Are You Close To Burnout?

Sleepdeprived, skipping meals and feeling overwhelmed by life? Here’s how to end the cycle and get your life back on track

- Bonnie Vaughan

Burnout is a malady that’s usually associated with high-flying professionals, caregivers and athletes. Unfortunately, being bust seems to have become a national pastime across the board these days for most people, as they try to juggle work, family and parenting duties.

A 2016 survey by Roffey Park found that over half of Singapore workers (52 per cent) say their stress level has gone up over the last six months. It also found that we spend more hours at work relative to our peers in Hong Kong and China; 27 per cent of Singaporeans work more than 50 hours a week, while 16 per cent work more than 60 hours.

Between longer working hours and 24/7 connectivity to the office, kids and extended family, downtime has become a concept many of us can only dream of. “The issue today is that the demands don’t turn off when the sun goes down and it is time to relax,” says clinical psychologist Dr Peta Stapleton. “Our nervous system is firing up all the time.” And if you keep pushing too hard, you may be heading for a serious crash and burn.

What is burnout exactly?

Burnout is defined as physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress, which can manifest in symptoms that look a lot like depression: You lose your motivation, your productivity dips and you’re overcome by feelings of cynicism and hopelessness. Red flags include feeling exhausted, irritable and constantly distracted; crying for no reason; feeling helpless; and distancing yourself from friends and family because you’re too busy.