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Home  Quick guide What is burn-out?
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What is burn-out? |
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If you use more resources and energy than you have, your physical resources and energy level will decline. If this lasts over long enough time, without any rest and relaxation for recovery, the available resources and energy will reduce so much that you become burned out. This graph (right) is a simplified representation tracking the body’s exploitation until the state of burn-out is reached. The green line represents the amount of available resources and energy. The red dashed line represents the amount of consumed resources and energy. There is a gap between the two, and so as demand continues to exceed resources, the amount of resources and energy will gradually decline. If this lasts long enough, there is so little energy left that the person becomes burned out. Symptoms You don’t get burned out over night. The symptoms of wearing out come very gradually, both in number and intensity. Most people experience a gradual loss of control over their lives, which continues to the point where they feel powerless to change their situation. On the road towards burn-out, people tend to become less social, apathetic (though in some cases hyper-active) and more negative. At work they will have lower motivation and diminishing concentration, and their work performance tends to suffer in both quality and quantity. People suffering from burn-out are more vulnerable to simple illnesses, and frequently become ill with flu, colds, inflammation of the throat/ear and so on. Factors that lead to burn-out Work is usually the main cause of burn-out, but other factors in life can also contribute: personal characteristics (personality and coping styles), physical health, leisure, as well as social supports and demands (family and friends). It is the total strain in life that defines how much resources and energy is consumed. How long does it take to get burned out? The time it takes to empty the resources and energy to the point of burn out, depends on the size of the gap between the energy you use and the energy you possess. As the graph below demonstrates, the quickest way to get burned out is with a big gap. A small gap can also lead to burn-out, if it lasts long enough without time for recuperation. Convalescence If you are burned out, it takes at least six months with more or less 100 % sick leave to recover. In most cases, it takes a couple of years to recover fully. If you start working too early, before your body has recovered, you will have even less energy and resources available, and your body is left weak and unable to cope well with any extra strain. In this vulnerable situation, it is very easy to become burned out again – and often each episode of burn-out becomes more severe, and recovery more difficult and prolonged. Download the e-book Tell a friend Next (What can you do?) >
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