As the year progresses, fatigue and feeling the need for a break become increasingly common. But research reveals that more and more workers are suffering from prolonged work burnout – a far more chronic problem arising out of prolonged exposure to extreme stress on the job.
It manifests itself in three key characteristics: exhaustion, which leads to the feeling of not being able to offer any more of oneself at an emotional level; cynicism, which results an a distant attitude towards work and colleagues; and, perhaps most importantly for business leaders and managers, inefficacy which leads to incompetence and inadequate performance.
Spanish researchers identify three key types of burnout, and suggest possible remedies for each:
1. Frenetic burnout
Typical among workaholic, ambitious workers who place unrealistic demands on themselves, feel guilty when they don’t achieve their ambitions and work increasingly harder as a result.
Solution: these workers need to understand the drivers of their excessive ambition and guilt, and spend more time satisfying their personal needs.
2. Under-challenged burnout
Common in repetitive monotonous jobs that offer little stimulation, this type of burnout leads to feelings of indifference and cynicism.
Solution: consider the significance of your role in the company’s overall success in a new light, and make an effort to renew your interest in your own personal development at work.
3. Worn-out burnout
Common among employees who have been in the same job or organisation for many years (between 4 and 16 years), this type of burnout is characterised by helplessness and a tendency to ‘give up’ when faced with stress or lack of gratification.
Solution: investigate the reasons for your feelings of despair and develop a social support network at work to increase your levels of motivation.
