We want to address a topic that often confuses many people, and understanding it is key to taking the right steps: How can you tell the difference between stress and burnout? What’s the line that separates the two? – Keep reading ?
Burnout is not the same as stress, and it cannot be cured simply by taking a long vacation, slowing down, or working fewer hours.
Stress is one thing; burnout is a totally different state of mind. Under stress, you still struggle to cope with day-to-day pressures. But once burnout sets in, you run out of energy and life begins to lose meaning, and small tasks feel like a HUGE effort.
The "chicken and egg" findings show that stress and burnout reinforce each other.
However, burnout has a much greater impact on stress than vice versa. This means that the more severe a person's exhaustion becomes, the more stressed they will feel at work.
Employees suffering from exhaustion must receive adequate support to break the vicious cycle between work stress and burnout.
Research suggests that when employees feel they have some degree of control over their work and receive support from colleagues and supervisors, the impact of burnout on workplace stress can potentially be minimized.
What can companies do to break the "chicken and egg" cycle and reduce the effects of burnout on work-related stress?
The right profiles to start with are managers and how they lead their teams.
It is essential that employees have the opportunity to give feedback to their superiors at any time and that management gives them their full attention, thus allowing employees the time they need to recover from this vicious cycle.
