WELLNESS- & LIFESTYLE-TIPS

valuable tips for your everyday life
valuable tips for your everyday life
Burnout prevention

It is important to recognise the early symptoms of burnout as warning signs and to start making both personal and work-related changes in time.

BURNOUT PREVENTION

It is important to recognise the early symptoms of burnout as warning signs and to start making both personal and work-related changes in time.

Healthy habits include:

  • regular physical activity
  • regenerative sleep
  • proper nutrition
  • a supportive social network
  • humour
  • positive feelings
  • joie de vivre
  • optimism
  • spirituality

In addition, taking several shorter holidays seems to be more effective in preventing burnout than taking one longer holiday per year.

(Source: vgl. Roland von Känel, 2008, Das Burnout-Syndrom: eine medizinische Perspektive, In Praxis, Band 97, S. 477 – 487, Bern)

PHASES OF BURNOUT

Herbert Freudenberger and his colleague Gail North have identified the following twelve phases in the course of burnout syndrome, although their order may differ:

  • The urge to prove something to oneself and others
  • An extreme drive to fulfil particularly high expectations
  • Overworking oneself while neglecting other personal needs and social contacts 
  • Overplaying or ignoring inner problems and conflicts
  • Doubting one's own morals and previously important things like hobbies and friends
  • Denial of emerging problems, increasing intolerance and disregard for others
  • Withdrawal and reducing social contact to a minimum
  • Noticeable changes in behaviour, increasing feeling of worthlessness and anxiety
  • Depersonalisation through loss of contact with self and others, life becomes increasingly “mechanic"
  • Inner emptiness and desperate attempts to cover up this feeling through excessive behaviour (sexuality, eating habits, alcohol and drugs)
  • Depression with symptoms such as indifference, hopelessness, exhaustion and lack of perspective
  • First suicidal thoughts as a way out of this situation; acute danger of mental and physical collapse