One of the results of not making time to rest and relax is Burnout.  More and more, stress related illnesses contribute to doctor’s visits and absences/leave’s from work. 

Christina Maslach, a renowned Psychologist, has done much work on the subject of ‘Burnout’, and she defines it as being ‘a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion marked by physical depletion and chronic fatigue, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, and by development of a negative self-concept and negative attitudes towards work, life and other people’

On the subject of Burnout, others signs to look for are the following:

(1) decreased energy -‘keeping up the speed’ becomes increasingly difficult;

(2) feeling of failure in vocation;

(3) reduced sense of reward in return for pouring so much of self into the job or project;

(4) a sense of helplessness and inability to see a way out of problems; and

(5) cynicism and negativism about self, others, work and the world generally

Dealing with Burnout involves admitting that something is wrong, then seeking out support for decreasing the stressors in your life.

Tomorrow we will continue the discussion, and explore ideas of how to decrease unwanted stress in our lives.

Colleen

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