Stress and Burnout: Understanding the Limit of Exhaustion

In today's unprecedentedly fast pace of life, we often feel stretched to the limit and completely exhausted. Do you realize that these sensations are the result of temporary stress, or have already turned into burnout —, a condition that occurs after a long, unresolved psycho-emotional overload?

Stress — this is an inevitable part of life, a natural reaction of our body to any demands or threats. When faced with a deadline at work, an important exam or other challenge, stress mobilizes your inner resources: your heartbeat increases, your attention increases, your thinking becomes faster. This adaptive mechanism helps us focus, overcome difficulties and cope with tasks. Short-term stress is sometimes beneficial because it increases our productivity and alertness.

If the stress becomes constant and there is no room for recovery, it begins to exhaust. Symptoms are usually anxiety, sleep disturbances, physical manifestations (such as headache or stomach problems). A person under stress mostly still feels able to cope with his or her responsibilities, albeit at the cost of considerable effort.

Burnout — this is not just severe stress, it is its consequence after long-term exposure, especially in conditions where a person feels minimal control over the situation. Burnout applies not only to the working environment, but also to any other areas of life.

The main causes of burnout are unmanageable workloads, the feeling that your efforts are not valued, or the discrepancy between your personal values and what you do.

Stress — this is the body's immediate response to an energy-mobilizing challenge. It can be compared to a battery that runs at full power and discharges. Despite the discomfort, the person still feels connected to their tasks and actively trying to cope with them.

Burnout is instead a consequence of chronic stress. This is a condition where the battery is completely discharged and it seems impossible to charge it. It's a sense of deep emptiness, emotional devastation and lack of motivation. A person loses all interest. This differs from physical symptoms of stress in that burnout has a deeper effect on the psycho-emotional state, causes a feeling of hopelessness, a pessimistic view of life.

With stress, and with burnout, a person may experience headache, muscle tension, stomach problems. Weakening of immunity and, as a result, frequent colds. Irritability, increased anxiety and periods of depression are present. Emotional instability — is a universal response to overload.

Also, both conditions are characterized by sleep disturbances. Your nervous system remains on «alert mode, preventing you from fully resting. Stress and burnout often lead to changes in appetite (overeating or loss of appetite), avoidance of social activity, and abuse of stimulants (coffee) or depressants (alcohol) as attempts to manage discomfort. Cognitive problems often occur: it is difficult to focus, make decisions and maintain attention. The brain works at the limit, but its efficiency decreases, which leads to the so-called «mental commotion» or «fog in the head».

The main difference is the depth of emotional exhaustion. Under stress, you may feel tired, but usually still have the strength «to gather» and continue. When burned out, it's a deep, constant feeling of desolation, as if you no longer have any resources, an apathetic indifference to everything that used to evoke emotions.

Another key difference is alienation and cynicism. When stressed, you can be irritable, but keep in touch with people and your activities. Burnout, on the other hand, leads to a loss of interest in work, study, hobbies and even loved ones. Cynicism and the feeling that «still makes no sense» appear. Also, under stress, you may feel that you are not coping, but you remain faithful to your abilities. When burned out, it turns into a deep disappointment in one's own achievements.

The general outlook also differs. When stressed, you may be concerned, but maintain an optimistic or neutral view of the future. Burnout is accompanied by persistent pessimism and the belief in powerlessness to change the current situation.

Take regular breaks. Enable short but regular pauses in your schedule. It can be a short walk, meditation, a cup of tea in silence.

Implement physical activity. Make sports a part of your daily life. Exercise releases endorphins that improve mood.

Try to eat a balanced diet. Pay attention to your diet. A varied, nutritious meal will provide the body with the energy and resources it needs to deal with stress. Include lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein.

Set boundaries. Learn to know your limits and voice them clearly. This means giving up additional tasks at work or setting specific hours when you are not answering work calls or emails.