The topic of burnout has been around since it was first described by Herbert Freudenberger in 1974 as ‘the consequences of severe stress and high ideals’. Defined by the World Health Organisation as an “occupational” syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress, much has been written about it, with over 15,000 scientific publications and discussed at length.
But what, if anything, has changed in that time?
Why is burnout still so prevalent?
What have we not learned despite all the research outlining contributing factors and ways to prevent its occurrence?
Having endured burnout over 20 years ago, I am flabbergasted, disappointed and frustrated that so many stories of burnout continue.
Yes, it’s a complex issue. There’s no single cause and no single solution. Not everyone who develops symptoms progresses to complete burnout. Some moulder for years.
But I have yet to meet anyone who started out with burnout on their vision board.
The wicked problem of chronic stress and high expectations
The modern workplace is fast-paced, competitive and continues to evolve rapidly as new technologies and AI are adopted as our new work buddies.
Our passion and enthusiasm to succeed drives us to put in more hours, more effort, so we retain some so-called competitive advantage.
But has this caused us to lose sight of what is “enough”?
Are we blind to the reality that we are all humans with the same limitations?
Last week, I was in Brisbane to speak at a conference of medical professionals about well-being. It’s a topic I’m being asked to speak on a lot, because the solution to how well we function at work, how happy we are and how fulfilled, won’t be found in a workshop on resilience or in a well-being questionnaire.
There are questions that need to be asked.
- Are we willing to continue to accept Band-Aids for working in a system that’s slowly haemorrhaging to death?
- Are we willing to accept changes to our own practice, without consultation and accept that moral injury is something we must expect?
- Is this the best way forward for us to provide the best health outcomes for our patients while enabling us to deliver the very best care?
Dr Jenny in Brisbane
Practitioners, health professionals, first-line responders, teachers, educators, managers, supervisors and business leaders can enjoy better health and well-being by:
- Building awareness of what you need as an individual to work at your best.
- Challenging your thoughts around your beliefs. Are they valid, relevant or do they need a reset?
- Using clarity to what’s needed to adapt to your current circumstances and take the steps needed so you can flourish within your environment.
We can’t always change the system, even though we might really want that to happen, but what we can do is ensure we are optimised to do what we know to the best of our ability, with love, passion and meaning and to seek ways to make the demands on our time less onerous by changing how you operate.
Challenging the status quo might feel daunting, but imagine how you’ll feel when you can confidently say, hand on heart, how much you love your work and to know that what you do is valued, acknowledged and making a positive difference to the clients you serve.
Refs:
Hillert A, Albrecht A, Voderholzer U. The Burnout Phenomenon: A Résumé After More Than 15,000 Scientific Publications. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Dec 9;11:519237. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.519237. PMID: 33424648; PMCID: PMC7793987.
Bianchi A & Sowden JF. Five decades of debate on burnout. Med J Aust. doi: 10.5694/mja2.52512. Published online: 11 November 2024.
