YEP, the World Health Organization just officially defined burnout as an actual disorder.
But it has to be caused by your job to qualify, as defined in the WHO Diagnostic Manual. In order to be classified as burnt out, you must be suffering from so much workplace stress that you feel totally exhausted — or also if you just feel really over your job mentally (NEGATIVE feelings).
If you’re suddenly way less efficient doing your job and procrastinating, that could of course be the culprit, too. People might think if they can’t focus at work, it’s depression or ADHD or something…but it COULD just be that you’re burnt out with work!
Some of you might be thinking, “Yeah, so burnout is considered a medical condition now. So what, Bonnie?”
Well, I think it’s really interesting, because for a lot of workplaces blame things like lack of motivation and efficiency on the employees. Or, people will blame themselves for not being able to push and push…
OR, the third option: people will blame something like depression, like I mentioned, which still means they’re blaming themselves!
But the World Health Organization classifying this as a real condition acknowledges the fact that it isn’t the employee’s fault. And it also doesn’t indicate that the employee has any mental health struggle. It really is just that they have BURNOUT and I think it’s awesome to normalize and acknowledge that in our “NEVER STOP” world!!
Not only is that interesting because corporations are finally being held accountable for their employees’ basic mental and physical health…but also because, I wonder how many people there are out there who are down on THEMSELVES and haven’t pinpointed that it’s because of their job and/or stress.
I mean, I do think most people probably realize when they’re burnt out and why.
BUT for those of us who have the natural personality to keep driving ourselves…even when we’re driving ourselves into the ground 😉…I think a condition like burnout would be harder to recognize.
After all, being overworked is “normal,” right?
14% of women and 38% of men in the U.S. work MORE than 50 hours a week!
It makes sense that a workplace would try to do this, because working the employees you already have HARDER is CHEAPER than hiring new ones. Think about when you get overtime. You’re probably getting time and a half. So of course that’s cheaper than the company having to hire a new person!
Had you ever thought about that before? I honestly hadn’t, not until I read that article.
But maybe the reason I haven’t thought about it before is this…
Even though I consider myself a hard worker in the gym, as a mom, and in every area of my life…I don’t get stressed NOW as much as I did when I was working a traditional job.
Sure, sometimes as a mom I’m running on 3 hours of sleep, and a run to Target has to be my idea of fun…
But it’s so much better than it used to be!!
I’ve been a coach for 3 years, and before that I was so unhealthy and anxious. And I felt like I had no direction in life. I was working from before sunrise to a long time after sunset!! But somehow I convinced myself to reach out to a coach and get STARTED!
That’s where I WAS three years ago. And the burnout was real. But you know what, that’s not what life is supposed to be for you.
It makes me upset to think about somebody who keeps giving herself reason after reason to not contact me, waiting and thinking it’s too good to be true…Just like I did 3 years ago.
But I have to tell you it’s not too good to be true. It just is so much better in comparison to the day in, day out drudgery you’re dealing with now.
THAT has lowered your expectations, and you need to raise them again.
Just reach out to me and I’ll tell you more…even though I know everyone finds reason after reason not to 😉…
Whether it’s a week from now, or a month from now, or right now, I hope your find your way to opportunities BETTER than endless burnout!
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