What is burnout? Thanks for asking!

In January 2021, the European Parliament approved a “right to disconnect” policy which passed relatively unnoticed in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This resolution recognises workers rights to switch off outside of working hours, in order to protect their mental health, wellbeing and private lives.

A Eurofound survey estimated that one third of all workers were working remotely last year. Since the start of the pandemic, a sedentary and “always-on” lifestyle has become the norm for many. While remote work clearly has some advantages, staying connected and available around the clock can have negative effects. These include anxiety, depression or even a burnout.

Is burnout similar to depression then?

Not really, because it’s seen as an occupational phenomenon, rather than a medical condition. The World Health Organisation defines burn-out as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” American psychiatrist Herbert Freudenberger coined the term burn-out back in 1974 when he became the first person to publish research on the syndrome in the Journal of Social Issues.

How can I tell if one of my colleagues is experiencing a burn-out then? 

There may be physical, emotional, cognitive, interpersonal and motivational signs. The three characteristics of occupational burn-out are: feelings of exhaustion, increased mental distance from, or negative feelings towards, your job and reduced efficiency. Furthermore, Mayo Clinic cites a lack of work-life balance, a high workload, overtime and a monotonous job among the risk factors for burnout.

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