The COVID-19 pandemic has led to huge changes in people鈥檚 working situations in the past 15 months 鈥� whether it鈥檚 the impact of increased workload, remote working, high-pressure situations or the uncertainty about when things will go back to normal.

And 鈥榖urnout鈥� is becoming an increasingly used word to describe how people are responding to the consequences of the pandemic on their working lives.

Last week dating app Bumble announced its employees would be given a paid week off work to help combat burnout. Other companies have announced similar measures.

But what is burnout? And why is burnout a problem right now?

What is burnout?

Our member Michelle Seabrook, a Leicester-based therapist, says burnout is 鈥渁 reaction to prolonged work-related stress鈥�.

鈥淧redominantly we鈥檙e all a bit exhausted. We鈥檙e all feeling it.

鈥淭he COVID-19 pandemic has been the ideal cocktail for elevating our stress. It鈥檚 been such a unique work situation and that鈥檚 pushed people鈥檚 ability to cope to a whole different level.

鈥淭heir usual levels of day-to-day stress may be tricky at points, but COVID has elevated all of that.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know when this stress is going to end, so everyone has to keep going.鈥�

Michelle adds that we can often cope with stress if we know it鈥檚 only for a limited period.

But that鈥檚 not been the case with COVID.

Plus, a lot of the things that help us balance out our work-related stress have been missing 鈥� such as socialising, being able to go the gym, having some 鈥榙own-time鈥� with friends.

That may have changed in recent months 鈥� but the 鈥榚nd point鈥� is still very uncertain.

Michelle鈥檚 also keen to point out burnout can also cover people鈥檚 roles that aren鈥檛 traditionally thought of as work.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 evolved. It really needs to be an inclusive term that could involve home-makers, caring roles, not just those in paid roles. Students at university: it鈥檚 their job to be at university, they can have burnout too.鈥�

What are the signs of burnout?

鈥淚t鈥檚 usually about a feeling of exhaustion, feeling quite detached and feeling like you can鈥檛 perform at what your normal level of performance is,鈥� says Michelle, who often works with businesses and organisations who are looking to address staff wellbeing and mental health.

鈥淵ou can often feel quite disengaged from your work and you can feel like your resilience has been impacted.

鈥淭here are often symptoms such as feeling disconnected with our normal lives, lack of motivation, or not feeling like we鈥檝e accomplished anything or behaving in a way that鈥檚 out of kilter with our normal way of being.鈥�

Feeling overwhelmed, negative, helpless or trapped and lack of concentration or brain fog are other common signs.

Michelle points out there can be physical indicators 鈥� such as tiredness, change of appetite, headaches or digestive problems.

鈥淭here鈥檚 often these physical clues. They tend to be the ones that I think get missed quite a bit. But they鈥檙e often the early warning system, that tells us something isn鈥檛 right.鈥�

What can people do about burnout?

鈥淭here are things people can do as individuals themselves, but I also think we have to be very careful about saying burnout is an individual problem,鈥� says Michelle.

鈥淧articularly if it鈥檚 related to a more traditional workplace, burnout is often related to the culture of the organisation. There are bigger changes that need addressing.鈥�

As an individual, Michelle recommends you keep track of how you鈥檙e feeling every day 鈥� whether that鈥檚 in a journal or the notes section of your phone.

This could be giving yourself marks of 10 for how you鈥檙e feeling, noting physical symptoms or how worn out you are.

This can give you a good sense of how you are over a longer period of time.

She also recommends sharing this with someone who can hold you accountable to doing something about it.

How counselling can help

鈥淐ounselling or psychotherapy can be a brilliant way to get that space to join those dots up.

"I find that a lot when I鈥檓 supporting people who may be experiencing workplace stress.

"They鈥檝e not always been able to join the dots up and realise they may be burnt out.

鈥淲hile the individual, can keep tabs on things, it probably does need that outside view.鈥�

The role of the workplace

There鈥檚 a very important role for workplaces to address burnout too, says Michelle.

鈥淚t has to be much more than a tick-box exercise. It鈥檚 about day-to-day conversations and actions and getting professionals in who can help with that as well.

鈥淏urnout shouldn鈥檛 just be a flavour of the month topic, or a buzzword.

鈥淔or employers, it鈥檚 about having that mental health and wellbeing provision and embedding it in to the fabric of their workplace.鈥�

Find a counsellor or psychotherapist who can help you by searching on our Therapist Directory.