PharmEasy Blog

Work From Home Burnout – What’s It All About?

 

You may have heard that working too hard can cause you to burnout. A worrying trend has been emerging lately. More and more people are reporting Work from Home (WFH) burnout.

Doesn’t sound possible, right? What could beat the comfort of working from the familiar and cosy setting of your home? Yet it is spreading fast.

Read on to know more about WFH burnout.

What is causing WFH burnout?

The world has never experienced this degree of remote work. Nobody was prepared and new measures had to be enforced to make sure that productivity did not decline.

Bosses and managers thought that household distractions like children, family members, chores and pets would eat into the time that people put into work.

So they began to implement techniques to ensure that employees continue to be as productive as before.

But studies have found that people work more hours at home than they do in the office. On top of that, when you add the constant pressure exerted by employers, it results in a psychological breakdown.

Let us sum up a few more reasons leading to WFH burnout and psychological stress-

How will you know if you are experiencing WFH burnout

WFH burnout is as dangerous as regular burnout. It can leave you feeling drained, empty, depressed and make you lose interest in life and the people around you. Stress and WFH burnout have serious consequences for your psychological health.

So, here are a few signs that can help identify the beginning of WFH burnout-

02

Make sure you take note of these signs, the longer you take to respond to WFH burnout, the more difficult it will be to restore normalcy.

How to prevent or manage WFH burnout

Don’t worry, there are ways you can handle or prevent this kind of burnout-

01

WFH burnout is a serious condition and you should be aware of it so that you can do the right things to keep yourself and your loved one psychologically healthy during these difficult times.    

Is Your Workplace Burning You Out?

Just how harmful is burnout syndrome?

It is more dangerous than you may have thought. The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology published a study recently that uncovered a link between burnout syndrome and cardiac problems. The study concluded that burnout can disturb your heart’s natural rhythm!    

Understanding burnout and its connection to your heart –

What exactly is burnout?

According to researchers, burnout is exhaustion caused by a prolonged period of stress at the workplace. Surveys have found that 77% of the workforce has experienced the symptoms of workplace burnout.  This is why the World Health Organisation (WHO) has categorized burnout as a work hazard. The medical community no longer considers it a psychological ailment like anxiety or depression.  

According to WHO, burnout has a few definitive symptoms-

Burnout is directly responsible for heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats). It can also lead to atrial fibrillation.

  Why should you be worried about atrial fibrillation?

This form of non-rhythmic heartbeat makes blood clot in the atria (chambers of the heart). Sometimes, the clot can cause a heart attack cutting off the supply of oxygen to the heart or the clot can come loose and travel to the brain where it may trigger a stroke.  To find out whether work burnout really does trigger cardiac problems, researchers surveyed 11,000 people with varying degrees of workplace stress and social/family support over a period of 25 years. The study found that people with uncontrolled stress levels are at a very high risk of atrial fibrillation.

What can you do?

Since there is a clear indication that stress and burnout can be fatal, you need to take immediate steps to deal with it!

Is workplace stress taking over your life?  

If yes, here are a few ways to cope with it –

Currently, if you are not stressed with your work, should you still be concerned?  

Yes, workplace stress can happen to anyone, anytime. You can take the following preventive measures for workplace stress – In-Blog-034Burnout can be controlled or prevented with these few simple steps that you can inculcate in your daily routine. Do not let it take over your life and put a brake on it!  Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.