6 Signs of Burnout and How to Take Action

There’s a high chance that you or someone you know have experienced a burnout. The truth is that signs of burnout can feel like common illnesses and can attack anyone. Although you love your job, the risk of becoming another victim of employee burnout always lurks in the corner.

Recognising the sneaky tell-tale signs can be the difference between bouncing back versus becoming chronically ill and developing into severe conditions over time. Take a moment to wind down and read on to learn more about this overwhelming chronic stress.

Is Burnout a Real Thing?

It’s not a medical diagnosis per se, but it’s a real condition that can wreak havoc on your general health. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Physician Peh Wei Jie, a featured expert at All Things Health Malaysia, describes burnout as a syndrome rooted in unmanaged stress.

“When one faces chronic fatigue, the Liver, Kidney, and Spleen are usually involved. The most fundamental concept of TCM is that of qi, which refers to the energy and life force that flows through the human body. Fatigue is related to the quantity and quality of qi a person can maintain; hence the primary cause of fatigue would be a Qi Deficiency. Prolonged periods of fatigue can lead to other deficiencies, namely blood, Yin, or Yang Deficiency,” he says.

How to Spot Signs of Burnout

Can you differentiate between feeling tired and being burnt out? Weariness can be resolved by going to a spa or taking a long nap. It’s not the same as feeling as if you’ve exhausted all your energy to the point of breaking down. Most people take weeks to overcome signs of burnout. But it’s better to address the issue as soon as possible.

Here are some signs of burnout to look out for.

1. You never have energy

People would say it’s normal to feel as if your body has merged with your bed whenever the alarm goes off. However, fatigue is different from just being tired. As you over-exert your body, it literally runs out of energy and shuts down. At first, you may start feeling normally tired. But as the burnout progresses, it’ll feel like you are exhausted all the time.

2. Your diet changes significantly

A shift in appetite can indicate impending burnout. Lots of people turn to food as a coping mechanism. In contrast, there are cases of decreased appetite due to burnout. “Liver Qi Stagnation and Spleen Deficiency are where chronic stress leads to extreme mood swings, low self-esteem, and feelings of depression, affecting the Liver, causing a Stagnation of Liver qi,” explains Physician Peh.

3. You don’t feel rested despite resting

Similar to depression symptoms, you may notice how often you feel sleepy. Getting 12 hours of sleep becomes a daily habit, yet you don’t feel rested. If you’re healthy, you’ll instinctively wind down towards the end of the day, in preparation for a good night’s sleep. When you’re in a state of burnout, your mind keeps racing – you can’t switch off.

4. You don’t feel motivated

Ever feel the dread of facing the next day? Stress keeps piling up, and this can make you feel overwhelmed by simple tasks. According to Mercer’s 2022 Global Talent Trends Study, eight out of ten workers in Asia report feeling at risk of burnout. The longer you ignore it, the less you enjoy the things at work that used to motivate you.

5. You fall sick easily

Yes, burnout can weaken your immunity. Physician Peh explains, “This Deficiency often arises in individuals having to manage a lot in their capacity. They experience inadequate rest, or grief and sadness frequently, weakening the Lung qi. This often presents via a higher susceptibility to coughs or colds.”

6. Your body aches all the time

It might not be your office chair that causes your back pain. As you spend more time working than enjoying life, your Kidney Qi shrinks. “Kidney Qi Deficiency refers to a depletion in the deepest foundation of energy in the human body, especially when we try to function without sufficient nutrition or rest,” reveals Physican Peh.

Further stress and excessive consumption of caffeine can also cause a reduction in Kidney yin and yang, resulting in general weakness, aches, memory loss, and even osteoporosis.

How to Recharge

Burnout will make you feel powerless and trap you in a bottomless pit. The first step to recovery is admitting that you are burnt out. If you’re currently experiencing two or three signs of burnout mentioned before, you can try the following tips to pick yourself up:

• Massage the tai chong (LR3, 太沖) acupoint to clear Qi Stagnation and help the body relax.
• Do simple exercises, such as stretching in the morning or qigong.
• Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.
• Cut down on sugar in your diet.
• Consume fewer cold or processed foods.
• Eat warm and nourishing food, such as cinnamon tea, essence of chicken, or soups with ginseng.

Overcoming signs of burnout will not be easy. Reach out for professional help to reset your mind. Most importantly, draw clear boundaries at work and use your downtime to keep you centered. Visit All Things Health Malaysia to learn more about wellness practices you can follow at home and tips to improve your health.

**The facts and views expressed are solely that of the author/authors and do not necessarily reflect that of the editorial board.

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REFERENCES

1. Cleveland Clinic. 2022. What Is Burnout? [online] Available at: <https://health.clevelandclinic.org/signs-of-burnout/> [Accessed 20 May 2022].

2. Boston University. 2022. Work Burnout Signs: What to Look for and What to Do about It. [online] Available at: <https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/work-burnout-signs-symptoms/> [Accessed 20 May 2022].

3. Applied Nursing Research. 2019. Auricular acupressure reduces anxiety and burnout in behavioral healthcare. [online] Available at: <http://www.nada-norge.no/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Auricular-acupressure-reduces-anxiety-and-burnout-in-behavioral-healthcare.pdf> [Accessed 20 May 2022].

4. Journal of Accountability. 2022. Burnout’s telltale signs and how leaders can better understand them. [online] Available at: <https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/podcast/cpa-news-burnouts-telltale-signs-how-leaders-better-understand-them.html> [Accessed 20 May 2022].

5. PLOS ONE. 2020. Acupuncture in persons with an increased stress level—Results from a randomized-controlled pilot trial. [online] Available at: <https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0236004> [Accessed 20 May 2022].

6. PLOS ONE. 2017. Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. [online] Available at: <https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185781> [Accessed 20 May 2022].