Is procrastination laziness or burnout? How to help yourself

 

Let's start with the main thing: in 2021, WHO included burnout in the International Classification of Diseases. Therefore, if your favorite job has begun to seem like hard labor, even small problems are unsettling, and concentration on tasks requires incredible efforts — do not blame yourself for laziness. It is important to find a way to get out of this state without serious consequences.

How does burnout occur and how is it dangerous?

"Emotional burnout" is not a fashionable invention of recent years. This term was introduced in 1974 by the American psychiatrist Herbert Freudenberger. And now, almost 50 years later, burnout syndrome, which is caused by chronic stress at work, is officially recognized. No one is immune from this condition, but it is more often diagnosed in representatives of helping, creative, financial and public professions. In addition to the direct impact on performance and productivity, constant stress is fraught with the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system, endocrinological disorders, including diabetes, as well as problems with excess weight due to stress "jamming" and alcohol — due to its "drinking". Burnout develops gradually, going through five stages, at each of which new signs of exhaustion are added — first physically, and then emotionally and motivationally: - The honeymoon. - The beginning of stress. - Chronic stress. - Burnout. - Chronic burnout.

The fewer days off you have, the more tasks and responsibilities you have, the faster you will walk this path to the motivational "finish line".

How do you tell if you're burned out?

Answering "yes" to at least 3-4 questions from the list is a sign that you are close to burnout. It is difficult to concentrate on work, and I have lost interest and a sense of usefulness. Communicating with colleagues and clients is exhausting, and mistakes that are unusual for you have appeared, from unnecessary commas to overloaded tasks.

I don't want to be active and take on new projects, even for an additional fee. You are often late and take longer to complete tasks.

Work of the usual volume and complexity seems overwhelming and exhausting.

You wake up tired, put off work endlessly, and even a deadline doesn't help you gather your strength.

You are plagued by colds, headaches, stomach upsets, and other illnesses.

Sleep and food have become problems: I want to sleep/eat all the time, or, conversely, I suffer from insomnia and lack of appetite.

You get annoyed by little things and don't feel the joy of life.

These signs persist for a long time.

5 Ways to Combat Burnout

The same work-life balance

Thinking about work at dinner and before going to bed, and sitting down at a computer on weekends is a sure path to burnout. If you're going to mix work and personal life, then the opposite is better: think about a family trip or just look out the window before starting a new task. And the main advice of psychologists is to consciously switch yourself from the "work" mode to the "home" mode, where your business is rest. Digital hygiene

Social media often seems like a place where you can escape from the feeling of burnout. However, in reality, the endless stream of information puts a strain on the nervous system again. Instead of flipping through the tape, it's better to be alone with yourself, chat with your loved ones, and do something pleasant. A useful practice is to write down your emotions in a diary.: this will help you notice and work through the negativity. Energy saving

Fatigue and burnout are a legitimate reason to relieve yourself of unnecessary stress: do not take on additional tasks, refuse uncritical requests, limit unpleasant communication. Let yourself recover, and then the time will come for success and for helping everyone around you. Nervous system support

The emotional and psychological overload caused by burnout requires additional support on a physiological level. Prolonged stress disrupts the production of neurotransmitters necessary for communication between neurons. This negatively affects cognitive abilities, attention, and emotional balance.

Complete rest

How much rest do I need? Follow the rule of thirds: 8 hours of work — 8 hours of rest — 8 hours of sleep. And try to get the most out of each of them. It is important to organize quality sleep: at regular times, in comfortable conditions. And spend your free time no less efficiently. It is not necessary to come up with complex activities for this. Creative hobbies, walks in the park, meetings with supportive people (a psychologist can also become such a person) are very simple and effective ways to help the nervous system relax and release stress.