Glorifying Stress and Burnout

We often argue with our friends about whose job is the most difficult and who is busier. It’s almost as though we compete to be the one experiencing more stress! Talking to our friends about the stress we experience might be helpful but we tend to glorify it rather than make an attempt to relieve ourselves of it. Heavy schedules are praised and people who have free time are frowned upon. It’s almost as if taking a break in today’s hectic world is a shameful thing!

Why Do We Do It?

When everyone likes taking time out to relax or be with close ones, why do we glorify not having time for it? The reason is that the two most common measures of success are money and power - both of which often come from one’s work. Therefore, we talk about how busy or stressed we are almost as a marker for how successful we are. This is why we work long hours, compromise our health and sometimes push ourselves till we have break-downs! Another reason for taking on too much work is convincing ourselves that we matter. Some of us may keep ourselves busy because we’re afraid of missing out on something or of being unable to support ourselves and our families. Others may choose to remain busy because it helps them avoid dealing with uncomfortable situations and making changes in their schedules.

The Impact of Stress

Though we’ve become a culture that glorifies stress, we often don’t fully understand its effects. Being constantly stressed about situations can cause your body to react just as strongly as it would if you were facing a life-or-death situation. This is because it activates our emergency stress system, and constantly doing so can thus lead to harmful health consequences. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can suppress your immune system, upset your digestive and reproductive systems, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, and speed up the ageing process. It can even rewire the brain, leaving you more prone to anxiety, depression and other mental health problems. It also makes you more susceptible to skin conditions like eczema, weight problems, as well as memory problems.

Understanding Burnout

Have you ever seen someone over-work themselves severely? They undergo prolonged and excessive stress. You may have noticed them enter a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion. This is known as burnout. It occurs when we feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet the constant demands of daily living. As the stress continues, we begin to lose the interest or motivation that led us to take on a certain role in the first place. It can have many harmful consequences. It diminishes productivity and energy, and we begin to feel helpless, cynical and resentful. Eventually, burnout can also affect your family and social life. A recent survey found that 14 percent of people aged 18 to 29 years knew a relative or close friend who was diagnosed with burnout. However, there are plenty of things we can do to regain our balance and start to feel motivated and hopeful again.

Conclusion

We can avoid overworking and stop the glorification of stress by taking time out for ourselves, giving back to our friends, family and community and most importantly, redefining what it means to be successful. A new measure of success called “thriving” can be used here. When we thrive, we make sure we are healthy, make time to sleep enough and do not let our work dictate our lives. So, put your phone and laptop away and give yourself a break because caring for yourself is most important!