Emotional burnout is a psychological defense mechanism, the essence of which is to reduce or completely eliminate emotions in response to certain stimuli (traumatic conditions). Burnout, on the one hand, allows a person to rationally spend energy, but on the other hand, it reduces the work capacity and productivity of a specialist, and destroys interpersonal relationships.
Emotional burnout is a professional stereotype, that is, reactions and actions brought to automatism in response to the same stimuli. Do you need to get rid of emotional burnout? Yes. But not so much to get rid of as to be able to manage and prevent it.
Burnout diagnostics
There are many diagnostic techniques. I propose to analyze the questionnaire of V.V. Boyko, as the most complete from my point of view. The technique not only reveals the fact of burnout itself, but determines its stage and manifested signs (read more about this in the article “Emotional burnout: what is it in psychology”). Diagnostics allows you to identify the dominant symptoms, to divide the factors of influence into external and internal, to reveal the degree of their influence.
You can also determine the strengths and weaknesses of a professional, make a forecast of what will happen next without correction. And, of course, draw up a plan for correcting personal characteristics and (or) working conditions. This is important because it is precisely such a versatile interpretation (the very fact of burnout, stage, symptoms) that makes it possible to find an individual way of correction and the optimal version of psychotherapy.
To pass the methodology, the subject is asked to unambiguously (“Yes”, “No”) answer 84 questions. As a result, burnout syndrome is described quantitatively and qualitatively by stages and symptoms:
- stress: experiencing traumatic circumstances, dissatisfaction with oneself, being caged, anxiety and depression;
- resistance: inadequate emotional selective response, emotional and moral disorientation, expansion of the sphere of saving emotions, reduction of professional duties;
- exhaustion: emotional deficit, emotional detachment, personal detachment (depersonalization), psychosomatic and psychovegetative disorders.
The assessment can identify dominant, prevailing and emerging symptoms; formed and emerging stages of burnout. And as a result, determine the presence or absence of burnout.
The result of the diagnosis (conclusion) may look like this (an example is taken from practice, diagnosis of a teacher).
Psychodiagnostic conclusion
The presence of “Burnout Syndrome” is observed.
- Emotional burnout in this case is expressed by anxiety and depression, inadequate selective emotional response, and a reduction in professional duties. It should be noted that the symptom of psychosomatic and psychovegetative disorders is currently emerging, but it is close to completion of its formation. Under the influence of certain negative factors, this symptom is likely to be the first of the remaining ones to develop.
- Inappropriate emotional selective response and reductions in professional responsibilities are the dominant symptoms. Both symptoms are related to the “resistance” phase. This phase is still the only one formed. The “Depletion” phase has not formed, the “Voltage” phase is being formed.
- Experiencing traumatic circumstances, expanding the sphere of saving emotions, psychosomatic and psychovegetative disorders are emerging symptoms of emotional burnout. The rest of the symptoms are not expressed.
Forecast: at this stage of life and professional activity, the emotional burnout of the subject is manifested in relationships with the team and wards (teachers, students, parents, bosses). There is a risk of being alone, ruining relationships with other people, withdrawing into oneself, becoming a “robot” performing written and oral work (filling out paperwork, giving a lecture, checking an assignment, formally completing a work plan drawn up).
Given that the subject is a teacher, his entire professional activity is at risk. The work of a teacher belongs to the “person-to-person” group. There is a constant interaction with people, communication. In such a sphere, complete emotionlessness is unacceptable, as are uncontrollable manifestations of emotions. In addition, the reaction to external negative factors in the form of the exclusion of emotions can pass into personal life, on the family.
Tips for managing burnout symptoms
I will continue to analyze the problem using the example of diagnosing a teacher from our example above, but I want to note that the same recommendations apply to all professions “human-to-human”. The difference is which symptoms have already made themselves felt, and which are at risk. Therefore, the recommendations are always individual in nature, although they have a common essence: self-regulation, normalization of the daily routine, reassessment of life, elimination of the influence of leading negative factors.
- Set long and short term goals for your business. This is important for maintaining motivation, self-education, feedback (awareness of the correct path, self-satisfaction).
- Communicate, share your positive and negative emotions. It is very useful to be able to adequately and calmly discuss all experiences and disagreements. Come to an optimal solution together, listen and understand all sides.
- Take care of your time and prioritization. Try to devote as much time as possible to what brings you positive emotions.
- Learn self-regulation techniques, especially relaxation and attention-shifting techniques.
- Provide yourself with a group of like-minded people who support your point of view and a positive attitude towards work.
- Learn to skillfully use your resources and redistribute the load.
- Avoid the same type of activity, be sure to find a hobby for your liking. Alternate mental and physical activity. Let your body rest and recover.
- Master the skills of conflict-free communication and getting out of conflict situations.
- Build an adequate self-perception and self-awareness. You don’t need to try to be better than everyone else, it is important to be better than yourself.
- Focus on breathing. If you notice a delay, it means that you have entered a dangerous zone for yourself, tactfully get out of contact.
- Work on developing adequate egoism.
- Set aside an hour (or at least 20 minutes) every day for yourself, solely your interests and needs.
- Remind yourself of who you are. This is one of the options for self-hypnosis. Say clearly aloud: “I, full name, and I am a teacher.”
- Awaken in yourself new emotions, do what you have never done (useful and interesting, and not vice versa). For example, practice a couple of dance moves and vary your exercises.
- Finally, take a recovery leave or ask for a reduction in workload.
- If these methods do not help, contact a psychologist for individual psychotherapy.
Phase voltage
In the phase of tension, it is necessary to work with self-acceptance of the personality and non-judgmental perception of other people. This will reduce the stressfulness of close communication and will allow you to understand your own resources, avoid overly emotional involvement in the interaction process (which will allow you to rationally allocate resources in a problem situation). In addition, you need:
- recognize the right to experience positive and negative emotions;
- reduce reflection by rejecting the “I should be the best” attitude;
- develop cognitive abilities (this will open up new opportunities for compensating emotions);
- to work on the temporal integrity of the perception of one’s “I” (past, present, future), moreover, to keep this thread both in real plans and in fantasies;
- do time management;
- learn the techniques of self-regulation.
Resistance phase
The stage of working with internal resources, separating your “I”. This is necessary to maintain self-esteem, improve the skill of self-regulation, a sense of inner support and stability, and gain self-confidence. At the first stage, as a rule, there is a decrease in self-esteem, therefore this element of correction is required. In the same phase, you need to work on creating an internal locus of control.
Exhaustion phase
At this stage, it is necessary to return the lost communication skills and the very need for communication. To do this, you need to find new meanings and motives for communication. But for these purposes, only primary prevention is good (individual measures with an employee, professional diagnostics during selection, changes in working conditions). Secondary prevention is rather supportive in nature and is aimed at changing the psychological climate in the team, group work to change the interaction styles of the participants in the process, and personal growth trainings.
Combustion prevention
Feeling fulfilled is the main method of preventing burnout. As long as a person sincerely worries about what he is doing, performs it with interest and joy, until then he is not threatened with emotional burnout. As soon as the motivation for work becomes formal (salary), and the subject of work is perceived only as a means to an end (“now I will do it quickly to get left behind”), exactly then burnout begins to breathe in the back of the head.
As a rule, this arises from egocentric motives (not always conscious). An example from school will demonstrate this even easier: a student wants to get an A, but he does not care how it happens, because downloading material from the Internet or writing it off becomes the best option. Another student understands that the most valuable thing is the knowledge that he will receive if he himself completes the task. And how it comes out is not so important, because in any case it is an experience that is again invaluable.
The risk of employee burnout is reduced if:
- the work environment is regularly and innovatively transformed;
- employees are trained to overcome conflicts and effective communication;
- employees are trained in self-regulation and work with coping strategies (increasing stress resistance).
It is important to use internal resources rationally and carefully. However, one should not forget about the semantic side of life, as well as the motivation of work.
The most universal option for preventing and overcoming emotional burnout is the development of creativity, thinking, and abilities. The more creative a person is able to think, the more interesting and varied the work, communication with people looks for him. Accordingly, the lower the fatigue and excess from the same type of activity. A person with great creative potential will never be bored. In addition, in his work he will embody his values and ideas, self-develop and assert himself, which serves as an additional method of prevention.
What else can you do to prevent and overcome burnout:
- Develop personal endurance. What it is? This is a daily high activity, developed control over the situation and flexible response to changes.
- Study and develop active rather than passive stress management tactics.
- Develop an internal locus of control, not an external one. That is, to feel like the cause of both success and failure, and not to blame everything on other people or the supreme forces.
What can an organization do to prevent and reduce burnout? It depends on the specific type of activity, but one rule is invariable: working conditions should combine the optimal working environment and stimulate both professional growth of employees and personal self-improvement.
It is important to understand that the more neglected the burnout, the more irreversible the personality changes. Therefore, it is precisely the prevention of professional emotional burnout that occupies a special place.
Emotional burnout is a kind of professional deformation, psychogenic formation, characterized by a complex structure. Therefore, for its prevention and correction, recommendations from the article “Professional personality deformities: what are they, factors, signs and prevention” will also be relevant. Read about the causes of burnout in the work “Professional emotional burnout: causes and factors.”
