Burnouts are bound to happen. Whether you’re in the workplace, going through a difficult personal event or on a college campus, people surpass their limits. Although burnouts are arguably taken more seriously today than in the past, there are still those who might not understand this common phenomena. In order to approach burnouts in a healthy manner, it is important to understand them first. As they say, “Knowledge is power.”
Myron Burns, an associate professor in the department of psychology and neuroscience defines, burnout as “stress and anxiety that has developed over time in some activity, on the job or in the classroom. Overtime, [burnouts cause individuals to] feel overwhelmed, maybe overworked and exhausted.”
Having experienced burnouts myself, their seemingly unpredictable nature seems to be a common experience for many. One minute you are on your daily grind, the next you can’t even get out of bed. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and upon reflection of the events leading to the burnout, things become a little clearer. What’s important for those who want to prevent burnout is to identify what burns them out.
The causes and the definition go hand and hand.
Burns explained that it could be “a lot on one’s plate, lots of nerves, not taking enough time to yourself or having the resources you need. Vacations are important, that’s why schools have spring break, because it helps the students recharge. If someone does not get a break that can lead to irritability.”
Odds are, a lot of people could relate to those statements. So, if you’re suffering from a burnout, how can you help yourself and get back to being a productive member of society?
Burns said, “A good place to start is setting boundaries. Sometimes, you just need to take a break. One of my favorite words people might have trouble saying is ‘No.’ There’s an old saying that goes, ‘A failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.”
So, it seems that a surefire way to prevent burnouts in the first place, or fix them once they have been identified, is to put yourself first, in a healthy manner. Burnouts are serious problems that can affect anyone in any field and can bring heavy consequences if left ignored. However, like most things in life, an open mind and a cool head can go a long way.
