What happens when you run a machine too hard and too long? It burns out. The same thing happens to the "human machine": when people strive too hard and too long to reach a goal they burn out as well. Burnout is a state of mental and/or physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.

WHO SUFFERS FROM BURNOUT?

Burnout is a problem born of good intentions, because it happens when people try to reach challenging goals and end up depleting their energy and losing touch with themselves and others.

SYMPTOMS:

The onset is slow. The early sumptoms include a feeling of emotional and physical exhaustion; a sense of alienation, cynicism, impatience, negativism and feelings of detachment. In extreme cases, the person looses his ability to perform his/her work or even goes to hospital.

This person generally has a very high expectation of what can be accomplished. As time goes by and all of the goals aren't achieved, instead of lowering objectives or accepting reality, frustration is bottled up and the individual tries even harder. The result is burnout.

Being successful is not easy. It takes hard work, smart work, and dedication. However, if you try TOO hard to succeed, at the expense of other areas of your life, you run high risk of burnout.

Did you know that FiT In measures burnout risk as well? The validity of this indicator was proven by people who lost their job or were hospitalized because of burnout.

The following advices will give you insights on how to prevent and deal with burnout:

STOP DENYING. Listen to the wisdom of your body. Begin to freely admit the stresses and pressures which have manifested physically, mentally, or emotionally. OR KEEP TRYING: Work until the physical pain forces you into unconsciousness.

AVOID ISOLATION. Don't do everything alone! Develop or renew intimacies with friends and loved ones. Closeness not only brings new insights, but also is anathema to agitation and depression. OR KEEP TRYING: Shut your office door and lock it from the inside so no one will distract you. They're just trying to hurt your productivity.

CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. If your job, your relationship, a situation, or a person is dragging you under, try to alter your circumstance, or if necessary, leave. OR KEEP TRYING: If you feel something is dragging you down, suppress these thoughts. This is a weakness. Drink more coffee.

DIMINISH INTENSITY IN YOUR LIFE. Pinpoint those areas or aspects which summon up the most concentrated intensity and work toward alleviating that pressure. OR KEEP TRYING: Increase intensity. Maximum intensity = maximum productivity. If you find yourself relaxed and with your mind wandering, you are probably having a detrimental effect on the recovery rate.

STOP OVERNURTURING. If you routinely take on other people's problems and responsibilities, learn to gracefully disengage. Try to get some nurturing for yourself. OR KEEP TRYING: Always attempt to do everything. You ARE responsible for it all. Perhaps you haven't thoroughly read your job description.

LEARN TO SAY "NO". You'll help diminish intensity by speaking up for yourself. This means refusing additional requests or demands on your time or emotions. OR KEEP TRYING: Never say no to anything. It shows weakness, and lowers the research volume. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do at midnight.

BEGIN TO BACK OFF AND DETACH. Learn to delegate, not only at work, but also at home and with friends. In this case, detachment means rescuing yourself for yourself. OR KEEP TRYING: Delegating is a sign of weakness. If you want it done right, do it yourself.

REASSESS YOUR VALUES. Try to sort out the meaningful values from the temporary and fleeting, the essential from the nonessential. You'll conserve energy and time, and begin to feel more centered. OR KEEP TRYING: Stop thinking about your own problems. This is selfish. If your values change, we will make an announcement at the Corporation meeting. Until then, if someone calls you and questions your priorities, tell them that you are unable to comment on this and give them the number for Community and Government Relations. It will be taken care of.

LEARN TO PACE YOURSELF. Try to take life in moderation. You only have so much energy available. Ascertain what is wanted and needed in your life, then begin to balance work with love, pleasure, and relaxation. OR KEEP TRYING: A balanced life is a myth perpetuated by liberal arts schools. Don't be a fool: the only thing that matters is work and productivity.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Don't skip meals, abuse yourself with rigid diets, disregard your need for sleep, or break the doctor appointments. Take care of yourself nutritionally. OR KEEP TRYING: Your body serves your mind, your mind serves the Institute. Push the mind and the body will follow. Drink Mountain Dew.

DIMINISH WORRY AND ANXIETY. Try to keep superstitious worrying to a minimum - it changes nothing. You'll have a better grip on your situation if you spend less time worrying and more time taking care of your real needs. OR KEEP TRYING: If you're not worrying about work, you must not be very committed to it. We'll find someone who is.

KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. Begin to bring job and happy moments into your life. Very few people suffer burnout when they're having fun. OR KEEP TRYING: So, you think you work is funny? We'll discuss this with your director on Friday, at 7:00 P.M.!