Preventing burnout - 10 effective tips for active prevention

Everyone is talking about burnout and is almost considered a “trend disease”. In fact, the number of people affected by a burnout is growing alarmingly annually. According to a study published by Statista, the number of sick days per 1,000 people due to burnout syndrome was 4.6 in 2004, compared to 87.5 days in 2012. Women are affected more often than men. But is there really nothing we can do about this development? Do you perhaps have the opportunity to counter burnout through active prevention?

What is the term “burnout”?

Burnout is actually an umbrella term for various symptoms that have arisen from a stress-related overload situation. The name commonly describes the feeling of being physically and / or psychologically “burned out” . Burnout is often accompanied by depression and is therefore not necessarily burnout in the diagnosis of the psychologist, but rather stress-related overload disorder, depression, anxiety disorder or the like. Burnout therefore describes rather a complex of various diseases and symptoms that are related and have arisen due to an overload. Due to the different diagnoses, the number of unreported cases of burnout, which are treated as depression, anxiety disorder or the like, is probably significantly higher.

Why are burnout numbers increasing so rapidly?

While depression has been known since time immemorial and has been mentioned as melancholy or weltschmerz in numerous famous works and documents, burnout is considered a new, almost fashionable disease. In fact, as you could see in the survey, it has only existed in this form since the early 2000s. So the question arises, where does the sudden rapid increase in burnout cases actually come from? Experts see the numbers on the one hand as an increase in awareness of burnout as an illness. The psychologists and psychiatrists perceive the burnout faster and therefore diagnose it faster and more often.

On the other hand, the burnout cases have actually increased considerably. This is due to the ever increasing speed and complexity of the world, which are based, among other things, on digitization. It is striking that the burnout mainly occurs in the western industrialized nations. So there must be a direct connection here. The electronic media bring with it an era of sensory overload. Everyone strives for attention, everyone has to “work” and hardly anyone feels more able to cope with personal stress and / or the pressure at work. Fear of the job, constant pressure to perform and time, bullying , unemployment, frustration in private life, missing are often the causes of the diseaseRecognition for the work done or the inability to relax. Sooner or later, many people are no longer nervous about this. However, burnout cannot be described as a pure managerial disease. In addition to particularly performance-oriented people, the disease also increasingly occurs in social and helping professions. Burnout can affect everyone ...

How can you recognize a burnout early?

Since burnout is a fairly new phenomenon, many people and doctors recognize it too late. Hardly anyone does an efficient prevention or exercises self-reflection in order to be able to counteract a burnout at an early stage. In fact, there are already effective methods to avoid burnout in the long term. Therefore, start by perceiving yourself, your mental state and physical symptoms, interpreting them correctly and reacting appropriately. Symptoms of early burnout include:

• Weakness
• leaden fatigue
• Mood swings
• sleep disorders
• Fluctuations in overactivity and total exhaustion
• Inability to "switch off" and relax
• constant irritability
• twitching nerves
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• and much more

Often, however, these symptoms are dismissed by those affected as a bad phase. “It will pass” or “these are just the hormones” are typical sentences. Unfortunately, exactly the opposite happens: those who do not act early will experience more and more and worse symptoms. Just until the body and / or the psyche strike and you can no longer do anything other than make changes in your life. Isn't it better to make these changes early and thereby avoid the suffering of a burnout?

Burnout prevention means courage to change

Burnout cannot be treated with medication or is good after an injection. Instead, those affected have to make changes in their private and professional lives, in themselves, in their attitudes to life, in their everyday lives and in their periods of relaxation. Only through changes and patience can those affected recover and find their way back to a healthy everyday life. So if you want to prevent burnout and do active prevention, you have to make such changes in your life. Better too early than too late:

Prevention in childhood

Yes, burnout often originated in childhood. As a parent, you should therefore make sure that your child has enough free time between school, hobbies and appointments to relax. Sport and fresh air are important for the children, but also free development. Planning your child's free time is therefore the wrong way, even if it’s your child’s favorite pastimes. Give him the freedom to choose what he wants to do when and give him the freedom he needs. After all, every structure also needs breaks ...

2. Recognize sources of stress

This is probably too late for you, your childhood is over. You have to see that you perceive your sources of stress in the here and now. Because only if you know what is stressing you can eliminate the sources of stress. For example, you can keep a stress diary or create a stress table over several weeks. So you can see at a glance what triggers your stress and how high the respective stress level is.

3. Create retreat islands

Then find small islands of retreat in everyday life where you can really switch off. For example, listen to your favorite music, enjoy a hot cup of cocoa on the sofa or watch the sunset every evening. Build such retreat islands into your everyday life.

4. A sleep rhythm works wonders

Burnout is very often accompanied by sleep disorders. Regular and adequate sleep is extremely important for people to be physically and mentally efficient. Therefore, keep a regular sleep schedule and sleep about seven to nine hours a night. Even a half-hour power nap every noon can give you new energy. The steady rhythm also helps you to counteract the first signs of sleep disorders.

5. Sport provides endorphins

Everyone knows that sport is healthy. Few people know that it keeps not only the body but also the mind fit. Exercise helps to reduce stress and allows the brain to release happiness hormones, the so-called endorphins. Movement in the fresh air is most effective. Whether walking, cycling, dancing, playing badminton or going to the gym: integrate the sport firmly into your everyday life. But be careful not to exhaust yourself completely. An exhausted body can instead intensify the burnout symptoms.

6. Learn to relax

More and more people find it difficult to switch off from everyday life and really relax. Come to rest, relax from the stress and look inside. For this you have the choice from countless different relaxation techniques. Some like to go to yoga or meditation, others to massage. Take a hot bath, do autogenic training and learn progressive muscle relaxation. Whatever it is that helps you relax: find it and build it into your daily structure.

7. Never lose the joy of life

Fun is the most effective way to reduce stress. Laugh again with your friends or practice a hobby that you enjoy. Plan a great vacation in anticipation or watch a funny film. Laughter relieves stress, strengthens the immune system and stabilizes blood pressure. What would life be without joy ...

8. Everyone needs goals in life

The burnout is often related to the fact that those affected have lost sight of their goals. Setting too high, unattainable goals or none at all can cause frustration at some point and, in the worst case, resignation. Therefore, set yourself new short- and long-term goals, find dreams and hopes for your life again and check them for their relevance to reality. You should definitely challenge yourself, but never overwhelm it. If necessary, ask a therapist for help.

9. Find and set limits

Everyone has limits, but most go beyond them, often several times a day. Therefore, make yourself aware of your personal limits, set them and learn to say "No". Only if you respect your limits in private and professional life can you save your resources and counteract burnout in the long term.

10. Restructure everyday work

Everyday work must suit you as a person and not vice versa. Therefore, check it thoroughly once and make changes if necessary. Reduce the sources of stress, respect your own limits, reduce the constant availability and address conflicts in order to be able to solve them. Learn to say " no " here too, not to work overtime or to refuse an additional task. In addition, work on a good working atmosphere, address problems with colleagues and look for personal fulfillment. Perhaps it is time for further training ...

Conclusion on burnout prevention: sensible or futile?

As you can see, time management is essential to prevent burnout. Become aware of what you need and where your limits are and align your private and professional life according to your needs. That means taking responsibility for your own life and no longer just being a game of events. Burnout prevention therefore always requires a little courage and a high degree of self-reflection. In the long run, it not only serves to prevent burnout, it also enables you to live a stress-free, self-determined, happier and healthier life.

Burnout prevention is therefore more than just that. It is a new and better way of life and certainly a good decision for everyone. Don't wait for the first symptoms to make changes in your life ...