For many people, employment is the main source of stress in their lives. For others, it may be the pressures of being a parent, or managing interpersonal relationships.
Burnout coach Anna Schaffner encourages us to look at the inner sources of stress.“ There are also inner reasons for burning out,” she argues. Although we may try to find ways to reduce stress, even through diet and fitness, it’s key to point out the causes. Here are some things to watch out for when managing your stress levels at work. Some may be beyond your control, but not all…
5 reasons you’re burned out at work
Anna Schaffer posted her top 5 reasons people suffer burnout on Instagram late last year. Some of the reasons she lists are unsurprising. But readers may take heart from the emphasis she places on inner sources of stress – which equate to internal reasons for burnout.
This may sound like self-blame; shouldering the responsibility for one’s own suffering is not all fun and games. But knowing that something comes from within can actually be empowering. This is because accepting responsibility for something is the first step to being able to change it.
S o, without any further ado, Schaffner’s 5 reasons we suffer from burnout at work are:
- Unfairness – being treated unfairly at work can include bullying, lack of career progression, lack of pay parity, or not being recognized for your contributions and achievements.
- Unmanageable workloads – having too much to do can create a “sense of overwhelm” and the feeling of always playing catch-up.
- Lack of role clarity. This is about knowing where your job ends and another begins. Unclear boundaries can lead to those who are generous with their time picking up the work that others leave behind.
- Poor communication – if managers don’t clearly communicate their expectations, it’s difficult for employees to live up to them. Feedback channels are really important for minimizing stress at work.
- Unreasonable time pressures. If there’s a sense of urgency around a task that isn’t actually particularly urgent, it can create pressure unnecessarily. Hierarchies of priority can be really helpful for people who feel anxious about work.
But there are also inner reasons people experience burnout
Schaffner emphasizes the autonomy we each have when it comes to conquering burnout and finding again a healthy balance. It’s worth noting here that simply seeing stress as a “challenge” that needs beating, rather than a threat that merits fear, can have a huge impact.
“But,” she writes, “there are also inner reasons for burning out.”
These include:
- Perfectionism
- Hyperactive inner critics
- Unhealthy beliefs about work, time, productivity and our self-worth
Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by high expectations and standards, according to Psychology Today. “Perfectionist” is the sort of word people might use flippantly, to describe someone who likes things to be just right. But in certain environments, having a perfectionist attitude can add unnecessary stress, and lead to burnout.
Similarly, most of us have an inner critic of some description. And in many contexts, having an internal voice reminding us of our faults can be useful. But in others, or if its declarations are overly strident and strict, it can create a lot of extra pressure.
Who is Anna Schaffner?
Anna Katharina Schaffner is a burnout coach and former cultural historian. She’s authored three nonfiction books – two about exhaustion and one about self-improvement more generally – and one novel.
Her writing has appeared in the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement, the LA Review of Books and Psychology Today, among others. She is a certified professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and holds qualifications in hypnotherapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mBIT (multiple brain integration techniques) coaching.
She writes on her website that she suffered burnout while working as an academic, and “didn’t thrive” in her job for a long time.
“It nevertheless took me many years to dare to leave the university and to become a full-time coach and writer. I couldn’t be happier now, doing what I truly love, and helping others to make courageous changes in their lives.”
