There seems to be a frenetic pace in the days leading up to the end of the year. There are so many lists to complete for clients, gifts, parties, and family celebrations. We are also taking stock, thinking about the new year, and reflecting on the year that has passed. Many of us are also juggling caregiving for elderly parents or friends in addition to our work and family lives. It’s a recipe for burnout if we don’t take the time to protect our own health and well-being.

Recently, I was asked by a group of professional advisors how our team deals with the stress of working with elder management cases where there are layers of complexity and often conflict and disagreements among various parties and stakeholders. The conversation quickly turned to the topic of burnout, how to recognize it, and how to deal with it.

In researching the history of burnout, it’s interesting to note that the term burnout is used widely in the popular press, but there is very little agreement among health scientists on precisely what it is and how to address it. It was first used as a term in the medical literature in 1974 by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger after studying the impact of excessive stress and workplace demands on individuals, resulting in symptoms like depression. [1]

The World Health Organization uses an international standard known as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) to diagnose disease. The codes underpin many activities in health care; for example, ICD-11 codes are the basis for provincial billing codes. Burnout used to be classified as a symptom, but as of 2022, it is classified as a syndrome associated with the workplace. The WHO classification defines burnout as follows:

Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by three dimensions:

1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;

2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and

3) a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment. Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.[2]

If this description above resonates with you, you may wish to consider some of the causes and the steps you could take to manage burnout.

What are some of the causes of burnout?

As with the following examples, trying to meet everyone’s demands can be unrealistic. Consider whether any of them resonate.

• You don’t feel able to say “no” or set boundaries.
• You are sacrificing your personal time or not taking breaks throughout the day.

• Your work-life balance is heavily tilted to work.
• You are unable to find successful stress relievers each day.

How to Start Managing Possible Burnout

Recognizing the problem is the first step in figuring out a solution. Various employee assistance programs have specific guides for addressing burnout. Some of the suggestions to consider are:

• Determine your own self-care goals.
• Talk to a therapist and look at the factors that are causing burnout.
• Balancing the time spent at work with activities that bring personal satisfaction.
• Take time for yourself as a daily routine.
• Regular exercise.

As we gear up for the holidays and wind down the year, we hope you can find space and time for yourself. Your health and well-being depend on it. Dr. Denis Waitley, a best-selling author and well-known performance consultant to Olympians, probably says it best.

Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted. – Dr. Denis Waitley

[1] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2158244017697154

[2] https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/https://id.who.int/icd/entity/129180281