
The Four Stages of Burnout - PieSquared
http://www.stressdoc.com/four_stages_burnbout.htm
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buugs
I've seen quite a good number of people who worked hard in middle and high
school because of their parents burnout in their first or second semester of
college. It's kinda sad when it happens to smart people who were just pushed
too hard for too long.

It's usually just the first stage that gets them.

~~~
DTrejo
Do you think relaxing during senior year has an effect on burnout during the
first semester of college?

~~~
robryan
It can also work the other way though, relaxing during senior year could put
you in the wrong frame of mind entering college and result it you not putting
the effort in there either.

------
quantumhobbit
Also known as graduate school.

------
huherto
ok, recognizing burndown doesn't seem to be a problem. But what about
overcoming it?

I have come through this process several times in my life. Still I do not know
how I have been able to recover....and here I am again...

------
hardik
Slightly offtopic comment.. because I can't see the link, its been blocked by
my company! They don't want us to know what stage of burnout we are at!! :)

~~~
evilneanderthal
on slashdot this is called karma whoring:

The Four Stages of Burnout

Years ago, a magicaI moment whirled me in a mystical web. I was consumed by
the path of "academic flashdancing." I succumbed to the "burnout tango." Now
let me not just walk the talk, but deromance the dance: "Burnout is the
gradual process by which a person, in response to prolonged stress and
physical, mental and emotional strain, detaches from work and other meaningful
relationships. The result is lowered productivity, cynicism, confusion...a
feeling of being drained, having nothing more to give." Whether at work or
school (or even in a marriage), to prevent it you must get it. To provide a
framework both for understanding and, hopefully, inoculating against future
burnout, let's begin with "The Stress Doc's Vital Lesson of the Four 'R's":

If no matter what you say or what you do, Results, Rewards, Recognition and
Relief are not forthcoming, and you can't mean "no" or won't let go...trouble
awaits. The groundwork is being laid for apathy, callousness and despair.

Have I captured your attention? Let's examine some of the progressive signs of
being caught up in this erosive spiral. Here are "The Four Stages of Burnout":

1\. Physical, Mental and Emotional Exhaustion. Maybe you are still holding it
together at work (or school). Still, can you relate to this sequence? As soon
as you get home, you head for the fridge, get out the Haagen-Dazs or Ben and
Jerry's, turn on the tube, collapse on the sofa and you're comatose for the
rest of the evening? Doing more with less, having plenty of responsibility but
not enough authority, or juggling an unmanageable schedule is taking a toll.
(For those grappling with all three stressors...automatically proceed to stage
two, if not three.)

Normally, you pride yourself on doing a thorough job, a high quality
performance. Now you are looking for shortcuts, if not cutting corners. And
this gnaws at your self-esteem. There may even be pangs of guilt. A case of
the "brain strain" is developing, accompanied by an energy shortage and
feelings of exhaustion. If stress levels continue unabated, you may be ripe
for the second stage.

2\. Shame and Doubt. Perhaps this scenario is familiar. A supervisor (or
professor) asks you to take on a new assignment. You want to...but this voice
inside silently screams, "Who are you kidding!" So what's happening? You're
not feeling confident about the future; and you're feeling pretty lousy in the
present. Not surprisingly, you may even start discounting your past
accomplishments. Beware...This is not a logical process; it's a psychological
one. Now you wonder if colleagues, friends or family members will detect that
something is wrong. While projecting a competent image has been the norm, now
this voice inside is relentlessly shouting, "Impostor!" "Impostor."

And then you catch yourself emitting heavy, labored sighs. (When do people
often engage in deep, labored breathing or sighing? Other than when calling
those 1-900 numbers. When experiencing a deep sense of loss and change
perceived as uncontrollable.) Is chronically grappling with a profound sense
of vulnerability or uncertainty anyone's favorite state? Certainly not mine.
No surprise then that some folks will "progress" to the third phase: "Cynicism
and Callousness."

Are you starting to feel I've been looking in your window? Or, as a reader
recently emailed: "Have you been a fly on the wall in my house?" Let's not be
premature. We still have two more stages to go. And next, we'll check out your
"tude."

3\. Cynicism and Callousness. In response to that prolonged feeling of
insecurity or vulnerability, some folks feel there's only one thing left to
do: put on the heavy armor. They develop an ATTITUDE: "Look out for # 1."
"Cover your derriere." "No one's getting to me." And, in the short run, the
strategy often works. You become sufficiently abrasive or obnoxious, people
start avoiding you. But this hard exterior can eventually become a burdensome,
self-defeating strategy.

Here's an example. Years ago, I was leading a workshop at a construction
industry conference. There was a guy, I'll call him Joe, who was head of a
large plumber's union. Now Joe was basically a down to earth, nice guy...who
found himself becoming increasingly bitter, with that hard attitude. And it
was scaring him! Now granted, Joe was in a position that pulled him in all
directions - compelling demands, favors, complaints, bribes! Still, what do
you think was Joe's biggest stress trap? That's right, this "good Joe" was
such a "nice guy." What can't nice guys and nice gals do? They can't say
"no!." Nor are they confident establishing their boundaries. They have
difficulty with authority - being one or interacting with one. These nice
folks tend to avoid conflict; they don't want to hurt others' feelings. They
are not comfortable with anger, or don't know how to express their frustration
or displeasure in a focused manner. Their personal mantras are being "fair"
and "accommodation" (while feeling deep rejection when other's aren't fair or
accommodating).

These accommodators, despite having a full workload plate, when asked to take
on new work will just smush their peas and bread into the mashed potatoes and
allow others to pile on more stuff. Hey, being a team player doesn't mean you
have to sacrifice your integrity or health. There's an option: "Sure I'll help
you with this new demand and deadline. But for me to give the assignment the
attention it deserves, we'll have to renegotiate my priority list and
timelines." (I'm not saying there aren't extra-ordinary and emergency
situations. But there is a difference between urgent and important. When
everything is urgent, nothing is important!) Setting realistic limits is not a
negative reflection on your work ethic or your ability to to go the extra
mile. Without boundaries, that mile often morphs into a marathon. Remember,
someone once said: "Burnout is less a sign of failure and more that you gave
yourself away."

Joe was really worried. He thought he was going through a split personality
process - going from Dr. Jekyl into Hiding. I had to reassure him that there
wasn't any genetic transformation occurring. Without realizing it, he had been
sucked up by the progressive burnout whirlpool.

And there's another reason for paying attention to this process. Burnout
doesn't just facilitate a hardening of the psyche. When your stress starts to
smolder into frustration and anger; then turns to suspicion and mistrust as
you enclose yourself in embattled armor or a crusty shell...This is not just
how you harden an attitude, but it's a formula for hardening the arteries, as
well. Cardiovascular complications, high blood pressure, even premature heart
attacks can ensue. Which is why, usually, I'd rather people hit the fourth
stage of burnout, than linger in the third. Of course, "Failure, Helplessness
and Crisis" sounds terrible. But consider this: "hitting bottom means there's
no more downward spiral." And, if you can reach out, there's no where to go
but up. Hold on. One more lap to go.

4\. Failure, Helplessness and Crisis. Being caught in a familiar "Catch-22"
often signals the final phase: "Damned if you do, damned if you don't."
"Damned if you stay, damned if you leave." Your coping structure seems to be
coming unglued. Next stop...the psychiatric ward! Probably not, however, the
crisis smoke signals are billowing big time. Why is that? Burnout is like
trying to race a marathon - full speed, nonstop. Can anyone race 26 miles full
speed, nonstop? Of course not. Even Olympic marathon runners must pace
themselves. If not, the body parts will break down. And with burnout, over
time, the mental apparatus also wears out.

In fact, one reason the fourth stage is so disorienting is that a person's
psychological defenses have worn down. Cracks start appearing in the defensive
armor. Painful memories and old hurts normally contained by your emotional
defenses are leaking through the cracks. A slight or an emotional bump can set
off an overly sensitive and personal reaction. Now a mate's occasional,
somewhat annoying behavior really irritates as it reminds you of a mannerism
of your father. Or, jealousy towards a colleague reeks of sibling rivalry.

Double-Edged

Hey, before throwing up your hands, remember...burnout is not for wimps. A lot
of other folks would have jumped ship much earlier. Many of you reach the
farther stages of burnout because of your tenacity and dedication. You have a
strong sense of responsibility and don't like being deterred from reaching
your goals. All noble qualities...unless compelled by rigid perfectionism and
"there's only one right way" thinking. Then, pursuing your goals takes a back
seat to proving others wrong and overcoming humiliation. You are chasing
(maybe, also, being chased by) ego-driven egoals. Especially in times of
overload, uncertainty and major change, "driven and rigid responsibility" can
quickly transform a performance benefit into a personal and professional
liability.

Also, these folks are usually not just responsible, they often are quite
responsive to others. People lean on them for support. Are you a pillar of
strength for those around you? If so, will those dependent upon you be quick
to notice when you are feeling shaky? That you may need a shoulder? Often not,
as their sense of security is contingent on your always being strong and
available. Are you buying into this "superperson" role or hiding behind a
heroic mask? Maybe you always had to help mom with (sometimes raise) the other
kids. Or you're the emotional sponge in the office, frequently absorbing your
colleagues' complaints. Can you hear that screeching, scratching sound? That's
the stress knot twisting and turning tighter and tighter about your neck.

On the Edge

No wonder people start jumping out of jobs or school, out of relationships,
sometimes just jumping. And for those not into jumping, you may be into
swinging by the fourth stage. Mood swinging, that is, between short highs
and/or prolonged depressive lows. Okay, the existential question: Is it Miller
Time or Prozac Time? From my perspective, it's way too late for the former
(though, clearly, many people disagree with me) and a decision on the latter
requires expert opinion. But that's exactly the key for transforming a danger
into an opportunity. Fourth stage burnout is the crisis point, it's crunch
time. Are you ready to step up to the plate and reach out for the help and
resources you need? A person recovers and expands his or her strengths and
possibilities through a crisis when:

1) getting proper and sufficient support; someone trained in crisis
intervention and loss,

2) confronting denial, false hopes, cynicism or helplessness,

3) grieving past and present losses while turning guilt, hurt, anxiety and
aggression into focused energy and

4) acquiring and applying skills and technology for turning new problem-
solving options into productive attitudes and actions.

My poetic anthem to burnout and beyond:

For the phoenix to rise from the ashes One must know the pain To transform the
fire to burning desire.

Four Stages of Burnout. Four Steps For Recovery and Rejuvenation. Any readers
care to share how you turned a burnout situation into a transformational
experience? Can you say, "Creative Burnout"?

And will you Practice Safe Stress?

Mark Gorkin, "The Stress Doc," Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a
nationally recognized speaker, workshop leader and author on stress,
reorganizational change, anger, team building, creativity and humor. He is
also the internet's and the nation's leading "Psychohumorist." The Stress Doc
is a columnist for the popular cyber-newsletter, Humor From The Edge -- HUMOR
FROM THE EDGE HOME PAGE . Mark is also the "Online Psychohumorist" for the
major AOL mental health resource network, Online Psych -- ONLINE PSYCH: THE
STRESS DOC and Financial Services Journal Online -- . And he is an offline
writer for two mental health/substance abuse publications -- Treatment Today
and Paradigm Magazine. His motto: Have Stress? Will Travel: A Smart Mouth for
Hire! Reach "The Doc" at (202) 232-8662, email: Stress Doc@aol.com. The Stress
Doc's website was selected as a USA Today Online "Hot Site" and designated a
four-star, top- rated site by Mental Health Net.

