The personal and business cost of burnout

Burnout can hide in plain sight; it may be a stealthy challenge, but its impact can be devastating and far-reaching.

And that’s because it’s not just a workplace problem, but its cause and effect are all about bread and butter and the sour taste in between.

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One moment you’re at your desk responding to emails, WhatsApps, doing meeting,s and whatever else the workday demands.

Next, things take a little longer, become a little harder, and even simple decisions become a mountain rather than a hill.

Watching the Springboks beat the All Blacks with some rest in between does nothing to recharge your batteries. That may be a sign of burnout.

It is often the small stuff that gives it away first, said occupational therapist and Centre of Psychotherapy Excellence manager at Netcare Akeso Polokwane, Mahlatse Mothogoane.

People can suddenly make mistakes doing things they are ordinarily good at, while brain fog can turn an easy equation into a challenge or leave someone struggling to spell everyday words.

Brain fog sets in

Then there is the strange contradiction of being permanently occupied without getting much done.

“Being busy the entire day but realising on reflection that not much has been achieved or you haven’t completed anything,” she said, was another warning sign.

Burnout can also start stealing pieces of life that have nothing to do with a spreadsheet or deadline.

Getting into the shower and preparing for work can become something to put off, motivation can disappear and being around other people can begin to feel more draining than enjoyable.

Eventually, Mothogoane said, someone may find themselves simply “doing the bare minimum to get by”.

Brain fog can be a symptom of burnout. Picture: iStock

South Africans are juggling the cost of groceries, transport and simply keeping the lights on while trying to remain productive at work.

The things that offer some relief are often the first casualties when money becomes tight.

“Leisure brings meaning to life, helps us de-stress and contributes to feelings of fulfilment,” Mothogoane said.

“We might be able to separate work stress and life stress in our rational mind, but unfortunately our brains only experience stress as stress.”

But the cost of burnout isn’t relegated to the home or your own desktop. The idea of doing the bare minimum to get by can eventually translate into not going to work at all.

Beyond bedrot

Longevity and human performance company NADClinic estimates that absenteeism from work costs South African businesses between R12 billion and R19 billion annually and puts workplace absenteeism rates at between 3.5% and 6%. That works out at roughly eight to 15 lost working days per employee every year.

It is more than bedrot at these kinds of numbers. But struggling to get out of bed is just a symptom.

“The body whispers before it shouts,” Mothogoane said.

But even then, it’s not as if anyone can really escape the office. Technology has made that boundary between home and work very porous.

“Depending on the type of job you have, having a smartphone is like having the entire office in your pocket,” Mothogoane said. “Wherever we go, we carry the office with us, making it hard to switch off completely.”

In between all of that, there’s social media. It can pile odious comparison onto exhaustion that’s already there, while doomscrolling gnaws away at sleep a few minutes at a time. The result is a peculiar modern cycle where the device used to work follows you home, and the device used to relax can keep you awake.

Smartphones contribute to the problem

This is also why, when boundaries disappear, damage can follow a person into their personal relationships, too. Burnout can make people irritable and emotionally unavailable.

“We may also withdraw from loved ones while we attempt to ‘rest’, not being aware we are eventually pushing away those who could offer us support,” Mothogoane said.

But there is hope, and sometimes it’s about corporate leadership as much as it is about the balancing act of the self.

The boss, so to speak, plays a big role at work.

“Start with top-level managers, who can serve as role models for a healthy working environment,” Mothogoane said.

Taking leave, knocking off on time, shutting laptops during lunch and discouraging after-hours communication can signal that boundaries are not career-limiting, she added.

De Havilland also said the corporate approach to wellness needs to change.

“Traditional employee wellness programmes have often focused on reactive healthcare, gym incentives, or mental health campaigns,” he said.

Instead, he suggested, the focus is now segueing towards prevention, resilience and sustained performance.

Yet individuals should take responsibility, because ultimately nobody can live someone else’s life for them.

“With time, we get tired of trying to show up for others while we are also suffering,” Mothogoane said. “This is why early intervention is important to help prevent reaching a crisis point.”

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