How to Spot Burnout Before the Damage is Done | 2-Minute Video

Feel overwhelmed, maybe even burned out?

Then it’s probably kind of late in the game to really get a handle on your work stress.

That’s the peculiar thing about stress. We usually don’t know we’re knee-deep in it until it’s taken over and we’ve reached the point of burnout.

What’s Up in This Episode: Defeating Burnout

That’s why in this episode of HRMorning’s 3-Point, we talk with  Dr. Kara Mohr, Co-Founder at Mohr Results and Co-Creator of WellQ360, about how to be aware of our own stress before it overwhelms us.

Click, watch and listen for more details on recognizing and controlling stress before it affects your life and work to your detriment. It’s especially important this time of year.

Transcript (edited for clarity):

Everyone talks about burnout like it’s a smoldering fire you can see. But really, you can’t see yourself smoking like that, which is the problem with burnout. You don’t know you’re experiencing it. That’s what we’re covering in this episode of HRMorning’s 3-Point. How to identify and extinguish burnout.

Dr. Kara Mohr, Co-Founder, Mohr Results, Co-Creator, WellQ360: “We’re looking at three factors, right? We’re looking at this physical, this exhaustion, the sense of physical, emotional, mental exhaustion that really doesn’t go away. We also start to see this growing sense of cynicism.

“So it’s sort of like, you know, things aren’t going to change here. It’s never going to get better. I’m not seeing any improvement and I don’t foresee that in the future. And then you also have this sense of inefficiency that happens with work. So the work starts to slip because people start to, they’re exhausted. They don’t believe that anything’s going to change and they start to disengage and disconnect from work in a way that they’re not showing up fully.“

You see the point, here. It’s not that you aren’t just getting enough sleep or you’re overstretched. It’s burnout. But here’s the problem that perpetuates it in the workplace.

Mohr: “Unfortunately, the culture around work and in a lot of places is that if I’m a high-achieving, high-performing individual, I just have to drag this out. I got to grind it out and make this happen. And that actually accelerates burnout because people don’t take the opportunity to step back earlier.“

Now, what’s the solution? Well, there’s not a single one. And there’s no one-size-fits-all. But Mohr is an expert on where to start.

Mohr: “A true disconnect from work, and that’s not just a vacation or a massage or a weekend off, but really giving yourself some time and space where you’re not connected, where you’re really taking some downtime and not trying to keep up with work or email or things that are happening, and allow yourself the chance to see what happens if you give yourself true recovery.“

That’s the start. Step away to figure out the root and the escape route from the burnout. So, the lessons here.

• Know the signs. Burnout is exhaustion – physical, emotional and mental.
• Step away. We know. It’s difficult. We aren’t going to kid anyone about this. But the only way to fix burnout is to fully disconnect from stressors.
• Take stock. You probably can’t fully eliminate what’s led to the burnout. But while you’re disconnected, you want to evaluate what you control and how you’ll take more control of that.

And if you want more tips on handling stress – or need to help your staff get ahead of it – you can download the Managing Employee Stress Guide under the Practical Tools on HRMorning.com.