The English word “burnout” is a term that goes beyond mere exhaustion or being exhausted, since it also implies an attitude towards work without courage. Therefore, we could translate it as “being burned, consumed or tired.”

Burnout syndrome (or “burn syndrome”) is a very common condition among professionals and is related to highly competitive work environments and long working hours. This psychological disorder generates a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion that has consequences on self-esteem, through a gradual process, in which people lose interest in their tasks or the sense of responsibility.

Burnout syndrome was described for the first time in 1969 when it proved the strange behavior of some police officers of that time. In 1974 Freudenberger made the syndrome more popular, and later, in 1986, the American psychologists C. Maslach and S. Jackson defined it as “a syndrome of emotional fatigue, depersonalization, and a lower personal fulfillment that occurs in those individuals who work in contact with customers and users ”.

According to a recent study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mexicans work 500 hours more than average among member countries, which include nations such as: United States, Spain, France, Germany, Chile and Canada.

In addition, Mexico is one of the countries with less vacations per year. According to a survey conducted by OCCMundial, 67% of Mexican professionals work more than 8 hours a day and 43% of them only have 6 days off each year. With this background, it is understandable to find more and more people experiencing chronic stress, demotivation and poor work performance.

The main manifestations of Burnout syndrome are:

-Exhaustion. Feeling exhausted all the time is the first warning sign; physical and mental fatigue is experienced.

-Lack of concentration. When suffering from chronic stress it is common for our cognitive abilities to be affected; Poor concentration, difficulty making decisions, or recurrent forgetfulness are common symptoms.

-Health problems. Suffering from work exhaustion triggers a series of physical health problems such as trouble sleeping, digestive disorders and low defenses.

-Lack of motivation. Is it difficult for you to get up every day to go to the office? Lack of enthusiasm is a characteristic symptom of burnout.

-Irritability. Burnout can lead to various negative behaviors, such as irritability, frustration, negativity, cynicism, and frequent mood swings.

-Low productivity. Do you remember how you performed your first months in the company? Compare them to your current performance, is there a major difference? When Burnout is suffered, it is common for the quality of our work to be poor.

-Scarce social life. When people live to work, it is common for them to spend less and less time on their social life and on themselves.

Burnout syndrome is characterized by being a process that grows progressively if measures are not taken to prevent it. This can cause burnout to evolve and reach other aspects such as ideals and the perception of achievements. As it progresses, frustration will begin to be present constantly and may evolve into more serious states. If you have more than one of these symptoms, we recommend that you reduce your levels of work stress and go to a specialist.

References:
http://www.dmedicina.com/enfermedades/psiquiatricas/sindrome-de-burnout.html
http://blog.occeducacion.com/blog/bid/297783/7-se%C3%B1ales-de-que-sufres-el-sindrome-Burnout-en-el-trabajo#.WJn4gWThCM4
https://psicologiaymente.net/organizaciones/burnout-sindrome-del-quemado#!