Burnout – Are We Really Asking the Right Questions?

“They are successful because they are working round the clock – don’t sleep much at night,” “You need to be prepared and mentally strong to take the long hours and pressure at work; otherwise, you’re weak.” We’ve been hearing these statements for so many years, and we believe them, incorporate them into our life, and even embed them into our functioning. But at the cost of what? And do we really want to define success in a way that consumes you and leaves very little for other aspects of life? 

As Samvedna Care, we meet many employees who are emotionally and mentally exhausted from work commitments; however, they are unwilling to do much about changing the situation. 

Burnout, or occupational exhaustion, is the kind of exhaustion you feel with unbalanced working hours and schedules, which may not be recovered by weekends or vacations. Yes, you feel the tiredness in your bones, the constant feeling of when this is going to change or will I ever feel well rested if I really want to build a satisfying career for myself?

We know what causes burnout – working yourself through exhaustion, not listening to your body, not following a rest ethic because Work Ethic is the holy grail and not filling the cups for other aspects of our life because somewhere deep down we believe – “As long as my work or career or professional functioning is in order, the rest is something I can manage”. It is important to address mental health in workplace issues before the situation becomes alarming. 

Dealing with Burnout or Occupational Exhaustion is a human condition, not a reflection of weakness but a reflection of being Human – with a structure that demands you to be superhuman. The steps to deal with Burnout need to go beyond a one off event focused on Workplace Wellness (which we are taken as mandatory attendance) and it’s high time we delve deeper and understand how willing are we to work on the sense of exhaustion we are constantly feeling, despite endless cups of coffee and if we’re willing to have difficult conversations to change that. 

At the end of the day, it comes down to asking yourself the right questions:

• What do I want my life to be about?
• Am I really living the values that I want to define my life on a regular basis and not on an episodic basis?
• What has made it so hard for me to take care of myself?
• Is the life I’m living at present really something that I want, or, as I say, something I feel I’m doing for others (Family, Partner, Kids, Friends, Community, etc.)? If so, Have I really got down to asking them ( Family, Partner, Kids, Friends) if this is something that they really want?
• What am I waiting for to walk towards a life where there is a true sense of balance?

This October, let us celebrate mental health in the workplace by making a commitment to ourselves to ask the right questions to prevent burnout. Reach out to Samvedna Care for expert guidance on how to improve mental well-being in your workplace.