The Complete Guide To Brain Burnout

In this article: We will cover an anatomy of mental collapse and what you can do to prevent it…

What Is Burnout?

The term was coined in 1974 by Herbert Freudenberger, a psychologist. It was defined as cynicism, a loss of motivation, and a sense of being depleted emotionally. These were the symptoms he witnessed in free clinic volunteers who had once been upbeat and committed mental health associates, but the depleting resulted in the resentment of the clinic and the patients. 

Burnout is a recognized medical disorder, and many of the symptoms overlap with those of depression, including negativity, intense cynicism, extreme fatigue, and a loss of passion. 

Christina Maslach, a burnout researcher and professor emerita at Berkeley started her research in the 70’s by interviewing service employees extensively. Maslach found a trend as she analyzed the interviews- the employees were profoundly exhausted, suffering a crisis of confidence, and felt negatively toward patients and clients. Just as the symptoms of depression do, the burnout was strangling idealism, sense of worth, and ambition. 

Her article regarding the research was published in 1976 and created a stir. The concept of burnout was out there, and Maslach was contacted by people suffering the effects, not realizing there was a reason for it. Because of Maslach’s article, more research was completed which led to more books and academic attention. Maslach continued her work and along with Rutgers University’s Susan E Jackson, produced the Maslach Burnout Inventory. This is a scale which evaluates the level of burnout and is based on three stress responses: feeling a lack of accomplishment and professional ineffectiveness, feeling detached and cynical, and overwhelming exhaustion. 

Essentially, a burnout occurs when the demands of a role exceed someone’s ability to cope with their stress levels. The highest burnout rates belong to caregivers, such as physicians, nurses, teachers, and social workers. However, it can affect anyone, including retailers, professional athletes, CEOs, and call center employees. Over time, a job that asks too much from its employees will result in negativity and desperateness, because people struggle to balance deadlines with everything else they need to do. 

It’s commonly believed that the reason for it is working too hard or too long, but there are other factors involved in burnout. The World Health Organization published a report regarding psychosocial workplace stress. It showed that there was consistent evidence that jobs with low control, high demands, and an imbalance on effort and reward increase the risk of physical and mental health issues. When the balance of working hours, deadlines and demands surpass the recognition, rewards, and relaxation, there is a perfect storm for burnout.

According to Maslach (and collaborators), there are six components in a workplace environment that lead to burnout: control, values, fairness, workload, community, reward. When one, or more, of these is mismatched, it results in a burnout.  

The Importance Of Recognizing Burnout Early – Recognizing The Signs 

The majority of us will have a dip in our emotions, there will be days where there is a feeling of being unappreciated, of helplessness, and being overwhelmed. However, if this is how you feel most of the time, then you may be suffering from a burnout. 

The process is a gradual one, with the early symptoms being subtle. The early symptoms should be viewed as red flags, realize that something is wrong and it should be addressed. If you pay attention to your body then reducing your stress can prevent a breakdown. If you choose to ignore the symptoms then you will burnout. 

The Physical Symptoms

• Frequent muscle pains and headaches
• Feeling drained and exhausted most of the time
• A change in sleeping habits
• A change in appetite
• Frequent illness due to decreased immunity

The Emotional Symptoms

• A loss of motivation
• A sense of self-doubt, or feelings of failure
• Feeling detached, or alone
• Feeling defeated, hopeless, and trapped
• Having an increasingly negative outlook
• A decrease in satisfaction or accomplishment

The Behavioral Symptoms

• An increase in alcohol or drug usage, as well as food, to cope
• Retreating from responsibilities
• Withdrawing from others
• Lashing out on others
• Difficulty getting to work on time, leaving early, or skipping it altogether
• Procrastination, or taking too long to get standard tasks done

Many of the early symptoms overlap with stress and depression, so how can you be sure it is not one or the other? Burnouts can be the result of chronic stress, but it isn’t quite the same. Stress tends to involve too much pressure, but stressed people still understand that they will feel better once it’s under control. 

Burnout is beyond carding and being devoid of motivation. People with burnout don’t see the hope of change. Excess stress can feel like drowning, while burnout feels like being dry. You know when stress is happening, it isn’t always as simple to notice burnout. 

Stress is characterized by over-engagement, while burnout is about disengagement. With stress, your emotions are over-reactive, but in burnout they are blunted. Stress produces a sense of urgency, but burnout produces hopelessness. With stress, there is a loss of energy, but burnout is a loss of hope and motivation. Stress results in anxiety, while burnout leads to depression and detachment. The main damage of stress is physical, while burnout is emotional. 

10 Signs Of Burnout

1. Chronic fatigue – While the early stages may have you feeling tired most of the time, by the latter stages you will feel completely drained, physically and emotionally. 
2. Insomnia – While you may struggle to get to sleep sometimes in the early stages, there will come a point when you struggle to sleep every night, despite the fact that you are completely exhausted. 
3. You may experience physical symptoms including fainting, dizziness, chest pains or heart palpitations, gastrointestinal issues, and shortness of breath. 
4. Forgetfulness – This is an early sign, but further down the line it may get to a point where you’re unable to complete your work. 
5. Anxiety & Depression – While in the early stages you may feel sad, when it is at its worst it can leave you feeling severely depressed. 
6. Anger – It may start out as irritability, but it often grows into serious outbursts and angry arguments. 
7. Loss of enjoyment – It may start mild, dreading work or eager to leave. However, if allowed to it will extend to other areas of your life. 
8. Isolation – In its early stages, you may skip out on certain social situations, but the further you progress in your burnout, you will withdraw entirely. 
9. Detachment – This is related to isolation, in that you often feel disconnected and start to isolate yourself. It can also result in frequent sick calls. 
10. Poor performance – No matter how hard you try, your list of responsibilities seems to grow. 

What Burnout Does To Your Brain – An Anatomy Of Mental Collapse

As published in the Bulletin Of The International Institute Of Organizational Psychological Medicine, noted Sweden’s Karolinska Institute carried out research regarding workplace burnout. The evidence shows that burnout results in the altering of neural circuits, creating a cycle of dysfunction. 

The team worked with a group of 40 participants, all who had been diagnosed with burnout by Stockholm University’s Stress Research Institute. The researchers matched a control group of 70 healthy participants who were socioeconomically matched to the other group. Both groups of participants completed two tests. The first was a task to measure the ability to regulate negative emotions, and the second was an evaluation of brain connectivity. 

Researchers assessed the participant’s reaction to stress by showing all of them a series of negative and neutral emotional pictures. The participants would view the image for five seconds and receive instructions to either suppress, identify, or maintain their response to the image. They would then be shown the same image for another five seconds. While the participant was focused on the image, a loud sound would play, and an electrode would record their reflex reaction. 

Both groups were similarly startled following the instruction to intensify or maintain their emotions, however, when they were asked to suppress their reaction, there were clear differences in reactions. The burnout group had difficulty tempering their negative response when compared to the healthy control group. Their reactions were dramatically different. 

The differences were found in amygdala, this brain structure is critical to emotions, such as aggression and fear. The burnout group were shown to have enlarged amygdalae. Additionally, the connections between the brain and amygdala were weaker. The more stressed they felt the weaker the connection. 

In fact, further studies from the Karolinska Institute found that burnout brains don’t just operate differently, their structures change. The researchers used the Maslach Burnout Inventory and too MRI measurements of the amygdala, mPFC, and ACC to gauge the toll stress takes physically. They found that burnout leaves a mark on the structures of these areas of the brain. 

As we age it’s normal for the frontal cortex to thin. The frontal cortex is the area of the brain essential to cognitive abilities, and burnout patients showed prominent thinning in the frontal cortex. While the amygdalae enlarged, the caudate suffered shrinkage. The overactivation of the amygdala results in further stimulation, and creates a cycle of destruction in wearing down neural structures, resulting in memory, emotional, and attentional problems. 

Beyond the changes to the anatomy of the brain, researchers are discovering how burnout affects cognitive function, creating issues with solving problems, memory, as well as in disrupting in creativity. 

To gain a deeper understanding relating to burnout, a team of psychological scientists completed a review (Job burnout and cognitive functioning: A systematic review) of literature relating to burnouts. The Greek team from Aristotle University reviewed 15 studies, and in 13 of the studies they found that burnout was related to cognitive shortfalls. 

Seven studies indicated issues relating to attention, five of which showing burnout individuals struggled with lapses in attention. While six of the seven studies indicated there were a strong association between memory impairments and burnout.  

There is also emerging evidence which suggests that burnout results in chaos to the body’s neuroendocrine system, as cortisol is released in excessive amounts and the body struggles to control the chronic stress it’s under. 

10 Key Steps To Prevent Burnout 

There are plenty of methods you can employ to prevent burnout. 

1| Self-care 

Self-care is at the core of preventing burnout. More often than not, those who experience burnout are sorely lacking in this area, as they neglect their needs and do not manage their stress. 

Self-care is the cornerstone of preventing burnout

• Have a mindful and deliberate stress management plan
• Putting yourself first
• Understand what your needs are
• Ask for help

Moreover, for anyone in a care-taking profession it is vital to strike a balance between self-care and care giving. The majority of your workday is focused on caring for others, and it can be rewarding. However, if you do not take time to talk about your frustrations and enjoy time for you, you are inviting burnout. Especially if you also provide care in your time off. 

2| Physical Health 

You have to get a good night’s sleep, exercise regularly, and eat healthy. When your burden increases, the first thing that happens is you lose sleep. Poor sleep leads to poor diet, resulting in a lack of motivation to exercise. When your physical body is not well taken care of, it becomes ineffective at handling a busy lifestyle, and this is when stress becomes more of a burden and leads to extreme fatigue and mental exhaustion.

Your body needs good sleep for energy and to keep all internal processes running at their best, and this helps protect you in many ways from the debilitating effects of stress that leads to burnout. 

It will be the last thing on your mind when you experience a burnout, but it’s vital that you aim to get 20 minutes of physical activity in every day, it’s one of the best preventive measures. Regular exercise supplies oxygen to the brain promotes healthy energy and is a key stress management tool. 

Burnout will have you craving sugary and high fat foods; however, this will just make matters worse. Ensure you are eating a balanced diet, with plenty of Omega-3 to boost your mood. You are likely consuming too much alcohol as a way of coping, cut back and avoid smoking, too. Just as your body needs sleep, good food supports healthy energy levels and supports the body in fighting off the detrimental effects of stress that leads to burnout. 

3| Knowing And Setting Your Limits

Unfortunately, a burnout will not just disappear on its own; it will only get worse until you address the issues that are creating the problem. Ignore it at your own peril. The process of recovery is slow, and you will need both space and time to recover, so don’t feel that you need to rush through the recovery process. 

Part of the recovery process is knowing and setting your limits. There are a variety of strategies that you can employ, and some will work for you, while others won’t. Everyone reacts differently to these strategies, however, there is something that will work for you. 

The Why – How can you set your limits if you have not taken time to identify the cause of the burnout. 

It may be obvious in some situations, or it may require some serious introspection. Start with any resentments that you are feeling about work. 

For instance, Sally manages a large team worldwide, so her workday begins at 5 in the morning. This doesn’t bother her, because she loves her job and respects her team. However, she often resents her boss asking her to stay late, because her boss forgets that her day starts so early. This results in longer work ours and Sally missing out on key time with her loved ones. 

For Sally, her burnout wasn’t the result of a hatred of her job, but rather missing out on time with her family. So, consider the negative feelings you have to get to the root of the issue. Once you have identified the root cause of the burnout, write down a way to eliminate or manage that source. You can also keep a stress diary to note down what has resulted in stress. This can be a great learning method to find the cause of your stress and burnout. 

The solution for Sally was simple, she needed to sit down with her boss to talk about her working hours to remind her boss that her 5am start prevented her from staying late, as it had a serious impact on her family time. For you, it may be an issue with workload and the need to delegate responsibilities. Or, a lack of reward. 

It’s vital that you know and understand what puts you over the edge, in order to set your limits. 

Consider These Actions

• Identify your limits and boundaries
• Set your limits
• Respect your limits
• Get tuned into and start listening to your inner compass, it tells you exactly what is wrong or right for you
• Stop people pleasing
• Compassionate self-care – if you want to show compassion to others, you first need to show yourself compassion

4| Valued 

A heavy workload without proper compensation is going to contribute to a burnout. If this describes you, you have to stand up for yourself. If you are being piled on with work you need to find a way to say no, or to delegate. In some cases, it may be time to find a new job, especially if your values are mismatched. 

5| Take Time Out 

It’s vital that you take time away from your job. At the very least, you must take two weeks of vacation (one week, twice) and during this time, you should not keep contact with work. It is also important to take one day a week to just relax and enjoy life. Whether you love to garden, barbecue, or play sports. Time outs are also important on a day-to-day basis, which means taking breaks and especially during high stress days. 

6| Group 

Joining a group can be helpful, provided you are taking part in something that you enjoy. A key contributor to a burnout is a lack of community. If you cannot find a group that fits, start your own. 

7| Invest 

Whether it is a partner, your friends or children, you should invest time in your loved ones. It is also important to foster relationships with coworkers, as this can buffer stress that leads to burnout. 

Having healthy relationships with coworkers is an important consideration in the workplace, as strife leads to undue stress that can easily contribute to burnout in the long-run. Rather than spending your breaks on the phone, engage with your colleagues. 

8| Efficient Mindset 

Stay organized in your work and personal life

• Lists 
• Calendars

Avoid clutter at your workspace and in your home, as clutter is havoc that only adds to stress. Clutter is interpreted in the mind as a lack of control, and also leads to not being able to find things you need, which is frustrating and contributes to stress. 

Adopt a positive mental attitude, as positive thinking is key in healthy stress management and avoiding burnout. 

• Avoid negative thoughts and negativity
• Turn negative thoughts to positive
• Look for the silver lining 
• Keep an optimistic attitude

9| Expect the Unexpected 

When you are met with the unexpected, are not upset or stressed, instead you should learn how to roll with the punches. There will always be something, whether it is a computer crash, your child getting sick, or being caught in traffic at the worst possible time. You should always expect the unexpected. Don’t let it throw you off, learn to adjust your plans. Remember, there are times where a balance is impossible. You may be met with a crisis (career, family, or personal) that needs your full attention. Simply do what it takes to deal with it, and when things return to normal, take time out for some self-care.  

• Practice and master the art of “rolling with the punches” 
• Learn to handle uncertainty, adversity, and unforeseen events
• Adjust your plans as needed
• Don’t dwell on what you cannot control, focus on what you can control

10| Learning To Say No Can Set You Free

Some people find it extremely difficult to say no or set boundaries with others. For workaholics and people pleasers it can be challenging. What we have grown accustomed to is reading articles, books and more about how powerful yes is, or just saying yes to everything. 

Yes, yes can be a good thing, however, it is just as important to learn when and how to say no. If you say yes to everyone and everything then you are going to be left feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and eventually experiencing burnout. The majority of people like to please others, and want to be liked, making it difficult to say no to requests. There are three tips, however, that will help you set healthy boundaries. 

• Get Tuned In – Everyone has an inner compass, a sense of wisdom that indicates when something is a no, or a yes. The problems arise when we argue with that inner compass. If you’ve been ignoring it for a while, it’s important that you start listening now. You know when something feels wrong, or is too much for you- start following the voice. 

• Tolerate Reactions – The fact of the matter is setting boundaries invites an emotional reaction. When you start to say no, people will get disappointed, or even angry. You cannot allow that to put you off, because in the long run it will improve relationships. If you don’t respect your boundaries, it will lead to resentment. However, if you stay the course, people will respect you and your boundaries.

• Compassionate Self-Care – If you want to show compassion to others, you first need to show yourself compassion. If your job is in care giving, then start by giving yourself the same level of kindness that you do to others. Regardless of your job, you need to set time aside every week to indulge in some self-care. Pick something that is pleasurable and relaxing for you, no matter what it is. 

Living A Balanced Life

Living a balanced life is vital for peace of mind, effectiveness, and living a healthy life. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in university, you work part or full time, or you’re retired- everyone has responsibilities. We all have someone to answer to, and the challenge is in balancing the things we must do versus what we enjoy doing. It’s not always easy, but there are plenty of ways to ensure you live a balanced life. 

• Nurture Yourself – If you are unhealthy then you will not be able to accomplish anything. It’s vital that you eat well, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. Too many people think it’s viable to eat junk food, ignore exercise, and then burn the candle at both ends. When you are young, you may get away with that, for a while, but it does catch up in the end. 

• Your Priorities – Striking a balance does not mean finding a way to schedule in every activity available. It’s taking the time to examine your values and priorities and setting boundaries. You may be starting a family or trying to build your career, and dependent on your life stage, your focus will be different. Don’t overwhelm yourself by taking on big projects all at once. For instance, if you’re in the middle of studying for the bar, you probably shouldn’t juggle that with balancing a wedding. If you’re having relationship issues or there is uncertainty around your career, then it might not be the right time to start a family. If you try to juggle everything at once, not knowing what you truly want, you’re inviting a burnout. 

• Efficient Mindset – You cannot plan for everything, but you can be as organized as possible. The most effective and efficient way to do so would be to sit down at the start of the week to make record your to-do list. Do not just make it about responsibilities; you should put time in for you, and your loved ones. 

• Positive Mental Attitude – It is natural to feel apprehensive about certain situations, however, starting your day with positivity is a great way to make the most of things. Even if your day doesn’t run as planned, it will run more smoothly if you learn to keep things in perspective. A positive attitude and optimism servers you in many ways, one of which is allowing you better handle stress and all that life throws your way. 

Part of living a balanced life is in learning how to handle uncertainty, adversity, and unforeseen events. Start practicing rolling with the punches as this will greatly reduce your stress and help prevent overwhelm. The saying, ‘choose your battles’ is key allowing you to let go of the little things that matter little. Therefore, you may not be able to anticipate every occurrence in your life, however, you can control when, where, and how to focus your energy. 

Final Thoughts

You probably know now whether you are experiencing a burnout now, or if you still have time to make the necessary changes to prevent it. However, if you’re still not sure, there are some home tests you can carry out to find out where you are. 

First, dedicate a weekend (or two weekdays) to some completely stress-free relaxation. You won’t answer calls or emails from work, nor will you do any work. If work isn’t the source of your stress, then you’ll cut yourself off from whatever is (even if it’s your family). Simply remove the main sources of stress for your two-day relaxation experience. 

In your two days, ensure you get at least seven hours’ sleep, eat well, enjoy some light exercise, and fill your time with activities that you never get to do, but you enjoy. Whether it’s cooking, reading, writing, music, gaming, or even doing absolutely nothing. Avoid any stress for the duration of your weekend. 

When Monday morning dawns, if you awake feeling exhausted and dreading the day, then there’s a good chance you’re experiencing burnout. You can complete a second test to determine the severity of your burnout, however, it’s going to require vacation time. 

Take a full two weeks off and follow the same rules as the first test did. Include stress reducers, while removing all stressors. Don’t engage in emotionally or physically exhausting activities, eat three healthy meals a day, and aim for seven hours sleep every night (go to bed at the same time, and set your alarm for the same time). 

When the two weeks is up you should feel like you’ve recovered some vitality and strength. If you haven’t, then it’s likely your burnout is severe and you’ll need to make serious changes to your lifestyle. If you resist change then your mental and physical health will continue to go downhill. 

No one wants to hear that they’re burned out, but it isn’t terminal. There are two types of people in the world when it comes to stress. There are some who naturally handle stress as it arises, never letting it get to them. While, there are others who have to work at it to maintain their balance in life. If you are in the latter group, then you will find the tips above helpful to getting your life back on track. You don’t need to allow the stresses of life to lead you to a burnout, when you can make changes to alter your path. 

What’s plain to see is that the effects of a burnout create havoc, both physically and mentally. It can result in a breakdown of your personal relationships, as well as your health and wellness. While you will need to make changes, which can be difficult, it will be worth it in the long run. 

Somewhere along the line you have lost your passion and enthusiasm, they’ve been buried under stress, but you are still you at your very core. It’s time to reach inside and reignite your interests to find yourself, and your health. This time, though, you’ll have control over your stress so you won’t need to worry about a burnout again.