From pilot light
to forest fire

Stress! A word that scares many people. Yet we need it to function alertly. Originally the term comes from engineering and refers to the amount of pressure a structure can withstand without damage. In humans, it works similarly. When pressure is too high for long periods of time, your system becomes overloaded. You get burnout. How do you make stress work for you instead of against you?

Distinguishing forms of burnout

For a long time it was thought that burnout is mainly caused by too much work. We now distinguish three common variants, each of which has a different origin.

Overload burnout: more creates more

In this form, you continuously switch to a problem-solving mode. As a result, you actually take on more work, resulting in the increase of stress. You focus mainly on expectations you set for yourself. Your personal life and recovery receive too little attention. When you get stuck in this, pay attention to how you talk to yourself. Do you recognize limiting thoughts? Do you notice that you mostly name what is going wrong without taking action? This is an important sign of overload burnout.

Bored-out: less leads to less

Bored-out, also known as underchallenged burnout, results from a lack of challenge. You feel little commitment and boredom leads to less motivation. This leads to frustration, avoidant behavior and distraction seeking.

Taking up a challenge will get your system moving again. Choose something that energizes you and start small. Think of twenty minutes a day learning a language or picking up a task that feels meaningful.

Neclect burnout: running away in circles

This variant is characterized by passive behavior when something goes differently than expected. It feels like you have little influence and you quickly give up. To break this pattern, return to the responsible role. Make a to-don’t list. What can you outsource or delete? Get clear on what you want to change and what you do have influence over. Action creates movement.

In the workplace

Where the text above says “you,” you can also fill in a colleague or team member. Recognizing patterns in others can help to intervene early. After all, prevention is better than cure. There is still a taboo on talking about burnout.

By asking questions, you open up the conversation. What gives someone energy? Where do someone’s motivations lie? Focus on what does motivate someone. Make room for personal leadership and someone will take steps towards healthy behavior themselves. You don’t fill in the blanks for someone, but encourage the development of constructive choices.