Do you recognize burnout in your colleague? In this blog I would like to explain to you how you, too, can recognize the signs of burnout in time. You also want to get the right help in time, don’t you?

‘Everyone saw it coming afterwards and no one is surprised that it suddenly didn’t work out’. This is what we hear from many people we counsel. But do you recognize early burnout in your colleague? And do you know what to look out for?

Part 2 of our series on burnout, deals with the signs of (impending) burnout and how to measure it.

Recognize the signs

Much has been written about burnout. We have listed the main symptoms that people experience themselves:

Sleeping poorly and waking up very early.
Quickly fatigued even after minimal exertion.
Feeling of being rushed, alternating with the feeling of lethargy.
Mood swings.
Not feeling like work.
Physical complaints, such as pain, flu, dizziness, tension headaches.
Lots of fretting.
More eating, drinking, impulsive behavior.
Skin problems or prone to inflammation.
Feeling that things pass you by, even though you hear and see them.
Difficulty concentrating, forgetful and making many mistakes.

What is noticeable in the other person?

At work, it is often noticeable that a colleague :

Looking tired for a long time.
No longer getting the work done.
Making more and more sloppy mistakes.
Appointments are not kept and when you say something about this, there is a short response.
Emotional behavior and quick short fuse.
Just becoming increasingly quiet.

Get advice

Wat is het niet?

 Depressive symptoms are common in people in burnout; in fact, they are an essential part of the clinical picture. So the symptoms of burnout and depression may be similar, but there is something essentially different underlying them. There is a different syndrome.

Another misconception is that it is caused by an excessive workload. This is not just the case. It has to do with the fact that you are experiencing more stress than you can handle. You become increasingly tired, you don’t rest enough and you don’t refuel enough. The balance is lost between what you have to do at work (tasks) and what you get in return (support, autonomy, feedback). Depressive symptoms are common in people in burnout; in fact, they are an essential part of the clinical picture. So the symptoms of burnout and depression may be similar, but there is something essentially different underlying them. There is a different syndrome.

Another misconception is that it is caused by an excessive workload. This is not just the case. It has to do with the fact that you are experiencing more stress than you can handle. You become increasingly tired, you don’t rest enough and you don’t refuel enough. The balance is lost between what you have to do at work (tasks) and what you get in return (support, autonomy, feedback).

Measuring = knowing

There are several ways to measure whether burnout is present. The most direct way is to ask questions in the form of an interview. An advantage is that the interviewee can tell in his or her own words what is bothering him or her. In addition, there are several questionnaires that can provide insight, such as the Utrecht Burnout Scale (UBOS) , the Burnout Measure (BM) or the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Ample choice. Most importantly, the questionnaires are deployed through a professional. Not so much administering, but interpreting test results should be done thoroughly and carefully. This is how to avoid misconceptions.