Burnout has become a self-diagnosing condition that is often used. We talk about the “burnout epidemic” as if it were a virus spreading through the workforce. And that frame may be part of the problem.
Believe that you are burn may actually burn you.
Burnout is real – but so is misdiagnosis
A therapist does not give you a burnout diagnosis as you would a basic diagnosis depression or common anxiety. But that doesn’t mean it’s not real.
In The World Health Organization defines a burn as an occupational condition characterized by decreased energy and fatigue, increased mental distance or cynicism in relation to their work and decreased professional efficiency. In addition, the WHO states that burnout is particularly relevant to the workplace. It’s not a catch-all term for feeling overwhelmed parentshousehold duties and other areas of your life.
This distinction is important. Because when we use words like “the burnout epidemic,” we mean that burnout is like a disease that is spreading beyond our control, and none of us are immune. In fact, burnout can be more preventable than we think.
What the research says about labels
While it’s helpful to label your feelings, labeling one personality has flaws. Neurology supports this.
A UCLA Neuroimaging Study found that labeling a feelings saying things like “I’m worried” or “I’m sad” reduces activity in the amygdala, the brain’s anxiety center. Naming the emotion brings back emotional tension.
Adopting a personality like “I’m burned out” does the opposite. It strengthens and reinforces your position. If you believe you are burned out, you may feel a little hopeless and helpless about changing your situation.
You can strengthen your faith
The stories we tell ourselves change the way we experience events. When you decide that you are burned out, your brain starts looking for evidence to support this story. And if you look for it, you will find evidence everywhere. Every boring a meeting or struggle to build passion for a project indicates that you are burned out and beyond repair.
“I’m burned out” is a very different statement than “I’m tired right now.” To say that you are burned out means that you have a situation that you cannot control. To say that you feel tired means that you have a temporary emotional state.
The “nocebo effect” is real. Like placebo effect can lead to positive results, research shows that it also creates an expectation of negative results. In other words, if you believe you are burned out, you may experience the exhaustion and isolation that it creates.
Burnout can also become personal. Saying “I’m burned out” is sometimes a way to show that you’re a hard worker and that you’ve given it your all. But when burnout becomes a part of who you are rather than a temporary condition, recovery becomes much more difficult.
The danger is that people actually misdiagnose themselves with fatigue when they are temporarily overwhelmed or tired. Those temporary feelings are different from burnout and they require different solutions.
Break free from patterns that promote inflammation
If you’re really burned out after months of exhaustion, the solution will require real change. Maybe you need a long rest, stronger bordersreduced workload and possibly professional help for recovery. A single mental health day or bubble bath won’t help you recover.
But if you are tired emphasizedboring or too much – and you call it burnout – the intervention begins with the story itself. Instead of repeating, “I’m too burned out to handle one more thing,” try another move.
Think about your response to stress athlete answer the problem in the high game. Instead of reacting, make a deliberate play. In my new book, The book “Spiritual strength”.I’ll describe 50 of these quick-action strategies for the exact moment you need to solve a problem. The framework behind them all is simple: Pause, select, play.
- Pause. Notice when you feel burned out and decide to do something else.
- Choose. Choose a strategy to deal with your situation.
- Game. Play the game with the intention of dealing with your problems.
This is what it looks like in real life. You come home tired from work and tell yourself that you are burnt out. Your default is to sit on the couch, watch some Netflix, move around aimlessly, and go to bed. You repeat this until the end of the week when you fall asleep and still feel tired.
What if you could stop this pattern and play another game, like texting a friend for a short walk? This single game can change everything. When you combine the benefits of social activity, nature, and movement into a pleasant hour-long walk, you’ll feel energized about work and life.
Your job hasn’t changed, but you have. You broke your pattern, changed the story you were telling yourself, and started doing things that help you feel better.
Start with the right question
Before you jump to the conclusion that you’re burned out and that your situation is inevitable, ask yourself, “How am I feeling right now?”
You may find that you feel tired, not necessarily burned out. Getting the right label is key to finding the right path. And sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is refuse to let a symptom like your burn become who you are—at least not before you really look at what’s underneath.
