We live in an era of constant pressure, where the demands of personal and professional life seem to multiply endlessly. We feel like we need to "do it all": build successful careers, care for our families, maintain healthy relationships, and still find time for self-care. This need to balance multiple spheres of life, without breaks or moments of rest, creates a feeling of constant overload and exhaustion.
This scenario often leads to the development of an increasingly common condition: burnout. But what exactly is burnout, and how can we learn to manage it to move from chaos to calm?
What is Burnout?
Burnout isn't just ordinary tiredness. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) , burnout is a psychological syndrome involving emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a decreased sense of personal accomplishment, especially related to the work environment. It's a prolonged response to chronic stressors at work, where the balance between demands and personal resources is out of balance. Although initially identified in professional settings, burnout can arise in any area where prolonged stress and daily demands exceed our ability to cope.
The Impact of Burnout on Women
For women, burnout can be even more challenging due to role overload. In addition to professional responsibilities, many people accumulate family and household tasks, creating additional pressure. The idea that we need to "handle it all" contributes to emotional and physical exhaustion. However, burnout isn't just an individual issue; it's often a reflection of organizational and cultural structures that demand more than is reasonable.
Burnout Warning Signs
Recognizing the signs of burnout is the first step to combating it. These signs can be emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral:
Affective Signs:
- Feeling of incompetence
- Feelings of indifference
- Demotivation, isolation
- Feelings of discouragement, hopelessness, sadness
Cognitive Signs:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling of incompetence
Physical Signs:
- Physical and emotional tiredness, fatigue
- Shortness of breath, racing heart, muscle tension
Behavioral Signs:
- Excessive dedication to work, living life based on it
- Little investment in personal needs
- Emotional instability (cold, aggressive, ironic behavior)
Causes and Risk Factors of Burnout
There are several factors that can contribute to burnout, beyond individual stress. The main ones include:
- Organizational factors : Work overload, long or inflexible working hours, and a mismatch between personal values and company culture.
- Factors related to the professional activity itself : The nature of the tasks, the skills required, autonomy, interpersonal relationships at work and management style.
- Individual factors : Such as the person's relationship with themselves, personality traits and the difficulty in recognizing their own needs.
What Can We Do?
When burnout sets in, it's crucial to act quickly. Here are some suggestions for personal and professional interventions that can help you regain balance:
Personal interventions:
- Slow down and take some time for yourself.
- Practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation or mindfulness.
- Pay attention to the signs your body is giving you.
- Spend more time with your family and friends.
- Take care of yourself: a balanced diet, regular exercise and rest are essential.
- Works on self-knowledge and personal development.
- It develops skills such as assertiveness, active listening and resilience.
- It strengthens your self-esteem and emotional flexibility.
- Manage your expectations, adjusting them to reality.
And remember: it's okay to say "no." We often feel pressured to accept everything, but it's important to set boundaries. Delegating tasks and avoiding multitasking are effective ways to reduce the impact of daily stress.
Interventions in the professional context:
- Identify sources of stress and try to minimize exposure to these risks.
- Optimize the management of your tasks, delegate whenever possible.
- Build a support network at work, talk to colleagues and supervisors.
- Look for new opportunities or alternatives in the job market or within your own organization.
- Set clear boundaries and priorities in your professional environment.
- Make your work schedule flexible whenever possible.
- If necessary, request medical leave.
Managing burnout is much more than practicing self-care—it's about creating a work-life balance and demanding that the environments around us change. You're not alone in this struggle.
Recognize the early signs, adjust your living and working environment, and take care of yourself as you deserve. Small changes can make a huge difference. Remember, self-care may seem like a luxury, but it's a necessity. Prioritize your well-being, and you'll realize it's possible to go from chaos to calm, living with greater health and serenity.
If you identify with any of the signs or if you know someone who may be experiencing this, it is essential to seek specialized help from your Family Doctor or mental health services (psychology and psychiatry).
Left untreated, burnout can worsen, leading to more serious problems such as depression, chronic anxiety, sleep disorders, physical problems (such as cardiovascular disease), social isolation, decreased professional performance, and even substance abuse. These prolonged symptoms can seriously affect quality of life, both personally and professionally, making recovery more difficult and time-consuming.
Caroline Oliveira Borges
Senior Clinical Psychologist Specialist in Clinical and Health Psychology, Director RUMO .
Works primarily in the areas of emotional regulation, mood disorders, anxiety, personality, trauma, and grief, focusing on adults and adolescents. Professional license number 18800.
Abramson, A. (2022, January 1). Burnout and stress are everywhere. Monitor in Psychology , 53 (1). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-burnout-stress
Maslach, C. (1993). Burnout: A multidimensional perspective. In W. B. Schaufeli, C. Maslach, and T. Marek (Eds.), Professional burnout: Recent developments in theory and research (pp. 19–32). Philadelphia, PA, USA: Taylor & Francis.
Brazilian Society of Cardiology. Risk Factors Journal - No. 37, Year 10 (2015)
