We’ve all heard the term ‘burnout,’ bandied around a lot in the past few years, especially when it comes to the working world, and there may be no sector of the working world that talks about burnout more than NHS staff.
This makes sense, as the high levels of workplace stress in the NHS puts staff at high risk of burnout.
Burnout isn’t a clinical term or a psychological diagnosis. However, this doesn’t mean that it isn’t something that shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Here are some of the more common signs of burnout that you should keep an eye on.
Alienation from work-related activities
When you’re experiencing burnout, you tend to view your job as more and more stressful and frustrating. You may be more cynical about your job, whether that’s about your working conditions or your colleagues.
Emotional distance and numbness are also common.
Physical symptoms
When you’re chronically stressed, it’s not uncommon for that to manifest in physical symptoms, like headaches, stomach aches and other intestinal symptoms.
Emotional exhaustion
As well as physical symptoms, burnout goes hand in hand with being emotionally distressed. You’ll often feel drained and exhausted. Without the energy to do your work, you’ll feel overwhelmed and unable to cope.
Reduced performance
When you’re burned out, it affects your ability to do everyday tasks that would otherwise be a walk in the park for you. If your job is stressful or repetitive, as is the case with a lot of roles in the NHS, this can be especially true. With burnout, you’ll often feel negative about tasks and have difficulty concentrating.
Prevention and treatment
Burnout isn’t permanent and can be reversed. It’s vital to have strategies to mitigate stress that leads to burnout.
A healthy diet, better sleeping habits and regular exercise are self-care strategies that can help avoid burnout, and while they seem difficult to implement into a busy working life, it’s not impossible. Regular time away like annual leave and vacations are also essential.
Take a look at our list of discount codes, promotions and offers for NHS workers today to find ways for you to wind down without breaking the bank.
