Burnout Can Strike Anyone, so Be Vigilant About Its Symptoms

For years, Nikki Wheeler tackled burnout in a radical, though not-so-effective way: She quit her jobs.

First she resigned from a government aide post, then a federal agency position, a teaching job and a project manager spot. Each time responsibilities threatened to overwhelm her, she left for seemingly greener pastures.

“I never took a vacation, I never took a break,” she said. “But eventually, I saw there was a pattern. There was nothing wrong with the job. I finally realized I had really needed a break.”

Today, the Englewood, Colo., publicity manager seems to have vanquished her burnout woes. Wheeler, 29, schedules regular work breaks, takes walks at lunch and participates in varied activities outside of work. She also shares concerns with her boss as they arise--something he requested, given Wheeler’s former “love ‘em or leave ‘em” ways.

“He told me, ‘If you ever think of quitting, talk to me first,’ ” she said.

Burnout is a growing threat. As layoffs escalate, those remaining in their jobs are forced to shoulder added responsibilities under stressful conditions.

It’s a state of mental and physical exhaustion often denied or ignored by its sufferers.

Many attempt to plunge ahead with their work, only to find themselves making errors, forgetting appointments and snapping at co-workers. Others begin developing physical ailments--headaches, digestive ills, back problems and sleep difficulties--but try to cure the maladies with over-the-counter remedies. A few burnout sufferers, overwhelmed and overworked, turn to drugs and alcohol.

Only when burnout symptoms threaten to cost individuals their jobs and relationships, do they realize they need help.

“They have an intuitive sense that something is wrong, but they can’t slow down and take a look at things,” said Deborah Arron, a Seattle-based career development consultant, who specializes in counseling attorneys.

Who is a candidate for burnout? Experts say just about anyone. Those in helping professions, who put others’ needs before their own, are susceptible to “compassion fatigue,” said Ruth Luban, a Santa Monica psychotherapist and author of “Keeping the Fire: From Burnout to Balance”(ChoicePoints, 1996). Teachers, psychologists and nurses are examples of workers at risk for this type of burnout.

To prevent compassion fatigue, Beverly Potter, a Berkeley-based psychologist and authority on job burnout, suggests that these professionals adopt what she calls detached concern.

They must be able to offer compassion for those in their care, without becoming emotionally entangled.

Persons whose work is highly stressful, dangerous or deadline-oriented, such as emergency workers, police officers and media personnel, also must guard against creeping burnout.

When feeling distressed about an on-the-job incident or struggling with mounting work demands, these individuals should schedule work-free breaks, seek social support and, if unable to resolve their difficulties, accept counseling help.

When Deana Valorose, 28, a former South Carolina television news producer, found herself struggling with severe burnout, she at first tried to press ahead with her deadline-intensive work. But her problems only multiplied.

“It seemed like my whole life was crashing down,” she said. “I was stressed out all the time, on deadlines, always on call. I was so unhappy.

“I guess what I did at the breaking point was pretty bold. I just walked in to my TV news director’s office and said, ‘I’m leaving. I can’t do this anymore,’ ” she said. She’s now a media relations representative for PR Newswire in Washington, with a saner schedule and work responsibilities she enjoys.

People in creative occupations, such as writers, advertising executives, photographers, artists and musicians, may find themselves stymied professionally by burnout when they’re pushed too hard to produce.

This can result in career crises and creative blocks: Their imaginations go on strike, they begin generating mediocre work and find themselves struggling to remain competitive and employed. A work-free sabbatical, longer than a typical vacation, is often required for this group, experts say.

Office workers, no matter what their field, are increasingly threatened by burnout because of “access overload,” according to Debra Dinnocenzo, co-author of the upcoming “Dot.calm: The Search for Sanity in a Wired World” (Dinnocenzo, 2001). Their employers now can harness them 24/7, thanks to cell phones, pagers, e-mail, electronic personal assistants and laptops, so there is no structured respite from job obligations.

“There’s often an urge to run away and abdicate responsibilities,” Luban said.

Scheduling periodic time-outs--by temporarily disconnecting their electronic umbilical cords--can stave off burnout for wired workers, Dinnocenzo said.

Burnout also may arise from unresolved psychological challenges. Workers who must kowtow to dictatorial bosses; perform tasks that conflict with their principles; weather obsessive micromanagement; or toil endlessly without recognition and praise are candidates for burnout, Arron said.

What should you do if burnout threatens?

First, become introspective. Assess your symptoms. Are you feeling overwhelmed by your job responsibilities, distressed by a boss or co-workers, or battling vague physical symptoms that seem to get worse with work-related stresses?

If so, start brainstorming. What possible ways can you relieve these burdens? List as many solutions as you can.

Enlist supportive family, friends, co-workers and helping professionals to contribute to your solutions list.

“We don’t want to wait until we’re in a miserable situation, feeling so downtrodden we can barely function,” Potter said.

Next, list your energy drainers, suggested Pamela Ammondson, author of “Clarity Quest: How to Take a Sabbatical Without Taking More than a Week Off” (Fireside, 1999).

These are the responsibilities and people that sap you.

How can you minimize your exposure to them? Can you delegate unpleasant duties? Hire someone else to do them? Alternate your unpleasant tasks with fun ones? Can you limit your time with individuals who are “emotional vampires”--people who deplete you with their demands and expectations?

Now list your energy boosters. These are the activities and people that lift your spirits. How can you incorporate these more frequently into your life? How can you make more time for them?

Burnout doesn’t have to curtail your career, thwart your productivity or deplete your energy. You can prevent it or heal it if you are vigilant about its symptoms. And, to rule out organic causes for any ailments that don’t improve, be sure to see your physician.

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Burnout Busters

Suffering from burnout? Does your life feel like an endless Monday? If your energy is flagging, your workload is increasing and you’re finding yourself fantasizing daily about starting life over as a Tahitian pearl farmer, consider taking some “anti-burnout” action stat. Here are some suggestions compiled from “Dot.calm: The Search for Sanity in a Wired World” by Debra Dinnocenzo and “Keeping the Fire: From Burnout to Balance” by Ruth Luban, psychotherapist and burnout expert. *

Hold certain times sacred. Don’t let thoughts of work, job-related phone calls or other employment interruptions invade these personal rejuvenation times.

Exercise to burn off stress.

Create a sign that says “Breathe.” Keep it on your desk at work. Each time you see the sign, breathe deeply and slowly.

Catch up on sleep time. If possible, take short naps when you feel sleepy.

Take regular weekend trips and long drives. Don’t bring work along.

Regularly participate in favorite pastimes. These might include going to movies, listening to music, attending learning seminars, meditating, going on historical walking tours, volunteering for community service, visiting art galleries or going to the theater.

Nourish your body through therapeutic massage, facials, dance and yoga.

Visit nature. Sail, camp, climb rocks, take hikes in the woods, go stargazing. Kayak, go bird or whale watching, scuba dive. Each day at work, aspire to notice the outdoors (the blue sky, cumulus clouds, a sunset).

Take up new hobbies. Play a musical instrument, garden, sing, skate, paint or make pottery.

Allow morning time for yourself. Before beginning work, spend at least 15 minutes centering, breathing, greeting the day. Use your commuting time for personal projects and meditation, not for pre-office work.

Beautify your work space. If possible, put up photos of loved ones and pictures of scenic places. Change these every so often so they don’t become invisible.

Establish boundaries. Be assertive. Speak up when you’re overwhelmed. Say “no” to those who demand too much of you.

Create anti-burnout affirmations, such as “It’s OK to leave this for tomorrow”; “I’m entitled to a refreshing break right now.”

Collect “centering scents”--incense, bath oils, potpourri--that can wake you up, boost your mood and invigorate you.

Play games. Be creative. Have fun. Do art. Make collages. Keep whimsical toys and objects on your desk.

Help others.

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Warning Signs

Are you experiencing on-the-job burnout? Following are 12 symptoms of this energy- and motivation-sapping condition. If you find that you’ve been battling one or more of these problems within the last six months, don’t ignore your difficulties. Seek help. Take time off. Don’t wait until burnout causes irreparable harm in your personal or work life.

*

You used to love your work, but now it exhausts you emotionally and/or physically.

You feel you’re accomplishing much less compared with your past performance.

Your work always comes first, but no one seems to appreciate your efforts and commitment.

You feel increasingly cynical about your work, your employer and/or your clients.

You believe that only you can perform your work as it needs to be done and that your clients and colleagues would be irreparably harmed if you quit.

You’re no longer interested in the hobbies and pastimes you used to enjoy.

Nothing much matters to you.

You’re increasingly forgetful about appointments and/or find yourself misplacing possessions, making mistakes and overlooking deadlines.

You need more time alone than you used to.

You’re more irritable now when you drive in traffic and wait in lines.

You’re getting unexplained headaches, stomachaches and/or backaches.

You find yourself frequently feeling angry and lashing out at others.

*

Source: Career development expert Deborah Arron