but you recover from it, and move on.
Score: 4 to 8
Hmm. You might benefit from a little more recovery and self-care. Consider consulting a qualified mental health professional, even just for a chat.
Score: 9 to 13
Be careful—you’re at risk of burnout, particularly if you feel several of these intensely and often. Consider consulting a qualified mental health professional.
Score: 14 to 18
You are at severe risk of burnout. Do something about this urgently. Seek help and support from a qualified professional.
Score: 19 or more
You are at very severe risk of burnout. It’s time to take action and seek help and support from a qualified professional.
Grab '3 Ways to Counteract Burnout Syndrome' ebook
Whether you scored high and are looking for a solution, or you’re curious what to do if you’re concerned about burnout creeping up on you in the future, you'll find what can help...
If you are at very severe risk of burnout, seek help and support from a qualified professional
