By Dr Jagdish Chandra Rout
It’s worthy to note that “Work is Worship”, while diligently dutifulness is deemed to be godliness. But despite that, even a machine or robot is vulnerable to an inevitable breakdown sans a break from the monotony and pestering process of working beyond the limit.
Let’s now discuss the term ‘burnout’ which lexically means: “A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.”
If we talk of ‘job burnout’, “it involves feeling useless, powerless, and empty.”
Commenting on it, the experts caution us against “the negative effects of burnout” as “they spill over into every area of life—including our home, work, health and social life.”
Eminent executive coach for “Sensitive Strivers” Melody Wilding, in her precious piece of write-up in the esteemed Harvard Business Review (HBR), has highlighted “three types of burnout” and has also prescribed the ways and means to overcome them.
According to Melody Wilding, the three types of burnout are: 1) “Overload 2) Under-Challenged, and 3) Neglect”.
She delineates:
1) “Overload burnout occurs when you work harder and more frantically to achieve success, often to the detriment of your health and personal life. It typically affects highly dedicated employees who feel obligated to work at an unsustainable pace. As a result, they drive themselves to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.”
Even though “resting is not a reward for success as hard work is a prerequisite for performance”, Wilding opines, “individuals could avoid excessive involvement and prevent burnout.”
2) “Under-challenged burnout occurs when you’re bored and not stimulated by your job, which leads to a lack of motivation. People with under-challenged burnout may feel underappreciated and become frustrated because their role lacks learning opportunities, room for growth, or meaningful connection with co-workers and leadership.”
In this regard, the solution that Wilding opines is: “Making strides towards something that feels fun and meaningful to you creates a flywheel of momentum that can lift you out of a funk. Even if the skill isn’t directly related to your job, you’ll likely find that the positive energy spills over to reinvigorate your passion for your work — or that it inspires your career to move in a new direction.”
3) “Neglect burnout can result from feeling helpless in the face of challenges. It occurs when you aren’t given enough structure, direction, or guidance in the workplace. You may find it difficult to keep up with demands or otherwise feel unable to meet expectations. Over time, this can make you feel incompetent, frustrated, and uncertain.”
In a bid to overcome this, the solution suggested by Wilding is: “Focus on what you can control. Outside of office hours, be bullish about self-care by relaxing oneself with recreational activities, and enjoying fun time with near and dear ones.”
After all, “Everything in excess is opposed to nature.” (Hippocrates – legendary Greek physician)
Similarly, noted American author-cum-thought leader Bryant McGill has also reportedly advised: “Excess is not abundance. Excess is taking beyond what is necessary.”
(The author is the Founder and CEO of JB Consulting and Strategies. Views are personal)
