Note: This article is from blogger Michael Hunter, who talks about how burnout changes the brain.
For most of us, unproductive meetings make us feel stressed and overwhelmed and can affect productivity as well. One survey reported that 83% of meetings that people held at work were unproductive, and experts in the United States rated meetings as the main killer of productivity in the workplace.
Today I want to look beyond unproductive meetings. Let's look at burnout and include a new study that shows how it affects your brain.
Do you suffer from work burnout?
To determine if you are, ask yourself these questions:
- Have you become a pessimist in the workplace?
- Are you afraid to go to work and face challenges?
- Are you impatient or irritable?
- Are you unproductive because you lack energy?
- Is it hard for you to concentrate?
- Are the achievements unsatisfactory for you?
- Are you frustrated with your work?
- Do you use other methods, such as sedatives or food, to feel better?
- Do you have negative changes in your sleep?
- Do you have physical illnesses such as stomach problems or headaches?
Have you answered “yes” to any of these questions? If so, you may be experiencing job burnout. Please try talking to a health care provider or mental health professional, as these symptoms can also be related to health conditions such as depression.
Stress can affect your brain
Chronic stress can contribute to physical and psychological problems, but can our brains be structurally altered by this? Recently, researchers have provided insight into what happens to the brain when it undergoes stress, and U.T. Health San Antonio researchers have discovered that memory loss and contraction occur before stress symptoms appear.
The study’s author, Sudha Seshadri, a PhD in medicine, explains that the gray brain matter can thin in the prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain helps us to behave appropriately, gives us insight into ourselves and others, allows us to make complex decisions, and gives us the ability to think logically and abstractly.
These structural changes can affect our ability to pay attention, keep memories, make learning new things more difficult, and increase the chances of making mistakes.
Burnout and the stress associated with it can amplify the amygdala, the part responsible for the “hit or run” response when faced with danger. That part of our brain can generate feelings like fear, and it is likely that as it increases in size, it will make us see the world as harmful even when it is not.
Studies on mice show that we may be able to invalidate changes in the brain. In addition, a 2018 study of some people showed that it is possible to reduce the size of the amygdala and return changes in the prefrontal cortex to pre-stress levels.
Negative brain changes must be prevented in the first place. The control center - the feeling that we are in control - can prevent negative changes in the brain.
Action Plan to Overcome Burnout
Let's take a look at some ways you can fight burnout. First, discuss your concerns with your supervisor; maybe change your expectations or redefine your goals.
Exercise is an important element in avoiding burnout. I am also trying to integrate stress-relief methods such as meditation and yoga. We must mention sleep as well, because it can be an essential element to protecting your health, reaching out to those around you, and getting support from co-workers, friends, or a family member.
Although I did not experience burnout issues, I am happy that my workplace has an employee assistance program.
In conclusion
Do not let hard work undermine your mental and physical health. If you feel you need help, please try to get it, whether it's from an employee assistance program, a therapist, a psychologist, or your primary care physician.
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