19 Apr 2022

Don’t Let “Burnout” Eat You Up

Feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to keep up with life’s demands? Find out how to recognise signs of burnout and what you can do about it.

What Is Burnout?

Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling overwhelmed. It’s a result of excessive and prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress, most commonly related to our jobs. Burnout doesn’t happen suddenly or overnight. It’s a gradual process that builds up due to the accumulation of stressors from the daily grind.¹

More often than not, in fast-paced societies like Singapore, where the name of the game is to work harder, work longer, push further in order to win a higher title, move up the career ladder, add more zeros to our bank accounts, it is easy to ignore and brush off “burnout” symptoms when they initially show up. But the longer we choose to ignore burnout tell-tale signs, the worse the eventual spiral.

Signs of Burnout

Not sure if you are experiencing burnout? Here are some red flags:

- Exhaustion: Feeling physically and emotionally depleted. Every problem or challenge that presents itself almost feels like an insurmountable mountain. The overwhelming sense of exhaustion leaves the person feeling like he/she is unable to deal with issues presented to them in both professional and personal capacity.
- Isolation: With burnout, it is common to experience feelings of being overwhelmed. As a result, persons with burnout may choose to stop socializing, feeling so emotionally tired and drained that they even stop trying to confide in the close friends and family.
- Reduced performance: Burnout reduces one’s sense of competence. This also makes it hard to concentrate, handle responsibilities, or be creative.²
- Change in eating habits: Research suggests that stress hormones can affect appetite, making people feel less hungry than usual when they’re under a lot of stress, and more hungry than usual when that stress alleviates.³
- Frequent illnesses: Burnout, like other long-term stress, can lower your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds, the flu, and insomnia.

When dealing with burnout, it is firstly important to address the root issue. Identify what are the areas and/or stressors that is causing the burn out. Stressors could be in the form of financial difficulties, job-related pressures, relationship woes, family issues, amongst others. Once you have identified the stressors, work on it by “compartmentalizing” what are things that are within your control versus factors that are out of your control. Focus on the things you have control over to improve the situation, while making a conscious effort to not overly fret over factors that are not within your control.

It is also important to take time away from the stressful situation to give your mind time to unwind, “reboot” and refocus. Here are some additional ways to combat burnout:

Exercise

You might already have heard, but exercise truly is one of the best ways to reduce and manage stress. Not only is exercise good for our physical health, but it can also give us an emotional boost. We are not talking running a full marathon or even a half marathon; just incorporating some time to get physically active, even going for a relaxing stroll after dinner or a quick jog around the estate can help you clear your mind and feel better. New research shows that even “physical activities” such as cooking or baking is a good way to relieve the stress from the day. So go ahead and find an activity you enjoy - be it walking, jogging, or even gardening, these activities can help to refocus your mind. While doing so, endorphins (a.k.a feel good hormones) are released, which help improve your mood!

Write It Down

Quality “me-time” is a good way to get rebalanced on days when life and everything else throws you off-balance. Quality time with your bestie to air your thoughts is great, but there are also times when you just feel like being by yourself and not having a conversation with anyone. For such, penning down your thoughts and feelings can help you achieve greater clarity and can be a great avenue to release your emotions. And if you are stressed because you have in mind a whole list of tasks you need to get done, penning down a list of to-dos and then crossing them out when you’ve completed them can feel therapeutic too!

Meditate

Ah, meditation. All you need is your mind and 15 to 30 minutes of your day to put yourself in a peaceful and calm state. Filter out the clutter in your mind and focus on your present self and breathing. This can be done any time, whether you’re on the way to a destination or when you’re walking. This little quiet and peace can help alleviate stress and combat its negative effects.

Eat A Balanced Diet

Having a nutritious and well balanced diet plays an important part in your health. Wholesome foods such as whole grains and protein can help improve your mood. Fruits like avocado contain stress-relieving B vitamins, such as Vitamin B-6, which helps the body produce hormone serotonin, a mood regulator, and norepinephrine, which helps the body cope with stress. Some indicators of B vitamins deficiency include irritability and fatigue, so remember to increase your B vitamin intake. LAC B-Complex 100 Timed Release comprises essential B vitamins, known to promote proper nerve and mental function and stress management.

Consider Supplements

There is a whole list of foods and fruits that help to bust symptoms of stress, but you may not get to eat them every day. Some foods have to be consumed in high volumes to reap specific benefits, and they may come with excess sugars and fats which are not good for the body. Consider taking supplements which help to promote the reduction of stress and anxiety. For all-day immunity support, try LAC Triaction C500 Timed-Release which contains 500mg of Vitamin C in one timed-release vegetarian tablet. LAC Triple Ginseng Root helps with mental alertness and supports internal organs for overall well-being.

Aromatherapy

Research shows that aromatherapy can help boost feelings of relaxation, ease stress, reduce anxiety and improve sleep. However, aromatherapy should not be used as a replacement for regular medical treatments, and it is advised to test and check if you may be allergic to certain essential oils. There are many essential oils and scented candles that can be helpful for relaxation. Popular options include Lemon, Bergamot, Lavender, Chamomile and Geranium.

Sleep

Your body and brain recharge while you’re sleeping. The amount and quality of sleep you get is important as it affects your energy levels, mood, productivity and concentration. While you may have difficulty falling asleep due to stress, find a bedtime routine to help yourself. You can try exercising in the day, taking a warm bath before bedtime and making an effort to put down your electronic devices 30min to 1 hour before your bedtime. Also, a good supplement to consider would be LAC Goodnight (ZzZZ Formula) , which features a triple-layer sleep technology to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.

Connect Socially

While you may feel like isolating yourself during stressful times, spending time with your family and friends can be a good stress reliever. Being with others can serve as a distraction, and the support you receive when you share your troubles could give you a better sense of self-worth, and give you the extra boost you need to conquer all that you are facing.

Listen to Music

Your favourite music can help lift up your mood. Research shows that music can have a relaxing effect on the body. If you’re looking for music that is more soothing, try listening to slow-paced instrumental music, such as classical music. There are also sleep apps that you can download for free to provide soothing background nature-inspired sounds and music to help you relax and wind down.

Learn to Say No

While it may be good to challenge yourself to take on responsibilities, biting off more than you can chew can lead to “burnout”, which when prolonged over a period of time can have negative impact on your well-being. Learn to say “no” nicely when you feel like you might be overly loaded. There is also no shame in asking for help or support from co-workers and/or family members to share projects and tasks to lighten your load. Don’t forget to remember your own needs even as you try to juggle and manage everything else. Sometimes, quality times with family and close friends may be all you need to recharge yourself.

¹ https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/burnout-symptoms-signs
² https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-signs-burnout
³ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4214609/