Dont be the heat in the kitchen – avoid burning out
As we welcome the festive season break, others will be working throughout. Here are some tips to avoid burning out.
It is that time of the year again – festive madness! While some of us get some time off to enjoy the festive season and rest our bodies, others have to work throughout the festive season.
South Africans are confronted by constant change, new challenges and unnerving uncertainty, and because of that, burning out is a possibility for many an employee.
“Although there may be multiple factors that can lead to a burnout, it seems the workplace environment can be key in its development. We know that individuals whose work involves interacting with other people on a daily basis are at higher risk,” said Dr Anthony Koller, a specialist psychiatrist at the Akeso Psychiatric Clinic Group.
He went on to say that carrying extremely large workloads, working long hours, having a restricted amount of autonomy in making decisions directly related to performing your role to your best, and having difficult relationships with colleagues are some of the things that can lead to a burnout.
Some symptoms of burnouts include emotional exhaustion, cynicism and reduced personal accomplishment. “Emotional exhaustion refers to the almost complete depletion of a person’s emotional reserves, to the extent that he feels that he has nothing left to give others emotionally. This often leads to mental and physical fatigue,” said Anthony.
According to Anthony, people who work in teaching, social services, medicine, mental health and law enforcement are at a higher risk of burning out. These occupations form part of the five occupational sectors which have been studied and are thought to carry a higher risk of burnout.
He suggested the following tips to manage or prevent a burnout:
Action at the individual level is still useful and necessary to prevent and treat burnout. So no matter how demanding your work environment is, you need to:
– Ensure you get adequate quality sleep
– Take the time to incorporate regular cardiovascular and weight-bearing exercise into you routine
– Take the time to ensure you eat regular healthy meals
– Devote time to loves ones and actively cultivate rewarding friendships
– Do not be ashamed to admit when things have become too difficult for you to handle, and ask for help earlier rather than later
– Pay attention to yourself and for the sake of your loved ones, get professional help when you start to become the heat in the kitchen.
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