Are you losing the spark?

Swati Rai

In the ‘always-on’ work world, where your A game has to be spot-on, each time, there might come a time when poo' goes the mind’s engine. Hence a burnout.

Excessive demands, personal and professional, keeping up to the unrealistic timelines and sometimes just the piling up of work world expectations, as they exist in the natural state, might translate for some into being on the verge of a burnout. 

Even the fact that one has to head for medical advice is overruled in most circumstances, in the absence of tangible recognition of alarm signals. To start with, here are a few significant signs of a burnout to watch out for and head for clinical advice, if need be.  

Physical signs

An aversion to getting up and going for even a short walk, session at the gym or a run, also points to a cause deeper than is apparent. 

A change in sleep patterns or in routine that is drastic should also be considered a warning sign. 

Challenging oneself at work and at home, investing in work life balance, spending time with family and friends and investing in positive engagements will help at work. 

At home, being physically active, helpful and sharing bonhomie away from individual screen time and spending time with friends will help. 

Dynamics at work

One or two “off”days are a natural occurrence in any employee’s work life. However, when this unwillingness, lethargy and procrastination to work becomes chronic, you know all is not well. Stress caused by negativity at work, dysfunctional work atmosphere, own inability to cope with professional expectations and pent up frustration might be the tipping points to watch out for. 

When concentration wavers repeatedly and there is an increasing ceaseless dissatisfaction, it is time to discuss these and seek professional help before the situation spirals into something even more menacing.

Loss of interest

If a colleague or you are overcome with a sense of ennui, low self-esteem and a sense of waning worth and reduced level of accomplishment, you know you should be concerned. 

You perceive a general worthlessness that is a shade lighter, if one can call it that; than clinical depression, it’s time to be concerned. Being over critical and cynical at work, snapping frequently and losing your cool are signs of a potential burnout. 

The frequency and the cause of an altercation is key in arriving at this deduction — whether it is a one off case or a habitual reaction caused by underlying stress, is what needs reflection. 

Keeping oneself engaged by setting short-term achievable goals, talking it out with a colleague, expectation management with the supervisor, according to the situation, is what is suggested by life coaches to keep one self motivated and charged. 

Timely review of pending goals, taking assistance where required, reaching out positively to fellow co-workers will also help in fostering healthy thoughts and positive reinforcement will further strengthen self esteem and image. 

Being an engaged employee after having taken into account time-bound deadlines, challenging oneself at work, avoiding unrealistic comparison with colleagues and, most importantly, being cognizant of the signs of a burnout and seeking medical help if need be, is the way out of this quagmire.

What it means

‘The reduction of a substance to nothing through use or combustion and 'the failure of an electrical device or component through overheating’— the dictionary meaning of a burnout translates well into the work world.  Even if one goes by the literal lexical meaning it is evident that it implies a machinery going kaput. The machinery here being the human mind. So it implies a state of chronic stress leading to physical and mental exhaustion feelings of inadequacy, negativity and detachment, that hamper everyday functioning.