Prevention of burnout syndrome

Burn-out syndrome or burnout syndrome is defined by ICD 11 (International Classification of Diseases) as the result of chronic workplace stress that has not been managed.

It is not classified as a medical diagnosis but rather as an occupational phenomenon. However, conditions often associated with burnout, such as depression or anxiety, are diagnosable medical conditions.

NO— whether you’re an employee, a manual worker, a student, a carer, or a parent, burnout can happen to anyone. And anyone who says it can’t probably hasn’t experienced burnout themselves.

Christina Maslach, professor and researcher on burnout syndrome, identified three main dimensions of burnout symptoms:

• exhaustion (feelings a loss of energy)
• emotional distance from work (negative and cynical feelings related to work)
• self-doubt ("I'm not good enough")

But that's certainly not all.Burnout symptoms can be observed across several areas of life:

1. WORK (the idea of going to work irritates me, no one appreciates the work I do)
2. PERSONAL LIFE — RELATIONSHIPS AND HOBBIES (I no longer have the energy for hobbies I used to enjoy; I don’t feel like seeing friends)
3. MENTAL HEALTH (nothing makes sense, I'm constantly stressed, experiencing depressive/anxiety states or even panic attacks)
4. PHYSICAL HEALTH (back pain, migraines, insomnia — doctor says “you’re fine”)

We already know from the original definition that burnout is a chronic, therefore necessarily a long-term process, so burnout does not happen overnight. It is preceded by neglecting our own needs and ignoring the signals of our body and mind.

On the contrary , when you love your work and feel it’s meaningful, you may dedicate more and more time and energy to it — pushing yourself harder and forgetting your own limits. This is often the first step toward burnout.

(ALERT: the result of this recipe is strongly not recommended)

1. Set excessive demands on yourself
2. Add a large dash of high responsibility
3. Mix with low competence and little control (feeling powerless)
4. Spice it up with:
   1. Time pressure
   2. Conflicts
   3. Stereotypes
   4. Intensive interaction with people

Now that we know what burnout syndrome is and how to recognize it, the question becomes how to prevent it.

aka small steps that can accomplish great things

Imagine a tripod. To be completely stable, it needs three solid legs. If one leg is removed, the tripod is still standing, but it is not completely stable. Remove one more leg and the stool collapses.

What you can do professionally to prevent burnout:

• Remember - it's still "just" a job.
• Communicate, communicate, communicate! A cliché? No. Even uncomfortable conversations are better than letting frustrations boil inside you.
• When things go wrong, remember that the brain tends to fixate on negativity. Just because one thing went wrong doesn’t mean nine others
  weren’t successful as well.
• Set goals, but remember: a. there are only 24 hours in a day, b. you can never please everyone.
• Take (micro) breaks — and when you do, try to get up from your desk and think about something else.
• Find a refuge spot (meeting room, restroom) where you can take a moment to calm down.
• Beware of over-involvement.
• Stop multitasking — focus on one thing at a time.
• Break down big tasks and projects into smaller, achievable parts and goals.

• Shared joy is double joy, shared sorrow is half sorrow — talk about your feelings.
• Support your colleagues, partners and friends — but let yourself to be supported and praised too. 
• Every day can't be perfect — the beauty of relationships is weathering the bad together.
• Smile at others — sometimes just like that.
• Learn to say "no" — it doesn't make you a bad person.
• Learn to ask for help — some things are better done together. 
• Don’t try to change others — often you can’t. Instead, change your attitude or your relationship to them.
• Maintain relationships with people who energize you in the long term. It's better to have one true friend than many bad ones.
• Avoid toxic people and situations. Imagine it's like walking into a dark alley in the middle of the night, you'd rather avoid it too.

• Recharge your batteries with your hobbies — whether it's reading a book or dancing.
• Make time for your hobbies, ideally every day — even if it's just for 20 minutes.
• Move your body — even 10 minutes a day has proven benefits.
• Rest — it’s neither healthy nor productive to give your best 24/7.
• Sleep well — air out your room before bed, avoid screens for at least an hour, and write down whatever’s on your mind.

You are at the center—and you have influence over every aspect of your life. That’s why it starts with you:

• Be mindful -> listen to your body, it will speak up when it starts to get tired -> don't ignore it (rest, get enough sleep, ...)
• Be grateful -> every evening, take a moment to name one thing you're grateful for.
• Be present Step out of autopilot and fully experience the here and now—whether alone or with others.

As Dr. Ptáček would say: “Every day, unplug your drainers and plug into your chargers.”

Start small. Choose one simple habit. Once it becomes natural, you can build on it.

Sustainability shouldn't be just about the environment—it also applies to how we build habits. We don’t want to shine bright and burn out quickly. Create routines that feel good and last.

• Ask for help – whether from friends, family or a professional.
• Reevaluate your options – Can you adjust your workload? Talk to your boss or colleagues. Delegate what can be delegated.
• Give it time - if you can, take some time off, rest properly and don't try to rush your recovery

• Be kind and gracious to yourself — life is a roller coaster; sometimes we're up, sometimes we're down. It's okay to feel crappy now and then — it's not a sign of weakness. 
• Remember: Just because you’ve burned out doesn’t mean you can’t reignite.

We have developed a simple map of available help to combat burnout.