Emotional burnout
Part 1
Existential Preconditions for Burnout
When goals become the content of our lives, they might become greater than values...
If we find meaning in our careers, social recognition, and the love of others... it will take continuous and tremendous effort to maintain that feeling.
And when the attitude of others changes, a deficit will arise in us and we will experience a sense of loss, inferiority and devastation.
If we spend all our energy to achieve our goals and everything we do is a resource to reach these goals, then there is a deficit of respect to ourselves.
I am doing something, but there is nothing of my inner life in what I am doing, it has no value of its own, it is only a useful value.
When I follow such an apparent, false motivation for a long time, the value of my life is taken away...
When my life loses value/meaning, I dehumanize myself. I have destroyed my own inner content in the name of achieving some goals. I end up using the duration of my life for a purpose I have set for myself.
This relationship leads to an inconsistency towards self. And with this inattentiveness to the inner values of life, there arises tension, stress.
It is that stress that leads to burnout and is related to us doing something for too long without a sense of inner agreement.
Plain and simple: we achieve goals, but we stop enjoying life and taking pleasure from living it because something has become very important...
Emotional burnout
Part 2
What is it?
Burnout is an end state that occurs as a result of constantly working and living without experience, without joy and appreciation for it all.
Burnout is such a mental drain that it makes us detached from relating to life for a long time.
This is my life but
it is not mine at the moment.
Anyone who more than half of his time is occupied with things he does reluctantly, does not do them from the heart and does not feel joy at the same time, is then in risk and sooner or later must expect that he will experience the burnout syndrome.
If I don't emotionally participate in a project, but use what I do as means to other goals, then I am abusing the situation.
If it happens once, it’s ok, it's not so scary. But if it continues for many years, it's as if I'm passing my life by. Yes, I might make some money, but personally not getting any satisfaction...
Emotional burnout
Part 3
Strategies
Most resolves by itself if one understands what the syndrome is associated with.
If you are realizing this about yourself or your friends, then you can start to solve this problem, talk to yourself or your friends about it.
In general, managing the burnout syndrome starts with unloading. You can reduce anxiety about lack of time, delegate something you were thinking of doing alone, divide responsibility, set realistic goals, take a critical look at the expectations you have.
If the burnout syndrome has reached to a point where it is already too distinct, you need to take a sick leave, rest, go to a doctor, in milder breakdowns, treatment in a specialized institution is also useful.
Or simply give some special time for yourself, take some time to live in a state free of responsibilities. But the problem is that many people who have burnout syndrome cannot resolve it on their own.
But it is also necessary to work on our own personal needs, internal deficits of something, on mechanisms and expectations regarding life.
We need to think about how to reduce the pressure of society, how to protect ourselves. Sometimes we might think about changing our jobs.
To prevent burnout syndrome, we need to ask ourselves a few simple questions:
What am I doing this for?
What is the point of this activity?
Does it represent value to me personally?
Do I enjoy what I am doing?
Do I love doing it?
Do I feel that it is good?
Does it bring me joy?
Maybe it's not always so nice,
But the feeling of joy must be satisfying.