WELLNESS- & LIFESTYLE-TIPS
valuable tips for your everyday life
Burnout prevention

It is important to recognise the early symptoms of burnout as warning signs and to start making both personal and work-related changes in time.

BURNOUT PREVENTION

It is important to recognise the early symptoms of burnout as warning signs and to start making both personal and work-related changes in time.

Healthy habits include:

  • regular physical activity
  • regenerative sleep
  • proper nutrition
  • a supportive social network
  • humour
  • positive feelings
  • joie de vivre
  • optimism
  • spirituality

In addition, taking several shorter holidays seems to be more effective in preventing burnout than taking one longer holiday per year.

(Source: vgl. Roland von Känel, 2008, Das Burnout-Syndrom: eine medizinische Perspektive, In Praxis, Band 97, S. 477 – 487, Bern)

PHASES OF BURNOUT

Herbert Freudenberger and his colleague Gail North have identified the following twelve phases in the course of burnout syndrome, although their order may differ:

  • The urge to prove something to oneself and others
  • An extreme drive to fulfil particularly high expectations
  • Overworking oneself while neglecting other personal needs and social contacts 
  • Overplaying or ignoring inner problems and conflicts
  • Doubting one's own morals and previously important things like hobbies and friends
  • Denial of emerging problems, increasing intolerance and disregard for others
  • Withdrawal and reducing social contact to a minimum
  • Noticeable changes in behaviour, increasing feeling of worthlessness and anxiety
  • Depersonalisation through loss of contact with self and others, life becomes increasingly “mechanic"
  • Inner emptiness and desperate attempts to cover up this feeling through excessive behaviour (sexuality, eating habits, alcohol and drugs)
  • Depression with symptoms such as indifference, hopelessness, exhaustion and lack of perspective
  • First suicidal thoughts as a way out of this situation; acute danger of mental and physical collapse

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