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COMMON SIGNS OF BURNOUT
by, Dr. Beverly Potter
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Negative emotions
It's normal to feel frustrated, angry, depressed, dissatisfied or anxious occasionally. But if
you're caught in the burnout cycle, you usually will experience these negative emotions
more and more often, until they become chronic. Eventually, you will feel emotional fatigue.
Interpersonal problems
When you feel emotionally drained, it becomes harder to deal with people at work and at
home. When the inevitable conflicts arise, you're likely to overreact with an emotional
outburst or intense hostility. This makes communicating with co-workers, friends and family
members increasingly difficult. Some burnout victims are also apt to withdraw socially. The
tendency to withdraw is most pronounced among "helping" professionals, who often
become aloof and inaccessible to the very people they are expected to help.
Health problems
As your emotional reserves become depleted and the quality of your relationships
deteriorate, your physical resilience declines. You may frequently experience minor
ailments, such as colds, headaches, insomnia and backaches. In general, you feel tired and
rundown.
Below-par performance
During the burnout process, you may become bored with your job or lose enthusiasm for
your projects. Or you may find it difficult to concentrate. You become less productive and
the quality of your work declines.
Substance abuse
To cope with the stress associated with job conflict and declining performance, you may
find yourself drinking more alcohol, using more drugs, eating more (or less), drinking more
coffee and/or smoking more cigarettes. Increased substance abuse further compounds your
problems.
Feelings of meaninglessness
More and more, you find yourself thinking "so what" and "why bother?" This is
particularly common among burnout victims who were once very enthusiastic and
dedicated. Your enthusiasm is replaced by cynicism. Working seems pointless.
From OVERCOMING JOB BURNOUT: HOW TO RENEW ENTHUSIASM FOR WORK by Dr. Beverly
Potter, published by Ronin Publishing, 1998, $14.95. Copyright 1980, 1983,1989,1993, 1998: Beverly A. Potter.
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