Jono Bacon: The burnout cycle

[marnanel]

"The burnout cycle" was devised by Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North

1. You start feeling like you need to prove yourself.
2. So you work harder (putting more hours in rather than working smarter)
3. So you ignore needs; erratic sleeping, eating disrupted, lack of social interaction
4. panic and conflict: problems are dismissed, feel threatened, panicky and jittery
5. Change values.  Work is the only focus.  Friends and family dismissed
6. Deny problems.  Cynical, intolerant, blaming colleagues and workload and lack of time.
7. Withdrawal; no social life, often resort to drink and drugs and overeating or undereating; serious burnout begins.
8. Odd behaviour.  Changes in behaviour obvious; friends and family concerned.  This is the "Is everything all right?" stage
9. Depersonalise; feel worthless, no confidence, life feels mechanical and emotionless.
10. Inner emptiness: empty, lonely, drink and drugs begin to be a real problem
11. "Epic" depression; feel lost and not sure what to do; exhaustion; future feels bleak and dark
12. Collapse.

Managers: should look out for burnout among their subordinates
Teammates: among their teammates
Workers: involve your manager, enforce work hours, take breaks;
Private life: take time off; love your hobby; socialise.