This is the second article in our Mental Health Minute series related to burnout. Often caregivers work full time or part times jobs and care for the individual who is ill. Dealing with the stress of this, if not managed well, can lead to burnout. Despite what we might think, caring for someone with any type of illness is a job; it can be very stressful and lead to burnout if we are not careful.
Causes of burnout
There are many different causes of burnout. As mentioned before, burnout is often times associated with work. There are, however, some other factors that contribute to burnout as well. Understanding these causes helps us to prevent burnout in the first place.
Work-related causes of burnout
• Feeling like you have little or no control over your work
• Lack of recognition or rewards for good work
• Unclear or overly demanding job expectations
• Doing work that’s monotonous or unchallenging
• Working in a chaotic or high-pressure environment
Lifestyle causes of burnout
• Working too much, without enough time for relaxing and socializing
• Being expected to be too many things to too many people
• Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others
• Not getting enough sleep
• Lack of close, supportive relationships
Personality traits can contribute to burnout
• Perfectionistic tendencies; nothing is ever good enough
• Pessimistic view of yourself and the world
• The need to be in control; reluctance to delegate to others
• High-achieving, Type A personality