Many people suffer what is known as burnout over the course of their working lives. But how can you recognize burnout, what indicates an increased risk and how should you react?
A recent study involving experts from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) examined how burnout can be recognized and how well the new Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) is suitable for determining it. The results can be read in the “Scandinavian Journal of Psychology”.
Early signs of burnout
For example, increased stress at work and difficulty meeting demands can contribute to burnout. However, certain symptoms can indicate that you may be on the verge of burnout.
Typical signs include feeling mentally exhausted while working, a lack of motivation for work, a lack of concentration and occasional unwanted overreactions during working hours, the team reports.
It is extremely important to recognize the early signs of burnout in order to reduce the harmful effects and prevent the symptoms from progressing. If this does not happen, the researchers warn that there may be long-term consequences for those affected.
Illnesses as a result of burnout
Possible consequences of burnout include cardiovascular diseases, sleep disorders and depression.
The new measuring tool developed by the team to detect early warning signs of burnout (the Burnout Assessment Tool) is already being tested in 30 countries and can help those affected to effectively recognize impending burnout.
“Until now, we have not had a sufficiently detailed measurement tool that could be used both in practice and in research to identify employees at risk of burnout,” reports study author Leon De Beer in a press release.
The results show that the BAT is a good tool for determining the risk of burnout. Four main groups of risk factors are measured: exhaustion, mental detachment, cognitive impairment and emotional impairment, the researchers explain.
Is burnout a disease?
According to experts, burnout is not an illness in the true sense, but rather a feeling of mental or physical exhaustion that occurs as the body’s reaction to an ongoing, stressful situation. Even though burnout is usually viewed as a work-related problem, stress in your private life can also play a role.
If burnout is not recognized and untreated, it can cause those affected to suffer for years, according to the research team.
Causes of burnout in the workplace
“We can combat burnout through individual treatment, but it is of little use if those affected return to a job where the demands are too high and there are few resources,” explains study author Professor Marit Christensen.
It is therefore important to create good working conditions and structures that are beneficial to people’s health at work in the long term. “Using the recognized method, we found that around 13 percent of the 500 employees surveyed were at high risk of burnout,” adds Christensen.
The new method could help identify people who need care most urgently in order to permanently reduce the risk of burnout. (as)
