A 25-year-old Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) graduate working for a reputed multinational company (MNC) who was earning quite a boatload, recently died by suicide. Once this news broke out, people started commenting on social media as to how the individual, who was known to be someone friendly and had a kind demeanour, was smart and talented, yet chose the path to end his own life. It may have suggested a problem that even the smartest of individuals suffer from — depression caused by burnout!
Not only this, a few people even further commented on the incident — "He could have changed the company. He was working with a company that was paying him a lot and could have quit, taken some time out, traveled, looked for another job..."
This made me realise two things. First, how easy it is to sit on the fence as a spectator and advise players and two, the void of information among people when it comes to situations of burnout. Hence, I'll address this in our conversation today.
First things first, what is a burnout?
Contrary to popular belief, burnout is not a feeling of being tired or stressed; it is a state characterised by severe emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress caused by more than one factor. This can also manifest as feelings of detachment, cynicism, and a sense of ineffectiveness which ends up making an individual feel worthless. In some cases, based on my experience, people develop tendencies that can lead them to punish themselves for not achieving a target or become passive-aggressive and in extreme cases, lead to routine self-harm. When the situation surpasses all these levels, they may resort to taking the extreme step, as in the case of the 25-year-old mentioned above.
Hence, the first thing necessary is to make you all aware of recognising the signs early, so that you can prevent it from escalating into a serious issue in both your life as well as the lives of others around you.
Identifying burnout even before the heat starts to build up: Listen to the beep!
To make things easier, here's my acronym that shall not only help you remember but also help you analyse yourself like a boss! Remember the word "Beep"
BEEP — Behavioral signs, Emotional signs, Empathy levels and Physical signs
Behavioural signs
The first red flag that you must identify is the increased use of substances like caffeine, energy drinks, or alcohol which is often followed by withdrawal from social activities, is the Red Alert situation. This is when one comes up with excuses to give social gatherings a miss even before the invitation arrives. Neglecting responsibilities too stems from this and is a possible indication of burnout.
Emotional signs
Feeling detached and at ease with being alone is an easy sign to spot, perhaps something that should make alarm bells ring! Of course, it all starts from simpler changes in the emotional state of an individual where the person has become highly irritable and tends to set themselves off like a loose cannon even for the simplest or trivial issues.
One should also keep a tab if they are feeling motivated enough, question the causes, and not let themselves bogged down or sink into the feeling. Identifying on time, and acting upon it is quite crucial, despite how much strength it may take to act.
Empathy levels
Though it's a sign of our emotional well-being, I still make it a point to branch this out and emphasise it, simply because it is usually the most ignored, and tends to fall through the cracks.
One definite sign of an individual experiencing burnout is when they lose the ability to be compassionate with themselves and others. The most common indicator is when an individual has lost the tolerance to even listen to another person when they start to share, not just that...individuals suffering from burnout won't even care for themselves. They sometimes tend to treat themselves badly and constantly search for reasons, and even create them, with the sole intention of pointing a finger at themselves, usually due to a lack of motivation.
Physical signs
This is quite easy to identify, but also a little tricky as it can often be mistaken for signs of other illnesses, which in turn makes it hard for an individual to understand that it's indeed because of burnout!
Common signs like persistent fatigue, insomnia, constant headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, and other digestive and/or gut-related issues can be possible signs of burnout. Although it is crucial to never self-diagnose yourself or depend on Google, ChatGPT and so on. Your health is your wealth, hence see a doctor as soon as possible.
The Simplest tools to extinguish even before it starts to burn
In today's fast-paced world, burnout has become a common yet often misunderstood anomaly, and hence it's crucial to make you all aware and equip you to recognise the signs early on.
At the same time, whether you are a student juggling academics and extracurriculars or are a professional, striving for success in life, here's a list of five things to do to help you proactively avoid a situation of burnout and help you to maintain a healthy balance in life.
Chunk it down and keep it real
Break down your tasks into smaller, manageable goals whilst keeping your goal realistic to begin with. Of course, smart goal setting is a great way but even before you break it down into specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals, it has to be real so as to avoid feeling overwhelmed by your tasks.
Say, "I am responsible for my happiness"
No! Definitely not hinting to anyone to follow any Gurus or Godmen, the point I'm trying to drive with a little humour here is to prioritise your 'me' time! Ensure that you make time for activities you enjoy, that make you feel relaxed, help you rejuvenate or reset, or even those that allow you to let your inner child out! Be a kid once in a while, the world needs us to be lively and lovely, so why choose to be an adult every day?
NO means NO! Period
Most people I have dealt with suffer mainly because they fail to establish boundaries. Learning to say no has become a necessity in today's world. Dear all, please don't make the same mistake of not establishing boundaries in an effort to please people. You have to put your foot down and say no, especially to additional responsibilities when you are already feeling overloaded or are already overburdened with prior commitments.
We're human after all, not superhumans!
Irrespective of what excuses we give to ourselves, we need to understand that it is okay to seek support when we need it. Most people perceive it to be a sign of weakness but trust me, and I shall vouch that it's the exact opposite! Accepting that we need help or support is a sign of strength as it takes a lot of guts to even acknowledge the fact that we require it. Talk to friends, family, or a mental health professional if you are feeling overwhelmed. Hesitation to seek help will only add to your frustration and ultimately lead to depression!
One man's food is...
I am sure you all know how the saying goes, what works for one individual need not necessarily work for another. Hence, the best way forward would be to practice mindfulness and stay present and mindful of your thoughts and feelings which will equip you to decide on what best you can do to get out of this state of mind.
For some, meditation and deep breathing exercises do the trick, whereas, for others, going to the gym and venting out their frustration by lifting weights might. All I am saying is...do what works for you and motivate yourself to be consistent in your efforts.
The best way I can think of signing off today is with one thought that I often preach...
You are priceless and remember it! If you don't allow yourself to treasure and cherish yourself, to begin with, we will only be replacing the price in priceless with the worth that shall make us feel worthless! Whatever happens, let's not allow anyone else to get there!
With Lots of Love,
Your Beloved Coach,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
