Burnt out, empty, no energy – these are the typical signs of burnout. Burnout is triggered when someone is overburdened for a long time. Those affected need to get their work-life balance back.
According to the Swiss Health Survey from 2017, 21% of employed people are stressed at work. Almost half of these people feel emotionally exhausted. Men and women are equally affected. Affected persons have an increased risk of burnout.
Burnout is not a disease in its own right. It is defined as a syndrome – i.e. a collection of various symptoms. These should be taken seriously and treated appropriately. Not only will this improve well-being, it will also reduce the risk of mental or physical complications such as depression or high blood pressure.
Do you require any further information or have any questions about burnout? Our health consultation advisors are happy to help you.
Burnout usually creeps up on you. It is triggered by a long period of stress. Burnout always starts with a very high level of commitment by the affected person. Their extreme willingness to work can cause them to neglect their own needs. After time, they feel physically and emotionally exhausted. Their performance tails off despite all their efforts. This leads to even more work and the exhaustion becomes permanent.
Burnout usually occurs in the context of work. The following factors can exacerbate burnout:
In addition to these external factors, however, there are also personal traits that can trigger burnout. These include perfectionism, conscientiousness or placing high demands on oneself.
The demands of running a household and looking after a family can also lead to burnout syndrome. A high workload, little scope to influence their situation and a lack of appreciation and pay for their efforts are factors that can contribute to burnout in housewives or househusbands.
For less serious complaints, some organisational and occupational psychology measures to improve the work situation are usually sufficient. The aim is to restore the work-life balance and to reduce stress.
If the disorder is more advanced, it will require more comprehensive psychotherapeutic treatment. Measures usually help the affected person to manage their problems more effectively. Treatment does however include social support as well as relaxation exercises.
The following measures help with burnout:
When the affected person gets back into working life after a certain amount of time, it is often a good idea to start with a small number of hours and to then increase this gradually.
There’s no magic formula to prevent the causes of burnout, because they are so varied. One of the main causes is chronic stress. This is why dealing with stress is of central importance. In general, there are two options for successful stress management:
As already mentioned in the “How is burnout treated?” section, it is also important to restore the work-life balance. However, having a healthy work-life balance isn’t just something to be considered when already experiencing burnout.
Helpful tips on this, as well as a self-analysis, can be found in our blog article:
Melissa Biedermann (MSc) works as a health consultation advisor at Helsana. She is committed to providing psychology services for our customers. Melissa Biedermann provided the editorial team with advice and input for this article.