Causes of Burnout
Nearly every adult faces burnout at some point in their life. Whether it is caused by work, family problems, financial issues, or childhood trauma, burnout is a very real and serious issue. Those who struggle with it most are people who find it difficult to deal with stress on a regular basis. Increasing pressure, due to stressful situations, can create a scenario where a person quickly becomes burned out and can hardly function through normal daily routines.
This extreme drop in desire to carry out even the most basic functions is something that can become debilitating, if left unchecked. To begin the road to recovery, it is perhaps necessary to first recognize what causes burnout.
Burnout Cause #1: Stress
Stress is probably the number cause of burnout because it affects so much more than just your mental status. Stress can create physical and health problems, which will further add to the mental strain you might already be under. One great way you can combat stress is to do a five-minute meditation twice a day. Another idea is to use your lunch break one day a week for a 30-minute foot spa. Doing these simple things can greatly help to reduce and/or manage your stress levels before they get out of control.
Burnout Cause #2: An overloaded schedule
What does your calendar look like? Is it so full you don't have room for any more appointments, so you start adding sticky notes on top of your full calendar to work in even more activities and appointments? This is a sign that you could be headed down the road to burnout. Be cautious about allowing your schedule to be jam-packed every single day. Remember to set aside some time for rest and relaxation.
Burnout Cause #3: Family problems
In addition to stress and a busy schedule, family problems can burn you out quicker than anything else. The burden of trying to be a mediator between rivaling siblings or divorced parents can be quite taxing on you. If you are feeling burned out because you've been put in the middle of family squabbles or drama, politely remove yourself from the center of the eye and stay out of it.
Burnout Cause #4: Lack of rest
When you are stressed out, stretched too thin, and have family problems to deal with, what is the first thing to go out the window? A good night's rest. Between the busyness in your life and the worries on your mind, you probably are having a terrible time resting when you go to bed at night. Losing sleep and rest only further induces stress hormones, which promote burnout. It is imperative that you find a way to release all this negative pent-up energy inside you before your head hits the pillow at night.
Final thoughts
As you can see from the four causes of burnout discussed above, each one of those areas actually intertwine with the next, and the next, and so on, until you are twisted into knots inside. The best way to nip burnout before it even begins is to learn to let go. Remind yourself that you can't control everything. Balance your responsibilities and step back when problems arise in your family. You are the only one who can prevent burnout from happening to yourself.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2009 Hope Wilbanks