Burnout is something that can creep up on us unnoticed. But what does the term mean? Many people confuse it solely with the fallout from pressure and stress that we all experience in our daily lives from time to time, but burnout is a distinct health condition and can have a range of problematic health and psychological consequences. According to the most recent Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report, burnout affects a fifth of UK employees, with one in five working adults needing time off work in the past year for it.
It wasn’t until 2019 that the World Health Organisation defined it as an occupational syndrome that arises as a result of unsuccessfully managed stress at work. Dr Claire Ashley, a GP, neuroscientist and burnout specialist, describes the three components of burnout syndrome as detachment from your work, emotional exhaustion and reduced performance. The ways in which these components affect your overall health are complex.
Read on to find out why – and how to manage the symptoms. Physical symptoms.
