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Grassroots with passion
When you crash and burn
Burnout has been recognised in theWorldHealthOrganisation in May 2019. Although it is listed as an “occupational phenomenon” rather than a medical condition, burnout can cause adverse consequences to one’s overall health. Besides insomnia and chronic fatigue, as described by Psychology Today, long-term physical effects of burnout can be severe. One such effect relates to heart conditions. A study done by Tel Aviv University in 2012 tested 8838 employed men and women, aged 19 to 67 years, for routine health examinations. After a 3-year follow-up examination, it was found that those with severe burnout have a significant risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Not only can burnouts affect physical health, but one’s mental health can also deteriorate as well. Burnouts are often compared to, and can develop into depression. Both conditions have shown similarities in terms of putting our mental state into the same wavelength. In fact, a study in the International Journal of Stress Management in 2014 found that “about 90% of workers with full-blown burnout meets the diagnostic criteria for depression”.
Putting out the fire
Being aware of the situation, our employers and government are trying to curb burnout cases, but to limited success. According to a 2019 study by health service company Cigna, a third of the respondents had a wellness programme in their companies. Yet, half of them felt that these programmes were not focused enough on mental well-being. Despite the downward trend of the working hours of Singapore workers, Singapore workers still worked the second longest week in developed cities around the world, according to a TODAY article in December 2018.
It is heartening to see that some employers are putting in the effort to help employees manage stress - such as withhavingflexiblehours. TheConditions of Employment report by the Ministry of Manpower shows that 72% of the workforce last year are in companies that offer at least one flexible working arrangement, up from 70% in 2017. Unfortunately, burnout is a complex and deeply rooted issue that cannot be managed easily. Our working culture and company policies need drastic changes as a whole to focus more on mental wellness, and recognise burnout cases.
Managing Burnouts
Here are some tips you can do to manage burnouts. Taken from The New Paper , Ms. Denise Lim, a clinical psychologist in the Institute of Mental Health’s Department of Psychology, has this to say: Take time off fromwork responsibilities to relax; Allow yourself to feel useful in other aspects of your life, such as doing charity work; Reflect on what attracted you initially to your profession; and Let yourself ask for help.
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