There can be many reasons for this, but the most common ones are unfair practices, heavy workload and lack of support from leaders and team.

It’s a state of exhaustion that leaves you emotionally drained, tired all the time, struggling to cope with work and often accompanied by physical problems. The most common are headaches and lower back pain.

The result is a lack of interest in everything and everyone. Work becomes unpleasant, and the person becomes hostile towards others. Burnout is a condition that is very much the result of work stress (which has not been successfully alleviated). Most of the time it creeps up on you quietly and at first glance it may appear to be just a major case of stress. There is a loss of ability to work, to function and to be creative.

Don’t delay in seeking help, bad news doesn’t get better with time.

Burnout from an employer’s perspective should be avoided because:

• mental health disorders cause employee absences
• the cost is higher than for other illnesses
• people are absent from work for longer because it takes longer to recover

The workplace is a good place to intervene, as people spend a very large part of their day at work. The question is whether and who notices when things have gone sour. Often, leaders and other team members are in a similar situation, and no one has the sense to offer help or ask for help. The happier you are at work, the less likely you are to burn out.

The warning signs of burnout:

• Being in a situation where everything is new and interesting (new tasks or position) and wanting to give your best. You are productive and motivated.
• Next comes stress, nervousness. Deadlines and heavy workloads and performance starts to decline.
• The stress gets deeper and deeper, the desire to withdraw and be alone develops. One becomes emotional, easily irritated and it becomes increasingly difficult to do one’s job. These are already chronic stress factors.
• Eventually, there is a loss of self-esteem. The person becomes very self-critical, pessimistic, and their health and immunity weaken. There is a feeling of giving up. One behaves badly towards their loved ones, because it is to them that we dare to show our true feelings. There is a complete withdrawal from all social activities and a self-absorption.

It is important to remember that burnout does not happen overnight and takes as long to recover from as being ill. It is not a virus that goes away quickly.

The types of people most at risk of burnout are:

1. Perfectionists – everything must be flawless.
2. Pessimists – don’t believe in anything, don’t go along, work against everything.
3. Control fanatics – want to have all the information and be in control of everything.
4. Competitive/comparative people – always want to be better than others.
5. Young people – spend too much time on their smart devices, while relationships at home and elsewhere have become difficult because there is minimal interaction in real life.

Burnout from the perspective of extreme ownership

There is no risk of burnout, but there is a risk of being poorly led.

We don’t look for excuses, we don’t blame others, but rather we try to find solutions. I have to take ownership of myself and admit that I have a problem. Only then will it be possible to treat the condition.

Ask yourself: “What will happen if I do nothing about the problem?”

Only I can change the way I behave, the mentality and the attitude I have. If you don’t want to talk about your problems with your loved ones, it is always worth investing in therapy. It is an investment in yourself. You just have to take action and move on. Closer to recovery.

• There are always teams around us (at home, at work, friends, hobby groups) and they all want to help you, just let them.
• Keep life simple. Create order in the way you do things.
• Prioritize and execute – be aware of what really matters to you and how you plan your time.
• Decentralized command. You don’t always have to do everything yourself.
• Just get started. A half-baked plan today is better than a perfect plan next week.

Check that you’re on track: 

• Am I getting too stuck on a single principle?
• How have I organized my life, simplified my life?
• How do I decide things, what is my mission, vision and values i.e. what do I focus on in my life?

How to prevent burnout?

• Don’t always say YES, don’t accept to be scheduled everywhere
• Phone-free time, have a set routine
• Hanging out with the kids, messing around
• Take time for a real holiday, create a system in which you can get away from your environment
• Be grateful! Those who are thankful are always happy
• Listen to music
• Humor is important (including dark humor). Don’t take life too seriously!
• Simplify your life, create some order in how and when you do things
• Be physically active
• Take a step back and look at the big picture
• Think, what is your ‘why’? What makes you do the things you do?
• Observe your emotions when you are on holiday – this is when those feelings and things you otherwise suppress on a daily basis come up. These are the things that need attention

What others can do:

You can’t help anyone until they admit they have a problem. It’s also difficult to ask for help in this situation, so:

• Hear and notice your team members
• Consider their opinions, i.e. genuinely listen and respect them
• Help your team member to find the deeper meaning of their work, of what their role is
• Give feedback – more rather than less
• Allow rest (cover and move)
• Trust team members and build good relationships

To sum up, burnout is unfortunately very common today. Good relationships are the foundation of everything and if we surround ourselves with people who are there for us, who respect us, trust us, listen to us, influence us, it is rather difficult to reach a state of burnout. Notice the people around you and care for each other. If the team doesn’t win, nobody wins!

The Leadership Forum was hosted by Priit Lilleväli