5 Misconceptions About Burnout
People who have a burn-out often get well-meant but unhelpful advice – or even accusations. 5 misconceptions about burnout and what is behind them.
1. “You need a job change”
People who suffer from burnout do not necessarily have to be reluctant to do their job. In fact, it is often the greatest fear of those affected that they will lose their jobs. An effective strategy to avoid a job change is the so-called job crafting.
In job crafting, the employee works on redesigning the work content so that it better fits his or her goals, strengths and preferences. This means you expand your scope of duties and interact more with employees from other areas. The basic prerequisite, of course, is that your employer supports your goals.
2. “You must keep your burnout secret”
Those who give this advice have probably not taken two points into account. Firstly, it is almost impossible to hide typical symptoms of a burn-out syndrome such as chronic exhaustion, lack of drive, concentration and sleep disorders or the feeling of being burnt out and overwhelmed. Those affected are sometimes absent and irritable towards their friends or colleagues. Secondly: Instead of keeping your burn-out a secret, it is advisable to talk about it with familiar people. If you can’t talk to your supervisor, contact friends, a coach or a doctor.
3. “It’s just a fashionable disease”
In recent years, there have been repeated voices dismissing the burnout syndrome as a fashionable disease. Yes, we can speak of a popular phenomenon, since almost every form of excessive demands or being depressed is summarized under the collective term “burn-out”. But there is much more behind the real syndrome than a temporary state of exhaustion that can be remedied with a few superficial tips. Basically the following applies: A burn-out is not a widespread disease. Even if the disease is not clearly defined and can be diagnosed with certainty, it should not be taken lightly.
4. “Burnout is the same as depression”
The symptoms of burnout and depression are close to each other and are almost identical in advanced stages. As a rule of thumb, burnout is context-related, whereas depression is context-free. The latter thus permeates all areas of life. Another difference is that depressed people give up more easily. People who suffer from burn-out syndrome have usually fought some battles.
5. “A vacation will make you healthy”
A burnout will sooner or later lead to a conversation with the boss. At worst, his advice is, “Take a day off and everything will be fine.” However, this does not help those affected, because it is not a temporary feeling of stress, but a permanent condition. A study has also shown that even a holiday cannot cure burnout. Although the symptoms become weaker, they usually return – and that after two weeks at the latest.