Burnout: The Symptoms you Shouldn’t Ignore
By: Dr. Jordin Wiggins, ND
“What’s expected of women and what it’s really like to be a woman in today’s world are two very different things—and women exhaust themselves trying to close the gap between them.”
-Emily Nagoski
Burnout isn’t just an umbrella term we use to casually label having a bad week at work.
Burnout is a serious, harmful and detrimental health condition that is only just starting to receive the recognition it deserves as a health crisis.
The problem is women are experiencing burnout, but they are ignoring the symptoms and do not have a reliable way to seek help and treatment. We live in a high-speed, plugged in world and it can be difficult to separate what we have learned to brush off as “normal” feelings of tiredness after a workday and what is a chronic health condition that requires treatment.
We think everyone feels like this. Everyone dislikes their job. Everyone struggles to get out of bed and go to work in the morning.
No.
We are not accepting this as normal anymore. We are fighting for better.
The World Health Organization has officially recognized burnout as a chronic disease. And you may be suffering from it.
Women are among the most susceptible to burnout, and you can virtually double or triple the risk when a woman is also working in a field of service (first responder, retail, self-employed).
What does burnout look like?
The three most common symptoms of burnout are:
- Frustration and cynicism with work tasks
- Chronic stress (including physical and mental/emotional symptoms)
- Feeling like you are underperforming at work
Why are women more susceptible to burnout?
It really comes down to expectations. Women are still expected to do more work and receive less credit for the work they do complete. They are paid less on average, and women still take up less positions of power and c-suite roles. We have a difficult time saying no – leading to unpaid work hours and taking on caseloads and projects that require more work than the business day allows (employees who have enough time to complete their work tasks are 70% less likely to experience burnout!)
Of course we are burnt out.
How can I prevent burnout?
Recognize the signs
The first and most effective way to prevent and treat burnout is to be mindful of the signs and ready to take action to support your health and wellbeing. Burnout is insidious and in our faced-paced lives can be very easy to ignore. Recognize the signs so that you can seek treatment and participate in a health plan that will support you through burnout.
Health Over All’s Well Woman Assessment may be what you are looking for. It is an 8-12 month health care plan designed to support you and your needs. We know it’s not reasonable to tell you to quit your job, we know it’s not reasonable to take 8 weeks of vacation every year. We know how to support you while you continue to perform.
Sign-Up Here for a free 1:1 Strategy Session to determine the best plan for you.
-Dr. Wiggins
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