Stress and burnout are conditions that affect not only managers. Exhaustion, lethargy and fatigue are also an answer to excessive mental strain – and not a question of age or occupation.
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Do you often feel burned out and weak? You find social contacts strenuous and it is hard to manage everyday life? Then it is time to pull the “emergency break”, because it could be a warning signal for too much stress or a looming burnout sein. Being overburdened is not a matter of age.
Every fifth person feels overburdened, burned out. It is a condition that does not arise from one day to the next, but which instead creeps slowly into our lives. The body sends its signals even well before the head knows that something is amiss: lack of energy, difficultly sleeping, apathy and self-doubt are alarm signals. However, it is possible to gain control of these – provided you listen to your body. Yet turning to more cigarettes, alcohol or tablets is not the solution, but only at best a masking of the situation.
But what exactly is stress and how does it inevitably lead to a burnout. In 2012, the German Association of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Nervenheilkunde, DGPPN) defined the key criteria that are typical for the path from a classic stress spiral to a burnout. These include:
• Emotional exhaustion
• Cynicism/distancing/depersonalisation
• Reduced working capacity
Emotional exhaustion
Many are familiar with the problem: the day begins and it’s hard to get out of bed; instead of fuelling up on energy during the night, you toss and turn in bed and your thoughts are racing. Tiredness during the day, lethargy, and also physical complaints – usually back pain or headaches – are the consequences when it all gets too much. Due to this generally negative state, your mind is also not on top form. Even the smallest problem is seen as a life crisis, frustration, disappointment and hopelessness become widespread; those who are affected withdraw and barricade themselves behind thick walls. All of these problems are not particularly favourable for work performance. Whoever finds themselves in this condition for a longer period experiences a loss of their earlier creativity and thus a decline in their spiritual balance.
But don’t worry, not every problem that causes “sleepless nights” necessarily ends in permanent stress or burnout. However, if the negative state lasts for weeks or even months, there is an acute need for action, as permanent stress causes considerable chemical changes to the body, long before these are noticed. Adrenaline levels usually rise during stress situations. That is normal and indeed good, since evolution has provided us with this mechanism in order to protect ourselves. But if the adrenaline level remains high for a long period of time, essential metabolic processes become unbalanced. Sugar metabolism, for example, is stimulated, the conversion of energy is increased, so that the tissue absorbs too much calcium, which is stored in the bones and may lead, in worst cases, to osteoporosis. Furthermore, important magnesium is also consumed by the higher energy metabolism. The body restricts its functions to important organs such as the liver, kidneys and brain, in order to delay the decline for as long as possible.
What helps against stress?
Stress and burnout are not an inevitable fate, and there are things that can be done to avoid them. The most important thing is to create “order” and “patterns” in your life. Effective time management is also good stress management. It is also important to learn how to handle stress. Health psychologists or coaches who specialise in this area can also help. In acute phases, many of those who suffer from stress are no longer able to relax. But it is never too late to learn effective relaxation techniques. Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong or progressive muscle relaxation are effective exercise concepts that prevent you from entering the stress spiral in the first place. It helps to speak openly about your problems. With friends, family, or with specially-trained psychotherapists.
Coaching: help and support during difficult working situations can contribute to finding one’s own strategies, clarifying special skills and seeing problems from a different perspective. It can help to find new perspectives and possibilities for change. Those affected are guided in finding their own solutions and experience help towards attaining self-help.
An incredibly effective method for preventing and combatting stress is exercise. That is scientifically proven. There is no need to undergo hardship or carry out high-performance sport. Simple endurance sports such as cycling, hiking or walking can help you to keep your feet on the ground. Pay attention to your breathing. Do not be afraid to huff and puff a bit: this frees you up and makes you feel lighter. But above all: reduce the speed at which you rush through life. Take breaks, rest, introduce rituals – all of these are important tricks for maintaining your inner balance. After all, just like your teeth, hair or skin, inner calm must be carefully looked after.
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