With the increase in burnout awareness, employers are trying their best to prevent their workers from falling into this path. But what happens when it is too late?

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How can a person find themselves again after burning out?

Life after the covid-19 restrictions has been a constant attempt to reconnect with routines and customs we had before the world closed. Still, the mental consequences that people are facing should not be ignored, as the accumulated stress is causing generalized burnout. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) 2021’s research, 79% of the surveyed people had experienced work-related stress during the last month.

Enterprises are trying to prevent this by giving mental health days, encouraging people to take needed breaks, or opening the possibility to choose between the office and remote work. But there is not enough information on how to act when burnout has already happened. The symptoms vary between people, but the World Health Organization describes it as cynicism, negativism towards the work, mental distance from the tasks, and feelings of deflection. All of these inevitably cause a reduction in productivity and leave permanent effects on mental health. That is why there’s a need to not ignore burnout but to face the situation to get back on track.

First of all, it is important to remark that burnout should not be treated as laziness or uninterest. When people do not meet previously established expectations, they can be treated as unprofessional. But in the end, as with all illnesses, the symptoms cannot be easily controlled without proper care. The first step is to accept there is a problem. But because of all the stigma around mental health, people are not willing to ask for help. The public conversation on the importance of identifying burnout is necessary. It is one of the biggest consequences of the pandemic and should be treated as such.

In fact, one of the best recovery strategies is seeking out connections. According to the Harvard Business Review, seeking interpersonal interactions is key to getting better. Sharing what you are going through with people helps to vent and find creative solutions. Furthermore, it can be useful to identify that other individuals are having the same struggle and look out for the strategies that are working for them. With mentors and coaches, there is a big chance to regain old motivation, remembering the passions that used to motivate you to keep forward. Furthermore, discussions with bosses and managers can help to create work-life balance, agreeing with reasonable goals that allow people to not burn themselves even worse, but also keep a good amount of productivity for the company.

Other important strategies include taking breaks during the day to allow the brain to rest, finding interesting hobbies outside of work to increase life balance, going on long walks to disperse the mind, and absorbing daylight and fresh air. The treatment for burnout is essentially about refinding motivation with life, understanding how it can go beyond work and the only way to keep productivity is by also having a balanced lifestyle. This includes good alimentation, exercise, and sleep. It is not possible to keep an unhealthy routine for a prolonged period, as the body refuses to keep functioning properly.

But even after implementing all of the above, burnout can take up years to fully leave a person. Because of that, it is also important to remember that recovery is not a linear process. People might feel like everything is back to normal again, just to fall out into sickness again. Especially if the bad habits come back when the body starts to feel healthy again. So now is the time to put burnout recovery as a priority, trying to face the consequences of the pandemic in the workers' minds.