In today’s stressful and frenetic workplace job burnout is an increasingly common phenomenon. But while most of us expect some job stress, how can you tell when you’ve lost the ability to manage the sources of that stress and when they’re leading to a more serious reaction - job burnout?

This is a response to work stress that leaves you feeling powerless, hopeless, fatigued, drained and frustrated. But since job burnout is not an overnight occurrence, it’s important to recognize its early signs and to act before the problem becomes truly serious:

Look at the questions below and answer quickly

• Do you find yourself dreading going to work in the morning?
• Are you regularly experiencing fatigue and low energy levels at your job?
• Are you easily bored with your job?
• Do work activities you once found enjoyable now feel like drudgery?
• Are you depressed on Sunday afternoons thinking about Monday and the coming week?
• Have you become more cynical or bitter about your job…your boss…the company? Do you find yourself easily annoyed or irritated by your co-workers?
• Are non-work relationships (marital, family, friendships) affected by your work feelings?
• Do you find yourself envious of individuals who are happy in their work?
• Do you now care less than you used to about doing a “good job” at work?

If you answered yes to five or more of the above, you may be suffering from job burnout. Unfortunately, for many who reach the burnout stage, the steps out of it can be difficult. Burned out individuals often feel as if there is no hope. The fatigue and despair associated with burnout makes it hard to explore solutions. Burnout often leads to isolation, leaving someone feeling alone in their predicament.
The difficulty of dealing with full blown job burnout is why it is important to recognize early signs and take action before things become too serious. One starting point is to recognize the stresses and factors that may be leading to job burnout. Theories about job burnout say tedious and boring jobs appear to be one source. Another is facing a job that’s beyond your ability to do it well. Lack of recognition for the work you do can be another serious source of job stress.

In today’s world of downsizing and mergers, feelings of hopelessness and anger often grow from the anxiety workers face about the future of their jobs. Changes in many corporations have left employees feeling powerless, frustrated and angry over their inability to control their careers. If an individual is experiencing burnout, the first step is to address the causes of work dissatisfaction. These can be seen as the “what,” “when” and “why” of burnout.
1. What? Have you faced changes in the organization, the demands of the job, your boss, or the industry?
2. When? Was there a pivotal event that changed the way you viewed your job - a new boss, co-workers, or responsibilities?
3. Why? Have you changed? Are your interests or values pertaining to work now different than they were? Has the company’s mission changed? Are your abilities and skills not being utilized?

Identifying the what, when and why of burnout can help start you on the process of exploring options to change the sources of your stress. Sometimes simple things, such as talking to a supervisor about changing your job responsibilities, can make a difference. Sometimes more serious measures may be necessary, such as changing jobs or even changing your career field. Most importantly, job burnout is a reaction to work stress. Methods of handling stress can be identified and encouraged.
It is important to recognize the early signs of job burnout and address the sources immediately. Job burnout is a common problem, but one from which you can recover and, in the end, learn more about your needs in relation to work.

If you feel the above applies to you then you should take the first step to recovery by completing this assessment. The more you know now the sooner you can start making the relevant changes