Tuesday, May 22, 2012

CAREER SPECIAL..Five Ways To Arrest a Burnout in Early Stages


Five Ways To Arrest a Burnout in Early Stages


In today’s fast-paced world, burnouts are becoming as common as the flu. Professionals from the medical field have expressed concern over cases not only among executives, but also students and young adults. This is why it has become important to identify a burnout and deal with it early. Mahima Puri suggests a few ways to cope.

 1 Identify the Burnout
 A burnout is typically a combination of physical, mental and emotional stress, which leads to fatigue. You then acquire an early stage of stagnation, which impacts your output or desire to do things well, says Dr Samir Parikh, consultant psychiatrist with Max Healthcare.

 2 Recognise the Cause
Some jobs, such as voice-based ones at BPOs, are likely to result in burnout, says Sanjay Gupta, global head — HR at ExlService. “When customers are dissatisfied, they may say things that increase stress levels. We have dealt with this in our company,” he says. Similarly, not taking regular breaks from work is likely to lead to burnout.

 3 Meet People
 It is important to socialise, talk to people and enjoy lighter moments, says Dr Parikh. “Sometimes, taking long breaks could help, while for others, a short weekly break might do the trick,” he adds.

 4 Get a Change of Scene
 A change in job or work may help address a burnout, says Mr Gupta. However, Dr Parikh says a mere change may not always help. “If you have identified the cause, it may not be important to change something at the workplace. It could be an issue related to your home, which you may have ignored,” he adds. At the same time, at work, a high-potential performer’s work profile could be changed. “This will keep him going,” he adds.

 5 Take Preventive Steps
 “It is not easy to pull yourself out of burnout and to get back to your old self. So the ideal way is to not let it happen,” Dr Parikh says. He advises regular breaks from work, engaging with family and friends more often and pursuing hobbies and interests.
ET120504

No comments: