Is it burnout or am I lazy?

If you are beginning to feel a bit more tired, a bit less motivated, and a bit less skilled at your job, it might mean that you’re heading towards burnout. But what is burnout? And how is it different from laziness?

First of all, the main difference between burnout and laziness is that one exists and the other one doesn’t. Put simply, laziness is not a thing. What we call laziness is a symptom, not the problem itself. Sometimes it’s a symptom of de-prioritisation, sometimes of an illness. And sometimes, it’s a symptom of burnout.

But what is burnout?

Burnout is described by WHO as an ‘occupational phenomenon’ — and I will quote their definition of said phenomenon because it’s a very good one. So here it goes (emphasis added by moi:

“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
• reduced professional efficacy.”

So, to put it simply, too much stress, for too long, without respite and help in sorting it out, leads to burnout, which is characterised by being super tired, caring less and less about your job, and becoming worse at said job.

But why does burnout arise? Is it just because you don’t like your job and don’t give a toss about it?

Actually, it’s quite the contrary — burnout usually comes from caring too much. Wild, right? Research has shown that, beside a generally stressful lifestyle, the contributing factors are pessimism, being a high-achiever, in need of control and, you guessed it, perfectionism. If that sounds like a pretty accurate description of you, you should read on.

What makes people go from stressed to burnt out?

A stressful job doesn’t necessarily have to lead to burnout. Where the issue lies is with the mismanagement of the stress. If you can manage stress alright (and are supported in it by your colleagues and manager), you might spend your entire working life in what seems to be a very stressful career and be completely burnout-free (lucky you!).

A 2018 report by the Gallup Institute has identified certain features of jobs that increase the risk of the employees burning out.

1. Unreasonable time pressure — if everything is due yesterday, or if someone’s life may depend on your speed (e.g. if you’re a paramedic), burnout is more likely to happen to you. Conversely, the report has shown that workers who have enough time to complete their tasks are 70% less likely to experience high burnout.
2. Lack of communication and support from a manager — if you’re left alone, it’s hard not to be stressed out. Especially if it’s combined with time pressure.
3. Lack of role clarity — trying to figure out what you should be doing can be bloody exhausting, and can very easily lead to overwork.
4. Crazy workload — too much work is highly likely to lead to feeling hopeless. After all, you literally can’t do it all.
5. Unfair treatment.

How do I spot it?

There are certain tell-tale signs of burnout, although they can be similar to, for example, depression. So, how do you spot you might be experiencing burnout?

• You find your job stressful and frustrating. You’re getting increasingly more cynical about it, and might be feeling emotionally distanced and numb. Where you previously jumped at tasks in excitement (or at least just went to get things done), you now feel like you’re unable to get anything done.
• You might experience physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach issues, as well as decreased immunity and changes in eating and sleeping habits.
• You feel emotionally exhausted. You’re so tired it’s difficult to get work done, or enjoy your life outside of work.
• You have difficulty concentrating, and lack creativity.

While these may be signs of burnout, they can also be signs of depression. DO NOT IGNORE THEM. Especially if you’re experiencing physical symptoms, err on the side of caution and consult your doctor to confirm it’s not something else wreaking havoc on your body.

Once that’s figured out, it’s time for burnout recovery.

But, is recovery even possible?

It absolutely is. Is it an easy journey? No. Nor is it a quick one. Research shows that burnout recovery can take around 2 years.

I know this number is horrifying, but to me, it sends a very clear message: the sooner you get started, the sooner you will feel better.

There is a lot to burnout recovery, but there’s something that is the number 1 way to both avoid, and recover from, burnout.

And that’s setting and maintaining boundaries, both at work and outside of it.