The term “burnout” was first introduced in 1974 by American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger to describe the consequences of severe stress and high ideals in human professions (social workers, teachers, nurses, police officers, physicians, etc.). Freudenberger defined burnout as “the extinction of motivation or incentive, especially where one's devotion to a cause or relationship fails to produce the desired results” (1974). In 1989, Byrne and Hall explored the impacts of the three dimensions of burnout (exhaustion, depersonalization/cynicism, and reduced personal accomplishment) on teachers, including university instructors, as well as the work-related stress factors that contribute to burnout. Byrne and Hall found that a combination of personal traits and organizational factors directly contributed to feelings of burnout.
Interestingly, early research showed that while everyone can experience all three dimensions, male instructors were more likely to experience the depersonalization and cynicism dimension of burnout, and female instructors were more likely to experience emotional exhaustion dimension of burnout (as cited in Bryne & Hall, 1989).
Age also played a role with younger instructors experiencing more emotional exhaustion than older colleagues. Subject and type of student taught also played a significant role. Since then, other researchers have shown that self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, and the ability to avoid procrastination are also protective traits that reduce the risk of burnout (Hall, Lee, & Rahimi 2019; Koster & McHenry, 2023), while high self-expectations increased the risk of burnout (Salami, 2010).
Some of the institutional or work-related factors that contributed most to burnout were time constraints (deadlines), number of students, multiplicity of expected roles, pressure for quality instruction, high workload, disruptions of lectures, delays, job insecurity, lack of control, publication demands, and lack of respite (Bryne & Hall, 1989; Salami, 2010, verywellmind, n.d.).
"Here’s a quote I once heard from a priest: If you don’t want to burn out, stop living like you’re on fire.”
- Brene Brown
Common Symptoms of Burnout
Everyone experiences and responds to stress differently, so symptoms of burnout can vary greatly.
- Some common physical symptoms of burnout include: headaches, gastrointestinal problems, high blood pressure, frequent illnesses, sleep issues, fatigue/exhaustion.
- Common cognitive symptoms that may indicate burnout include concentration issues, feeling worthless, loss of interest in activities, procrastination/avoidance behaviours, cynicism, and depressed mood (Mayo Clinic, n.d.; verywellmind, n.d)
Burnout is not considered a diagnosable disorder, so it can be tricky to find effective support. However, burnout is caused by prolonged exposure to chronic stress, and left untreated, burnout can lead to other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and even trauma injuries such as PTSD. It is important to take symptoms seriously and find effective approaches to prevent and/or recover from burnout.
Preventing and Recovering from Burnout
Just as everyone experiences stress differently, all of us recover from stress differently. It is important to find the approach that works best for you.
Preventing and recovering from burnout can be loosely grouped into two categories, 1. optimum pressure and 2. sufficient respite.
- Optimum pressure is related to Yerkes-Dodson Law (1908) that suggests there is an optimum level stress that is manageable, motivational, and performance enhancing. When we experience this optimum state, we are productive, happy, and effective. When we are under-challenged, we often feel listless, unmotivated, or as though everything lacks meaning and purpose. When we are over-challenged, we often feel stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. The quality of our mood and performance both decrease when we move outside of our optimum stress level. (The Healthline website has a nice overview of the Yerkes-Dodson inverted U model, which is still widely in use today. A reprint of the original article is cited below).
- Sufficient respite is related to the body’s physiological need to recover after activation of the threat-response. The body’s threat response is often referred to as the fight-flight-freeze response and is how the body mobilizes to deal with threats in our environment. However, the survival mechanism was designed for short-term use—to run away from the tiger or to fight it. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline can be damaging to our health. That is why the body’s survival mechanism was designed to shut off after the threat is neutralized and allow us to rest, digest, restore, and repair any damage caused by such exertions (verywellmind, n.d.). In today’s world, we are flooded with constant pressures from petty annoyances such as traffic jams, to large scale issues at home or work. This non-stop activation of the survival mechanism puts us at high risk for burnout. Finding time to rest, unwind, and enjoy life is crucial, and can also be challenging in our fast-paced world with deadlines and competing demands. Check-out our newsletter for this month’s Wellness Tip, the 30-second pause, a micro-break that is both effective and easy to fit into your day.
Preventing and recovering from burnout means finding and maintaining both the optimum pressure and sufficient respite for you. This is often easier said than done. It can take deep soul searching and a lot of trial and error to find the right combination, as well as immense personal commitment to uphold them in the face of competing demands.
Dr. Sahar Yousef, cognitive neuroscientist at UC Berkeley, has a wonderful short video (5:49) on the Science of Burnout, as well as some approaches to help you prevent or recover from burnout. Yousef researches brain plasticity, human performance enhancement, and cognitive training. She holds a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from UC Berkely and is a a lecturer at the Haas School of Business. Yousef also founded Productivity House, a high-performance club where ambitious professionals are assessed and trained by experts to optimize their workday, focus, prioritize, and get more done in less time and with less stress.
You may also find The End of Burnout: Why work drains us and how to build better lives (University of California Press) by Jonathan Malesic helpful. Malesic's work has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Chronicle of Higher Education, America, Commonweal, Notre Dame Magazine, The Guardian, The Hedgehog Review, and elsewhere.The End of Burnout was selected as the best book off 2022 by Amazon and the Next Big Idea Club, and is being translated into nine languages. He holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from the University of Virginia and teaches writing at Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Dallas.
See our the featured resources section of our newsletter for more resources on preventing and recovering from burnout.
Citations:
Byrne, Barbara M; Hall, Lisa M. (1989) An Investigation of Factors Contributing to Teacher Burnout: The Elementary, Intermediate, Secondary, and Postsecondary School Environments. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (San Francisco, CA, March 27-31, 1989).
Hall NC, Lee SY, Rahimi S (2019) Self-efficacy, procrastination, and burnout in post-secondary faculty: An international longitudinal analysis. PLoS ONE 14(12): e0226716. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226716
Koster M, McHenry K. Areas of work-life that contribute to burnout among higher education health science faculty and perception of institutional support. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023 Dec;18(1):2235129. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2235129. PMID: 37463330; PMCID: PMC10355682.
Mayo Clinic (n.d.) Job burnout: how to spot it and take action. (website)
Salami, S. O. (2011). Job stress and burnout among lecturers: Personality and social support as moderators. Asian Social Science, 7(5), 110.
Verywellmind (n.d.) Website. How to Recognize Burnout Symptoms
Yerkes, R.M., & Dodson, J.D. (1908). The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18, 459-482.