All aboard the Burn Out steam train?
An article in the Metro, March 2015 stated something many know, but yet many more are slow to acknowledge: Stress dramatically reduces quality of life and for many more, it is a leading factor in causing diseases that lead to premature death. Specifically, it states that people who suffer burnout are more likely to develop heart disease than smokers. And typically, once burnout hits, it is a downward spiral.
Burnout can be caused by a range of factors such as job insecurity, heavy work load, insufficuent support, and long working hours.
Researchers studied over eight thousand healthy men and women – for signs of burnout and heart disease. They were surprrised by the results which indicated amongst other things that people on the higher end of the burnout scale were 79% more at risk from heard disease then the rest of the group.
However, the article stipulates that people continue to work too long and too hard. It recommends that people make a change and cut back their working hours, and are effectively supported by their employers. But it does not state what kind of support would be beneficial (it stated that Gps could test burnout patients for signs of heart disease, however this shifts responsibility).
As individuals, we require to utilise knowledge of ourselves to promote our own wellbeing. A preventative approach is infinitely better than a reactive one.
This is why I have developed my own self leadership training to support individuals to begin to better look after their own self care interests.