Are you sick and tired of your eight-to-five job or is your eight-to-five job making you sick and tired? If you answered yes to either one of those questions, then you are not alone. According to Mohamed et al. (2021), academicians in Malaysia experience greater levels of burnout and psychological distress when compared to non-academicians. This all ultimately leads to a higher psychological distress among them which significantly affect their job satisfaction.
We now know how prevalent burnout in Malaysia is, but what exactly is burnout? What does it mean and what constitutes as burnout? Burnout can be defined as the inability to cope with the emotional stress at the workplace. Consequently, burnout leads to a vicious cycle of depersonalization, decreased personal accomplishment and an increasing level of emotional exhaustion. It is inevitable that burnout may happen in any occupation, however the prevalence of burnout among university personnel has significantly increased whereby the work-related expectations and negative coping mechanisms play a role along with low job satisfaction.
What can we do about it? First thing’s first, it is vital to notice the signs. Sometimes it is really easy to ignore the signs especially in our culture where we’re taught to work hard, arrive early in the morning and go home late every day. But this culture needs to be addressed and realized that it is in fact a toxic work culture.
Which brings us to our next step, be mindful and prioritize self-care. Being mindful in every task done is key to a greater job satisfaction as it allows us to assess every situation carefully which consequently allows us to prioritize ourselves. Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be as simple as lighting a candle. It is important to make some time for self-care in our daily activities. Some days require more self-care than others, but only you know what is best for your body.
Burnout can sometimes feel overwhelming. But that overwhelming feeling in itself is a signal to our body to take it slow and address the signs. By understanding the signs and causes of burnout, one can recover and build an outline for prevention future possible burnouts. These experiences are vital to serve as a turning point into a more sustainable, happier, and healthier career.
References:
Mohamed, S., Nikmat, A., Hashim, N. A., Shuib, N., & Raduan, N. J. N. (2021). Burnout and Its Relationship to Psychological Distress and Job Satisfaction among Academicians and Non-Academicians in Malaysia. International Journal of Higher Education, 10(1), 85-92.
Plata. T., (2022, April 14). Work burnout signs: What to look for and what to do about it. Retrieved October 27, 2022, from https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/work-burnout-signs-symptoms/