When Workplace Stress Becomes Burnout
To understand the consequences of long-term stress and its manifestation as burnout, we spoke to Dr Chandni Tugnait, Psychotherapist, Founder and Director, Gateway of Healing. She explained everything in detail.Stress Has A Source, Burnout Doesn’t
Workplace stress is usually tied to something specific, like a big deadline, a difficult conversation, a demanding phase. It eases when that thing passes. According to a study published in the journal ‘Scientific Reports’, burnout happens when stress becomes chronic and recovery stops occurring altogether. It’s what accumulates when the pressure never lets up long enough for the nervous system to reset.Exhaustion, That Sleep Doesn’t Fix
With stress, rest helps, but with burnout, you can sleep for eight hours and wake up feeling exactly as depleted as when you went to bed. That kind of fatigue doesn’t go away with a good night’s sleep or even a few days off, and that’s usually the first sign that something has moved beyond ordinary tiredness into something that needs more attention.You Aren’t Mentally Involved In Work
- You start being indifferent about everything instead of just being tired after a hard work week.
- Work that used to feel like it meant something starts feeling empty.
- You show up, you do the tasks, but there’s nothing behind it anymore.
Small Things Start Feeling Heavy
Physical Symptoms of Burnout Get Overlooked
Burnout doesn’t stay in the mind, but also moves into the body fairly quickly. Persistent headaches, recurring illness, digestive problems, jaw tension, and a general physical heaviness that doesn’t have an obvious medical cause are all ways the body communicates what the mind has been experiencing.Weekends Stop Feeling Like Recovery
A useful way to gauge where you are is to notice how you feel by Sunday evening. Stress typically eases over a proper weekend, but burnout doesn’t.How To Distinguish Between Stress and Burnout
“The distinction between brain fog, burnout, and stress is that rest helps stress, but burnout requires something more fundamental,” shares Dr Tugnait. “A genuine look at workload, boundaries, and the beliefs a person holds about their own worth being tied to how productive they are. A holiday might offer temporary relief, but returning to the same conditions means returning to the same outcome,” she adds.FAQ
-
What is often mistaken for burnout?
Some people mistake low energy, fatigue, and poor focus for burnout. It is important to understand the fine line and seek necessary professional help. -
How long does burnout typically last?
Burnout may last from several weeks to years. This depends on the condition, and healing time also depends on various factors.
The articles, news features, interviews, quotes, and media content displayed on this page are the property of their respective publishers and media houses. All such materials have been sourced from publicly available online platforms where our name, views, or contributions have been referenced, quoted, or featured.
Gateway of Healing / Dr. Chandni Tugnait / Others (as applicable) does not claim ownership over any external media content reproduced or linked here. The purpose of displaying these articles is solely for informational use, record-keeping, and to acknowledge media mentions related to our work.
Full credit for authorship, editorial content, and intellectual property rights belongs to the original publishers, journalists, and media organizations.
If any publisher or rights holder wishes to request modification, updated attribution, or removal of any content featured on this website, they may contact us at info@gatewayofhealing.com, and we will take appropriate action promptly.
Read the Article on Author's webpage - CLICK HERE
