There are 12 stages of burnout
What are the signs of burnout?
Burnout is one of the most disruptive and difficult problems facing people in the modern-day world of work. At the shallow end of burnout, an individual may feel tired, unmotivated, or grumpy. At the deep end, burnout can feel like being forced to continue running an endless marathon — out of breath and panting, or being inside a lightless tunnel — losing hope with no light in sight, or even like drowning in a stormy ocean — flailing and choking on mouth fulls of water.
From my research in the causes and nuances of burnout as a burnout coach, here a few of the ways in which real people have described their own signs:
- “A complete collapse of your day-to-day.”
- “A complete lack of motivation paired with a high level of anxiety.”
- “Stress to the point that it impacts daily and executive functioning — memory, sleep, hygiene, physical health, emotional regulation, cognitive processing.”
Tangible signs of burnout can include:
- Mental fatigue
- Agitation
- Cynicism
- Apprehension of the future
- Lack of feeling
- Migraines
- Difficulty handling creative tasks
- Worsening memory
- Dysthymia
- Antisocial behavior
- Apathy
- Sleep issues
When it comes to officially diagnosing burnout, there are many different ways to do so, but according to Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North, who officially coined the term “burnout,” burnout is the official 12th stage of a series of 12 progressive stages:
- The compulsion to prove oneself — seeking to feel valued or worthy enough.
- Working harder — taking on more and working longer.
- Neglecting needs — working past reasonable limits
- Displacement of conflicts — “Rationalizing away” problems/warning signs
- Revision of values — changing life to accommodate working more
- Denial of emerging problems — the strengthening of harmful mental narratives
- Withdrawal — withdrawing from support systems, vulnerable to vices
- Odd behavioral changes — alarming changes in behavior
- Depersonalization — feeling disconnected, cynical, robotic
- Inner emptiness — feeling numb, more vulnerable to vices
- Depression — feeling apathetic, hopeless, giving up
- Burnout syndrome — the final stage, where mental/physical collapse may occur
Note: the word “syndrome” means “a group of symptoms which consistently occur together.”
Another means of assessing burnout is the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which is the most commonly used scientific method for officially diagnosing burnout and uses 3 criteria.
If the above describes how you’re feeling, then take these symptoms seriously. Burnout is a serious condition, and your health is far more important than your work.
Learn more about burnout and how you can recover or prevent the symptoms from getting worse by exploring the following resources:
- Why burnout happens
- How to recover from burnout
- How to prevent burnout from occurring
- How to prevent burnout as a manager
- How burnout coaching works
Also, consider taking this anonymous burnout survey, in order to identify how burnt out you are, and what you can do to move to a healthier place.
Stay tuned to The Musing Mind for more information on burnout, and sign up for the newsletter to get more insights and inspiration delivered regularly.
